More Groton Youth Using Marijuana, Prescription Drugs, Survey Shows

More Groton middle school and high school-age students are using marijuana and abusing prescription drugs than used the drugs two years ago, a survey released Thursday shows.

The survey by the Groton Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, found the percentage of seniors who report using marijuana in the last 30 days has more than doubled – from 8.5 percent in 2008 to 22.3 percent in 2010.

“You can either call that a statistical blip or you can think that it’s something that we should pay attention to,” said Archie C. Swindell, who compiled the data. “It seems to be something that’s happening among the older kids in 2010, so I think it’s something that we have to keep an eye on.”

The survey also showed a jump in the percentage of students who report having had their first drink before age 13, from 11 to 12 percent in 2008, to 20 .6 percent among girls and 24.2 percent among boys in 2010. The figures for girls are higher than the state and national averages.

There was some good news. The survey showed fewer students are using tobacco, inhalants and illicit drugs, and that more parents recognize the risks of alcohol rather than consider it a rite of passage.

Classes of students filled out the surveys in May 2010 at the school computer labs; survey results included 982 responses.

The survey also showed an increase in the abuse of prescription drug medication among youth. About 22 percent of high school juniors and seniors reported abusing prescriptions at some point during their lifetime, up from about 16 percent four years ago.

Martha Reynolds, a retired health teacher at Fitch High School who now works as wellness coordinator for Groton Public Schools, said one issue with prescription drugs is that kids have less fear of an unknown substance included.

“When you take some Vicodin from your parent’s medicine cabinet, you know it’s 100 milligrams of Vicodin, or whatever it says,” she said.

Danielle Cohen, a facilitator for STEPS, which stands for Striving Toward Empowered Personal Success and works with eighth and ninth grade at-risk girls, said news about the onset of drinking before age 13 got her attention.

“That threw me. I was definitely scared about that,” she said. But she said all substances are a risk and much be watched for.

“We need to keep our eyes open on all of it,” she said.