Teen Drug Use Continues to Decline

National survey shows most illicit drug use among teens down another seven percent but prescription painkillers still a major concern.

Christmas is upon us and with the New Year is just around the corner there is much to celebrate around the country, including the fact that 600,000 less teens are using drugs as compared to 2001.

Earlier this week the results of the 2004 Monitoring the Future survey were released with mostly good news.  Overall drug use among teens declined another 7 percent, now making it a combined 17 percent over the last three years.

The national survey is conducted by the University of Michigan and is overseen by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) in an effort to measure drug, alcohol and cigarette use and related attitudes among 8th, 10th and 12th grade students across the country.

With the good news though is one sore spot.  Prescription drug use is still a major area of concern and when combining the three grades together the report indicates that there was a significant increase in past year use of Oxycontin, which is a prescription painkiller. 

NIDA also claims that another recent national survey showed that nearly 50 percent of physicians find it difficult to discuss prescription drug abuse with their patients.  A different New York Times article also quoted Dr. Steven Galson, acting director of the Food and Drug Administration\s center for drug evaluation and research as saying, "This illustrates the fundamental dynamic that all drugs have risks," regarding the recent news about prescription and over-the-counter pain relievers and ant-inflammatory drugs.

In a news release issued by NIDA the Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson exclaimed, "We need to continue our efforts to educate parents and teens about the consequences of drug abuse."

Contributing to the decline in teen drug use are the efforts of Narconon Arrowhead, which is one of the nation's largest and most successful drug rehabilitation and education programs and uses the effective drug-free methodology developed by American author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard.  Their awareness and prevention campaigns include anti-drug messages delivered through radio, television, and print media as well as live presentations given to students, teachers and parents.

"Through many thousands of surveys from teenagers across the country we have found and demonstrated that having open, two-way communication with kids on the truth about drugs has been extremely effective," reports Narconon Arrowhead's Director of Drug Education J.T. Daily.  "It's important not to lecture at the kids, but give them the information in a way to satisfy their curiosity about drugs so they don't go out and try drugs for themselves."

Narconon Arrowhead's stated purpose is the total eradication of substance abuse and in recent months Mr. Daily has worked to educate thousands of people and from coast to coast, including New York, Oklahoma, California and Hawaii.  All of this is in addition to helping individuals overcome addiction through their successful rehabilitation program.

For more information about Narconon Arrowhead or to get help for a loved one in need call 1-800-468-6933 today or visit www.stopaddiction.com

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