KING COUNTY, WA - During Drug Free Washington Month and National Alcohol Awareness Month, Public Health - Seattle & King County is encouraged to find declining drug use among adolescents in King County -- as reported in a new Washington State survey -- but stresses that drug prevention programs must remain a priority.

"A growing number of students in middle school and high school are choosing to stay away from drugs," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "We are very encouraged that our communities are moving in the right direction, but drug use rates remain unacceptably high."

"This past year, King County reversed a decade-long trend of increasing drug use among students," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "We must continue prevention efforts involving youth and adults in schools, community organizations, public agencies, and others."

Survey results in King County

More than 18,000 students in King County schools participated in the Fall 2000 Washington State Survey of Adolescent Health Behaviors (WSSAHB) which asked students about their behavior, including substance abuse and violence.

In King County, it was found that:

• Marijuana use from 1998 to 2000 dropped from 14% to 10% among 8th graders and from 26% to 19% among 10th graders.
• Binge drinking fell from 1998 to 2000 from 8% to 4% among 6th graders and from 16% to 11% among 10th graders. Among 12th graders, the rate held steady at approximately 29%.
• Tobacco smoking (cigarettes/cigars) dropped from 20% to 16% among 10th graders from 1998 to 2000.
• Chewing tobacco use fell from 8% in 1998 to 3% in 2000 among 10th graders and from 5% to 2% among 8th graders. Fewer seniors chewed tobacco in 2000 (7%) compared with 1998 (11%).

In terms of other drugs, the survey reported 9% of 12th graders use "party drugs," such as Ecstasy (MDMA), and a small percentage of 10th and 12th graders use cocaine/crack (2%), heroin (less than 1%), and psychedelic drugs (4-5%).

Continue to stress prevention

"Despite some positive indicators, use rates remain high for some substances. One-third of 10th graders and one-half of 12th graders consume alcohol," said Jackie Berganio of Public Health's Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program.

"Although most young people don't drink alcohol or use drugs, substance use is associated with a host of issues, including traffic fatalities, crime, school failure, drownings, and suicide," said Berganio.

In King County, alcohol is a major risk factor for the three leading causes of death among adolescents: motor vehicle crashes, suicides and homicides.

"We should continue to promote prevention programs that target students at an early age," said Berganio. Youth who begin using drugs before 15 years of age are twice as likely to have drug problems when they become adults, compared to those who delay drug use until age 19.

Public Health's Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program supports individuals, families, schools and communities in raising healthy, drug-free children and youth in King County.

In 1999-2001, with a federal block grant from the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse of Washington State's Department of Social and Health Services, the Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program allocated approximately $1 million to 20 King County organizations to implement alcohol and other drug prevention activities, including:

• youth development
• tutoring/mentoring
• parenting education and support
• driving under the influence (DUI) prevention
• peer leadership
• children of alcoholics/substance abusers educational and support groups

For more information on local prevention efforts and funding opportunities (currently, approximately $1 million is available in competitive funds to organizations that provide alcohol and other drug prevention services), please visit Public Health's Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program at www.metrokc.gov/health/atodp

For more information on Drug-Free Washington Month, visit the Washington State Alcohol/Drug Clearinghouse at www.adhl.org/clearinghouse/ and www.informationsource.org/.

For information on substance use intervention and treatment, visit the Department of Community and Human Services at www.metrokc.gov/dchs/mhd/dasa.htm. Or, call the alcohol and drug helpline at 1-800-562-1240.