TEEN SMOKING, DRUG USE DECLINE

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 said.

The decline in drug use is "quite remarkable news," Nora 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 Dr. Volkow added: "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% of 12th-graders reported using the painkiller
Vicodin and 5.5% 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% 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 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% among eighth-graders, decreased
1.7% among 10th-graders and declined 2.8% among 12th-graders,
according to the Monitoring the Future survey conducted 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% among eighth-graders; down 1.5% among
10th-graders; and down 2.1% among 12th-graders.

. Use of methamphetamine during their lives fell 1.2% among
10th-graders and fell 1.7% 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.