May 2010 BOARD REPORT

ATOD School And Community Based Prevention Program

The Wood County Youth Survey Dr. William Ivoska presented the 2010 Wood County ADAMHS Youth Survey report on Friday, May 14 at Owens Community College.

Substance Use

• Nicotine use has decreased nationally since 1996.  Wood County showed similar decreases in monthly use, however the use of smokeless tobacco rose among 11^th and 12^th grade males. 
• Annual and monthly use of alcohol declined dramatically at a faster rate than the national rate.  Binge drinking declined in all grades. 
• In contrast to recent national studies, marijuana use continues to decline in all grades for 30-day use.  Minor increases were reported in annual marijuana use in 11^th and 12^th grades.  Wood County reports lower than national rates.
• Inhalant use increased in grades 5, 6 and slightly in 10.  Rates declined in all other grades.
• Ecstasy use showed a sharp increase in 10, 11, and 12^th grades (12^th – 3.5%-5.5%).  Findings parallel the 2009 Partnership for a Drug Free America study.
• Methylphenidate and Amphetamine (Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall) are at their lowest levels in grades 7-10.  Increases were reported in grades 11 and 12.
• LSD is at the lowest levels ever reported in Wood County, except for grade 12 where increases were reported.  Wood County rates are higher than the national averages in grades 10, 11, and 12.
• Narcotic Painkillers have remained steady since 2004.  The use of painkillers among high school ages youth appears considerably higher than the national average.
• Cocaine use remains low except for higher than national rates for high school seniors.
• Cough medicine rates have not changed, however there is cause for concern as rates are much higher than the national averages.

Prevention Efforts

The Wood County Youth Survey reported students who received Life Skills Training reported lower rates of substance use among a broad range of substances.  Dr. Ivoska explained that prevention efforts appear to be effective in reducing substance use with findings that high school juniors and seniors who received Life Skills Training were less likely to use substances than were teens at lower grade levels.

Mental Health

The more teens indicate that they experience internal or external distress, the more likely they are using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.  Youth report a decrease in significant (7.8%) and moderate (15.4%) mental health problems.

Bullying

Verbal bullying is the most prevalent form of bullying for Wood County youth were 33.6% report being victims.  Cyber and physical bullying is experienced by 11% of youth.  Victims of bullying are more likely to report substance use, moderate, severe, or intense mental health issues, and more likely to think about suicide.

Communities Mobilizing for Change in Alcohol (CMCA) Task Force CMCA has been working on a media campaign, The New Cool, and we hear it’s creating quite a buzz.  One of the components of this campaign which is designed to change the perception that NOT drinking is cool, not the other way around, is having posters in all the Wood County high schools that contain positive messages and have images of kids making good choices and having fun while being alcohol free.  Since the posters were not finished until spring it was decided to have them in schools at the start of the school year rather than the end of this year.  To get people to anticipate the campaign we have “teaser” signs, the size of bumper stickers, up at all the schools.  These signs feature our new cool logo and say “Coming Fall 2010…The New Cool”.  We hear that many people have noticed them and have been asking what they mean.

The second part of the media campaign is the New Cool website that is being developed and is anticipated to go live sometime late summer.

CMCA Street Team Fourteen drug free Wood County youth will represent Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol as the youth voice of reducing underage drinking.  Plans are for 2 training sessions to be held this summer to get these team members ready to man the booths at several fairs in the county and survey attendees about underage drinking, access availability of alcohol in various Wood County stores, and work on other alcohol awareness projects.

Parents Who Host Lose the Most The 2010 campaign kicked off with a parent meeting in April and signs with the “Parents Who Host” logo and local law enforcement numbers have been posted around the county.  There are a number of different signs including 16’ outdoor banners, 4’ indoor banners, and outdoor realty signs posted in the front lawns of schools, homes, and businesses.

BG schools support Parents Who Host campaign

Teen Institute at BGHS through the Wood County Educational Service Center’s School and Community-Based Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) prevention program is proud to be a part of the environmental awareness campaign, "Parents Who Host, Lose the Most."

Drug-Free Action Alliance has developed the "Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don't be a party to teenage drinking" public awareness campaign to provide parents with accurate information about the health risks of underage drinking and the legal consequences of providing alcohol to youth. The campaign encourages parents and the community to send a unified message at prom and graduation time that teen alcohol consumption is not acceptable. It is illegal, unsafe, and unhealthy for anyone under age 21 to drink alcohol.