TEENS SMOKING LESS, SURVEY SHOWS

WASHINGTON - Cigarette smoking is at its lowest level in a survey of
teenagers and use of illicit drugs has been declining, but continuing
high rates of abuse for prescription painkillers remain a worry, the
government reported Monday.

The decline in drug use is "quite remarkable news," Dr. Nora D.
Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said in
issuing the agency's annual survey of drug use by children in grades
eight, 10 and 12.

But she added that "prescription drugs are very powerful medicines
that are effective when used properly and with a doctor's supervision.
Using these drugs without a prescription is dangerous. It's imperative
that teens get this message."

She also raised concerns about increased use of inhalants and Lloyd
Johnston, director of the study, noted that declines in smoking seem
to have stopped among 8th graders, a finding that could raise concerns
in the future, he said.

Karen Tandy of the Drug Enforcement Administration warned of the
increased availability of drugs.

"The drug dealers that used to be in the back alley are now in the
bedrooms of our children because they come to them through the
internet," she said.

In the study, 9.5 percent of 12th-graders reported using the
painkiller Vicodin and 5.5 percent reported using OxyContin in the
past year. Long-term trends show a significant increase in the abuse
of OxyContin from 2002 to 2005 among 12th-graders.

Also of concern is the significant increase in the use of sedatives
and barbiturates among 12th-graders since 2001.

Overall, however, the report had good news, particularly about
cigarette smoking.

It cited a 19 percent decline over the past four years in the use of
any illegal drug in the month before the survey was done.

"Teens are getting the message. Drugs are harmful and will not only
hurt their brains and bodies, but also damage their futures," said
John P. Walters, director of the White House's Office of National Drug
Control Policy.

In the survey, teens were asked about use of drugs, tobacco and
alcohol in their lifetime, in the month before the survey and in the
year before the survey.

Lifetime use of cigarettes declined 2 percent among eighth-graders,
decreased 1.7 percent among 10th-graders and declined 2.8 percent
among 12th-graders, according to the Monitoring the Future survey done
by the University of Michigan. The study surveyed 49,347 students in
402 public and private schools.

Smoking is a concern because cigarette use is often seen prior to use
of other drugs.

Other findings included:

_Use of alcohol during the year before the survey was down 2.7 percent
among eighth-graders; down 1.5 percent among 10th-graders; and down
2.1 percent among 12th-graders.

_Use of methamphetamine during their lives fell 1.2 percent among
10th-graders and fell 1.7 percent among 12th-graders.

_Between 2001 and 2005, lifetime and last-year use of steroids
declined for all grades.

_Lifetime use of marijuana fell from 2001 to 2005 for all grades and
past-month use declined for 8th- and 10th-graders.

ON THE NET

National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www.nida.nih.gov

Monitoring the Future: http://monitoringthefuture.org