IU survey shows increase in Ind. teen drug use

Alcohol use has decreased and marijuana use has increased among Indiana youth, according to the 2011 annual Indiana Youth Survey conducted by the Indiana Prevention Resource Center.

The 21st report, titled “Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents,” allowed schools across the state to participate if they chose.

The IPRC surveyed minors in grades six through 12 about drug use, gambling habits and risk and protective factors — such as supportive families — in their lives, said Courtney Stewart, coordinator of research translation at the IPRC.

“It kind of gives us a really nice snapshot of what’s going on in the state,” she said.
Between February and March 2011, the surveys were administered in 478 schools in Indiana, with a total of 168,801 public and non-public school students completing them, according to the report.

Of the surveys completed, 152,678 were deemed usable, according to the report.
Barbara Seitz de Martinez, deputy director of the IPRC, said the data collected provides the decision-makers in Indiana with ongoing knowledge of trends and emerging issues.

“Having this data allows you to decide what steps to take to achieve progress or to maintain success,” she said.

Stewart said information pertaining to particular schools is available should they decide prevention programming is necessary.

The data in the report indicated a decrease in youth alcohol use since 1993, the first year the survey was conducted, she said.

Stewart also said data from the past three years shows a steady increase in marijuana use.

“It gives us a direction to go in,” Stewart said. “We’re going to need to look at some new ways of getting the words out about marijuana and the dangers.”

She said it can be speculated that this increase might be due to attention on medical marijuana in the media, which can make the youth believe it is OK to use.

“The less harm that they perceive, the more likely they are to use it and not worry about consequences,” Stewart said.

Seitz de Martinez said the survey helps to localize any issues that emerge and to plan for the future.

“If we can delay the initiation of alcohol use, if we can prevent the initiation of tobacco use, we are going to improve the quality of life of many people,” she said.