Substance abuse
down among
isle youngsters

Tobacco, alcohol and drug
use is down or is leveling,
survey finds

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By Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.com

Tobacco, alcohol and drug use (except ecstasy) has declined or stabilized among Hawaii youth, the state Department of Health said today.

A survey of 25,860 students in 198 public schools and 39 private schools last spring showed:

>>A substantial decrease in alcohol use.

>>Tobacco use hit an all-time low.

>>Use of most illicit drugs decreased.

The anonymous survey was conducted among 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grade students who had parental consent to participate. The UH Speech Department conducted the federally funded study under contract to the DOH Alcohol & Drug Abuse Division.

It is the latest in a series of surveys to monitor trends in substance abuse among Hawaii youth and effectiveness of programs to prevent use of drugs.

"The results are encouraging," said state Health Director Bruce S. Anderson. "However, we continue to have great concern about the number of adolescents using substances and needing substance abuse treatment and we urge parents, businesses and the community to join the Department of Health in pursuing effective solutions." Elaine Wilson, division chief, and Renee Storm Klingle, UH speech professor, joined Anderson in releasing the findings.

The report's recommendations include: Making substance abuse prevention a priority in every community; strengthening the family's role in prevention efforts; increasing media coverage on prevention and treatment; increasing community awareness of serious consequences of underage alcohol use; strengthening school-based prevention programs in every grade; and ensuring that every adolescent who has substance abuse problems gets treatment.

Use of any illicit drug at least once in a person's lifetime -- called lifetime prevalence -- steadily increased from 1991 to 1996 at all grade levels, the study noted. The trend continued in 1998 for upper grade students, but a decrease occurred among 8th graders and a stabilization pattern showed up for 6th graders.

Last year, lifetime prevalence reports for 12th graders decreased for marijuana, inhalants, methamphetamine and hallucinogens but did not change for cocaine, heroin, sedatives and steroids.

Lifetime prevalence reports at all other grade levels generally declined except for ecstasy, which increased in grades 10 and 12, and steroid reports, which remained level in grades 8, 10 and 12.

Marijuana continues to be the preferred illicit drug, with nearly half (46 percent) of 12th graders saying they tried it. Also, 2 percent of sixth graders, 16 percent of eighth graders, and 33 percent of 10th graders said they had tried marijuana at some point. But monthly marijuana use showed "an encouraging downward pattern" since 1996, the study found.

Last year, compared to 1998, monthly marijuana use dropped from 3 percent to 1 percent for sixth graders, from 12 percent to 9 percent for eighth graders, from 22 percent to 17 percent for 10th graders, and stabilized for seniors. Use of alcohol at least once and self-reported drunkenness were lower last year than in 1998 and are down from a decade earlier when they were at an all-time low.

One of the most notable drops occurred with 6th graders: Only 24 percent reported trying alcohol last year compared with 48 percent in 1987. A big increase in smoking occurred from 1993 to 1996 but began to drop in 1998 and fell substantially last year.

Hawaii lifetime prevalence reports for alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs generally are much lower than national reports, the study shows.

Nationwide, ecstasy use is climbing, cigarette use continues to decline and alcohol use remains stable among youth .

The greatest declines in daily use of illegal substances were in cigarette and alcohol use. But daily alcohol use rates here are higher than nationwide rates, the study said.

Estimated treatment needs for substance abuse have declined since 1998 but are still higher than those reported in 1996, the health officials said.

About 14,175 students were found to have either an alcohol abuse, or drug abuse problem or both and need treatment.

Substance abuse treatment is needed for 2 percent of sixth graders, 8 percent of eighth graders, 18 percent of 10th graders and 27 percent of 12th graders statewide.