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Date: Saturday, Dec. 20, 1997
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mona W. Brown, Sheryl Massaro (301)443-6245
 

Drug Use Survey Shows Mixed Results For Nation's Youth: Use Among Younger Adolescents Appears To Be Slowing

The 1997 survey of drug use among adolescents found general stability among the proportion of high school seniors and 10th graders using most illicit drugs in the past year or past month, although there were some increases, generally in lifetime use. Similar to findings of the 1996 Household Drug Survey released earlier this year, these new results offer hope in the fight against drug abuse in America.

"The possible slowdown of illicit drug use among young people is encouraging, even though rates of use remain unacceptably high. All of us, especially parents and teachers, need to redouble our efforts to make young people understand that drug abuse is illegal, dangerous and wrong," Secretary Shalala said. "The changes we're seeing from 1996 to 1997 may be a sign of hope for the future, particularly among eighth graders."

National Drug Policy Director Barry R. McCaffrey said, "We know that the heart and soul of the nation's counterdrug strategy is to keep our young people from using illegal drugs--particularly marijuana--as well as drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. The results of this survey are a sign that we are moving in the right direction. If American parents, teachers, ministers and community coalitions can stay focused, we can succeed in our goal of reducing the country's drug problem to two percent of the population within the next ten years."

Among 12^th graders, past month cigarette use increased from 34.0 percent to 36.5 percent. However, daily smoking within the past 30 days decreased from 10.4 to 9.0 percent among 8^th graders and smoking a half-pack or more cigarettes per day decreased from 4.3 percent to 3.5 percent within the same age group. "The news on 8^th graders is encouraging, but we've got to keep the pressure on. We must continue to send strong messages to young people that smoking and drinking are dangerous to their health," Secretary Shalala said.

For the first time since 1991, the 1997 survey also indicates an increase in the percentage of 8^th graders disapproving of occasional use of marijuana, from 76.5 percent in 1996 to 78.1 percent in 1997. Disapproval among 8^th graders of regular marijuana use, occasional cocaine powder use, and heavy drinking along with frequent cigarette smoking also increased. Adolescent attitudes about drug use are key predictors of increases and decreases in the subsequent use of drugs.

"The apparent shift in attitudes and leveling off of drug use among eighth graders provides additional evidence that anti-drug prevention activities may be taking hold with young people. This study emphasizes the importance of continuing to protect our children with regular boosters of prevention in their homes, schools, and communities," said Dr. Alan I. Leshner, Director of HHS' National Institute on Drug Abuse, the agency that funded the study.

When the Monitoring the Future survey showed a sharp increase in drug use among young people in the early 1990s, HHS and other federal, state and local agencies took steps to combat pro-drug perceptions and improve substance abuse prevention programs. Among those efforts were the marijuana initiative, the Girl Power! campaign targeting pre-adolescent girls, increased support for public education and media activities, and partnerships with Scholastic Magazine, Weekly Reader, the National PTA, the Partnership for a Drug Free America, the National Association of Broadcasters and others. "The findings today indicate that our efforts may be paying off," said Secretary Shalala.

Overall in 1997, 54.3 percent of high school seniors said they have used an illicit drug at least once in their lives, while 47.3 percent of 10th graders, and 29.4 percent of eighth graders said they have used an illicit drug at least once.

Study findings related to specific drugs include:

Marijuana: Marijuana remains the most widely used drug among adolescents. The percentage of 10th and 12th grade students who had tried marijuana at least once in their lifetime increased from 1996 to 1997. This may be affected by the fact that 12th graders in 1997 were 8th graders in 1993 and 10th graders in 1995, a time when marijuana use was increasing annually among seniors and students in the lower grades.

The percentage of students who used marijuana in the past year and past month remained unchanged for students in all three grades. However, daily marijuana use by 8th graders decreased from 1.5 percent in 1996 to 1.1 percent in 1997, and daily use among seniors increased from 4.9 percent in 1996 to 5.8 percent in 1997. The decrease in marijuana use among 8^th graders is the first found by this survey for any age group since 1992.

Cocaine: Rates of cocaine use remained level for 8th and 10th grade students. Among 12th graders, however, lifetime use of cocaine in all forms increased. The percentage of seniors who had used cocaine at least once increased from 7.1 percent in 1996 to 8.7 percent in 1997, the highest rates reported since 1990.

Heroin: Past year use of heroin among 8th graders decreased from 1.6 percent in 1996 to 1.3 percent in 1997. In 1997, 2.1 percent of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders report having used heroin at least once in their lifetime.

Stimulants: There was no change in the percentage of 8^th, 10^th, or 12^th graders who have tried stimulants at least once. In 1997, 12.3 percent of 8^th graders, 17.0 percent of 10^th graders, and 16.5 percent of 12^th graders used stimulants at least once in their lifetime. Stimulant use in the past month increased among 12^th graders, but use of these drugs in the past year and in the past month decreased among 8^th graders.

Cigarettes: The percentage of 8th graders reporting heavy cigarette smoking decreased between 1996 and 1997. Daily smoking in the past 30 days decreased from 10.4 to 9.0 percent and 8th graders smoking a half-pack or more cigarettes per day decreased from 4.3 percent to 3.5 percent. Use of cigarettes in the past month by 12th graders, however, increased from 34.0 percent to 36.5 percent. Daily cigarette use among seniors increased to 24.6 percent, its highest level since 1979.

Alcohol: Although rates remained mostly stable, alcohol use remains a problem among adolescents. On the positive side, the percentage of 8th graders reporting having been drunk in the past 30 days decreased from 9.6 percent in 1996 to 8.2 percent in 1997. However, the percentage of 10th graders reporting having been drunk daily increased from 0.4 percent in 1996 to 0.6 percent in 1997. Among 12th graders, past year use of alcohol increased from 72.5 percent in 1996 to 74.8 percent in 1997. Lifetime use also increased among seniors.

Attitudes and Perceptions About Drug Use: The 1997 survey found that, for most drugs, adolescents' perception of the perceived risk of harm from drug use remained stable. The few exceptions include an increase in the percentage of 8th graders saying there is great risk in having five or more drinks once or twice each weekend (heavy drinking), increasing from 51.8 percent in 1996 to 55.6 percent in 1997, and an increase in the percentage of seniors saying there is great risk in trying heroin once or twice (52.5 percent in 1996 to 56.7 percent in 1997).

Moving in the wrong direction, however, are attitudes about drinking among 12th graders, specifically a decrease in the percentage of seniors saying there is great risk in heavy drinking (49.5 percent in 1996 to 43.0 percent in 1997). In addition, the percentage of 8th graders saying there is great risk in trying marijuana once or twice decreased from 27.9 percent in 1996 to 25.3 percent in 1997 and the percentage of seniors saying there is great risk in taking barbiturates regularly decreased.

Disapproval of others' occasional or regular use of marijuana increased among 8th graders. There was also an increase in the percentage of 8th graders saying they disapprove of people who engage in heavy drinking including those who take one or two drinks nearly every day or have five or more drinks once or twice each weekend. Rates for the percentage of 8th and 10th graders saying they disapprove of people who smoke one or more packs of cigarettes per day increased. The percentage of 8th graders saying they disapprove of people who take cocaine powder occasionally and use smokeless tobacco regularly also increased.