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P ortland O bserver • J uly 2 6 , 1 9 9 5
H EA LTH
Survey Shows Youth Drug Abuse Up
The use o f marijuana among 8 th,
l Oth and 12th graders has continued
to increase, according to the most
recent Monitoring the Future Sur
vey, funded by the National Institute
on Drug Abuse within the U.S. De
partment o f JJealth and Human Ser
vices. Some other categories of drug
use also rose and anti-drug attitudes
deteriorated, according to the survey
data.
The survey found that among
1.994 high school seniors, 30.7 per
cent said they had tried marijuana at
least once in the past year, compared
to 26 percent o f 1993 seniors and
21.9 percent o f 1992 seniors.
However, the figures remain
lower than most past years measured
by the survey: In 1979, 50.8 percent
o f seniors had tried marijuana and
the percentage was over 40 percent
from 1975 through 1985.
The high school survey showed
increases in the daily, current, past
year and I i fetime use o f marij uana by
8th, 10th and 12th grade students.
This is the third year in a row in
which marijuana use has increased
among 8th graders and the second
year for 10th and 12th grade stu
dents. There was also a small but
significant increase in cocaine use
among 8th and 10th graders (9th and
11 th grade students were not sur
veyed).
At the same time use is increas
ing, the survey also found that the
erosion o f anti-drug attitudes ob
served in 1993 continued in 1994.
Fewer students in all three grades
said trying marijuana once or twice,
smoking marijuana occasionally or
even smoking marijuana regularly is
harmful to their health. In addition,
there was continuing decline in the
percentage of students who perceived
cocaine in the powder or crack form
to be harmful.
In 1994, 45.6 percent o f high
school seniors had used an illicit
drug at least once in their lifetime.
This was up from 42.9 percent in
1993, but less than the 65.6 percent
in the peak year o f 1981. When the
survey was first conducted in 1975,
55.2 percent o f high school seniors
reported lifetime use o f any illicit
drug.
After remaining level between
1992 and 1993, lifetime cocaine use
increased among 8th and I Oth grad
ers. For 8th graders, lifetime use of
cocaine increased from 2.9 percent
Trends for Past 30-Day Marijuana Use
percent 0»
and the Belief that Regular Marijuana Use is
a Gre9t Risk to User's Health, Seniors: 1975-1994
Seniors
in 1993 to 3.6 percent in 1994; and
for 10th graders, from 3.6 percent to
4.3 percent.
There were also increases in the
use o f crack cocaine by 8th graders
between 1993 and 1994. Lifetime
use increased from 1.7 percent to 2.4
percent, annual use increased from 1
percent to 1.3 percent and current
use increased from 0.4 percept to 0.7
percent. Annual use o f crack by I Oth
graders also increased from I . I per
cent to 1.4 percent.
The 1994 survey showed a con
tinuing decline in the percentage o f
students who perceived cocaine in
the powder or crack form to be harm
ful. In 1991, 62.8 percent o f 8th
graders said there was a great risk in
trying crack once or twice. That esti
mate increased each year, down to
54.4 percent in 1994. There was also
a decrease in the percentage o f 8th
graders reporting great risk in trying
cocaine powder once or twice and in
taking crack and cocaine powder
occasionally.
Lifetime use o f hallucinogens
among I Oth graders increased from
6.8 percent in 1993 to 8 .1 percent in
1994. Annual use o f hallucinogens
among I Oth graders increased be
tween 1993 and 1994 from 4.7 per
cent to 5.8 percent. Annual use of
LSD among 10th graders increased
significantly from 4.2 percent in 1993
to 5.2 percent in 1994.
Between 1993 and 1994, there
as a decrease in perceived harmful
ness o f taking LSD once or twice by
8th graders and among 10th graders
who say there is great risk in taking
LSD regularly.
The percentage o f 12th graders
who perceive great risk in taking
LSD was at the lowest level since the
survey began in 1975. At the same
time, the percentage o f seniors say
ing it is fairly or very easy to get LSD
is at its highest level ever reported
during the study.
The 1994 survey showed an in
crease in lifetime use ofheroin among
8th graders (from 1.4 percent in 1993
to 2 percent in 1994), also in annual
use (from 0.7 percent to 1.2 percent)
and current use (from 0.4 percent to
0.6 percent).
Alcohol use among seniors re
mained stable in 1994. Rates o f alco-
hol use among 8th and I Oth graders
remained level between 1993 and
1994; however, they are still high
with 25.4 percent o f 8th graders a n J
39.2 percent o f 10th graders have
tried alcohol in the past month. Al
most 9 percent o f 8th graders and
20.3 percent o f 10th graders have
been drunk at least once in the past
month.
The Monitoring the Future sur
vey was conducted under a grant to
the University o f Michigan Institute
for Social Research under the direc
tion o f Dr. Lloyd Johnston
A national probability sample
of 15,929 high school seniors, 16,080
I Oth graders and 17,708 8th graders
in public and private schools nation
wide were surveyed during the spring
o f 1994.
The study has been conducted
annually since 1975, with 1994 rep
resenting the 20th annual survey o f
high school seniors. Data on 8th and
10th grade students have been col
lected since 1991.
For further information on the
survey, contact Mona Brown or
Sheryl Massaro at the National Insti
tute on Drug Abuse at (303) 443-
6245.
Lions Hearing Aid Bank Expands
t
A renovated and enlarged hear-
ng aid clinic to help needy adults
,nd children was dedicated Saturday
vith a grand opening celebration on
he campus o f Portland State Univer-
The PSU-Oregon Lions Hear
ing Aid Bank provides reconditioned
hearing aids to low-income residents
throughout Oregon.
The expansion was made possi
ble by a $ 2 1,600 grant from the Or-
r
(x I U 1 H U 1 «
egon Lions Sight and Flearing Foun
dation. The hearing aid bank will
also apply for additional grants to
obtain new equipment.
The remodel is the first phase of
an expansion that gives PSU stu
|A/ETC7*/VAi
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dents the capability to repair and re
case used hearing aids. After stu
dents repair and recondition the de
vices, they are refitted for hearing-
impaired people.
While new hearing aids can cost
O olume
regon ' s #1
V
D ealer
as much as $500 to $ 1,000, recondi
tioned ones costs no more than $ 150,
according to Thomas Dolan, who
operates the hearing aid bank as PSU
associate professor o f communica
tion and audiology. Qualifying pa
tients usually pay only a nominal
amount.
"This program not only provides
service to the needy, but enhances
our graduate program in audiology
and speech pathology,” Dolan said.
P O N T IA C -B U IC K -G M C
It’s a tremendous training opportu
nity for the students. They get expe
rience they couldn’t get anywhere
else.”
The hearing bank opened at PSU
in 1978 as the first hearing bank o f its
kind in Oregon. The facility is locat
ed in room 85 in the basement o f
Neuberger Hall, 724 S.W. Harrison
St.
For more information call 725-
3264.
Join us in celebrating the
1994 Pontiac
Bonnevilles
are still available:
4
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3.6% I in. for 36 months APR
1995 only in lieu of factory
rebate of $750.
sk For Clarence Larkins
655-2166 • 22555 SE Stark • 255-3840
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*
(El;e JjJortlanb (©bseruer
Albina Youth
Opportunity School, INC
Memorandum
To: Parents, Guardians, Students
To: High School Placement Professionals
From: Albina Youth Opportunity School (AYOS)
Subject: 1995 - 1996 Enrollment Procedures
Several forms must be signed and/or completed prior to enrollment in AY OS. To
receive an AYOS enrollment packet, prospective and returning students and
their parents/guardians should do the following between July 1st and Septem
ber 4th:
1 - Call AYOS at 288-5813.
2 - Leave a message with names, address AND phone number on AYOS Executive
Director, Rance Spruill’s voice mail. (203-9618)
3 - Students, Parent/Guardians attend the MANDATORY enrollment meeting at
AYOS on September 5th at 9 am. Bring a current transcript (new students only),
and any other pertinent information.
4 - Also, on September 5th schedule an individual intake interview with AYOS
counselor. Faith Love.
5 - Attend the intake interview as scheduled. Parent/guardians must attend this
interview.
PLEASE BE ON TIME.
Th« f rl«nd at th« family*
1-800-756-8000
(Si Equal Housing hendrr
of
Pontiac Bonneville SSE: Heads Up-Display, Sunroof, Leather Seats,
Power Windows, Power Locks, Power Mirrors, Keyless Remote Entry'.
Many More Extras.
FDIC Insured
Placement at AYOS is limited. Enrollment will he on a first come first served basis.
Students who do not attend the September 5th enrollment and intake interview are not
guaranteed placement.
V.
*