DHSS Press Release

TOBACCO AND MARIJUANA SMOKING DOWN AMONG DELAWARE TEENS

A new school survey, released today by Delaware Health and Social Services (DHSS), shows that youth-focused anti-tobacco, anti-alcohol and anti-drug efforts are working in the First State.

The study, "Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Abuse among Delaware Students" has been conducted annually since 1989 and tracks drug use trends among 5th, 8th and 11th graders in Delaware. The 2002 survey, which included almost 19,000 students, showed that:

• Regular (past month) use of cigarettes among 5th, 8th and 11th graders in Delaware continues to decline dramatically. The 2002 results mark the fourth year in a row that cigarette use by 8th and 11th graders has declined.
  • In 2002, 20 percent of 11th graders reported regular cigarette use, down from a 1998 rate of 33 percent.
  • Among 8th graders, 12 percent reported regular cigarette use, down from 25 percent in 1998.
  • Among 5th graders, 1 percent reported regular cigarette use, down from 3 percent in 1998; and 10 percent reported ever trying a cigarette, down from 18 percent in 1998.
  • The 2002 estimates for regular cigarette use for each of 5th, 8th and 11th graders are the lowest reported since the study first started in 1989.
  • These recent trends are important. From 1992 to 1998, cigarette use among middle and high school students went up faster in Delaware than nationally. From 1998 to 2001, however, Delaware rates have declined faster than the national average, and the 2002 results give hope that the trend of greater declines in Delaware will continue.
• Regular use of marijuana among 8th and 11th graders in Delaware also declined in 2002.
  • Among 11th graders, regular marijuana use declined from 28 percent in 2001 to 25 percent in 2002.
  • Among 8th graders, regular marijuana use declined from 15 percent in 2001 to 14 percent in 2002.
  • These percentages are the lowest numbers reported for marijuana use since 1995.
• Reported use of ecstasy declined in 2002. Four percent of 8th graders and 8 percent of 11th graders reported past-year use of ecstasy in 2001, while only 2 percent of 8th graders and 5 percent of 11th graders did so in 2002.
• Students feel safer in school in 2002. The percentage of students who feel safe in their school was up significantly for all three grades from 2001 to 2002. This change is notable because the percentage of students who feel safe in school had declined somewhat since 1998.
• The percentage of 11th graders who report drinking and driving has decreased, but the percentage who report smoking marijuana and driving has remained about the same. In 2002, 5 percent of 11th graders reported drinking and driving. This is less than half the reported rate of 11 percent in 1995. Self-reported driving after smoking marijuana, though, is 8 percent - the same as it was in 1995. Since 1998, reports of marijuana use and driving have exceeded reports of drinking and driving for Delaware 11th graders.
• The proportion of 5th graders who believe smoking, drinking and other drug use is a "great risk" to their health and well being increased in 2002. Students who believe that substance use is harmful to their health and well being are less likely to use alcohol, tobacco and other illicit drugs.
  • The national "Monitoring the Future" Studies have long seen the perceived "great risk" questions as harbingers of changes in student behavior. The trend in the 5th grade, for ALL drug indicators was a significant increase in perceived "great risk." This is an encouraging sign in regards to future substance abuse among this cohort.
• Cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana were all less available to 5th graders in 2002. Cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine were each less available to 5th graders in 2002 than in 1998. Fifth graders reporting they knew where to buy cigarettes and alcohol also declined. Still, 13 percent of 5th graders reported it "easy" to get alcohol, and 8 percent said it was "easy" to get cocaine. Eighteen percent of 5th graders said they knew where to buy cigarettes and 12 percent where to buy alcohol.
  • On a positive note, reports of getting cigarettes from store clerks declined in 2002, particularly for 8th graders. Also access to vending machine cigarettes has plummeted. In 1996, before the law changed, 38 percent of 11th grade smokers said they got cigarettes from vending machines; in 2002, 6 percent said they got cigarettes from vending machines.

Upon learning of the results of the tobacco portion of the study, State Representative Deborah D. Hudson (R-Fairthorne) said, "As a member of the Delaware Health Fund Advisory Committee, I am pleased to learn of the recent findings. I have a worked on this committee since it was formed three years ago as a result of the tobacco settlement, and I am committed to efforts that will reduce smoking among teenagers. In addition, as one of the lead sponsors of legislation banning smoking in public places, I have worked to ensure that all families in Delaware are able to breathe clean air. It is part of my commitment to ensuring a healthy Delaware for everyone."

Many of the 2002 survey findings are encouraging, but work needs to continue to prevent alcohol, tobacco and other drug use among youth. The need for continued effort on these and other issues is evidenced by some newly emerging trends:

• Illegal use of narcotic pain killers like Oxycontin and Percocet are more common than use of all other drugs except cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana for 11th graders; and more common than all other drugs except cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and inhalants for 8th graders. In addition, pain killers are followed by psychoactive medications (e.g., Adderall and Ritalin) in the list of drugs abused by Delaware youth. These data support recent national findings that illegal diversion of prescription medications is an emerging youth drug problem; and
• The perceived availability of tobacco and marijuana remains high among 8th and 11th graders. For marijuana in particular, more 8th and 11th graders say they know where to buy marijuana than say they know where to buy either cigarettes or alcohol. Most students do not see a "great risk" in trying marijuana.

The school survey is conducted by the Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies at the University of Delaware and funded with a contract from DHSS' Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH). The survey is cosponsored by the First State Prevention Coalition, a state agency cooperative effort among DSAMH, the Office of Prevention and Early Intervention, the Department of Education and the Division of Public Health. Individual school districts also have helped with the survey planning. The full report is available at the Drug-Free Delaware website, http://www.state.de.us/drugfree/2002rpt/atda2002.pdf. The 120-page report includes a section of key findings, an overview of the study methodology, and detailed tables and graphs.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.