Local students learn the facts about youth drug, alcohol use

By Teresa Stowell of the Daily Times staff
Friday, March 14, 2008 2:21 PM CDT

Riverside Middle School sixth-graders Gwen Zubke (left) and Michaela Mueller are pictured hanging up posters with facts on teen drug and alcohol use. (TERESA STOWELL/Daily Times)

Watertown students may think many of their peers are doing drugs, smoking and drinking, but according to a recent survey - that's a big misconception.

During homeroom at Watertown High School and at Riverside Middle School, students completed a brief student life survey. Students answered questions relating to their leisure activities and the most believable sources of information regarding tobacco, alcohol and drugs.

“Using the survey data, we know that most of our students are making healthy choices in a number of areas,” Suzanne Sibole, district Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse Prevention coordinator, said. “When students answered questions about perceived alcohol and drug use among their peers, the results were consistent with research. The students vastly overestimated their peers' alcohol and drug use.”

Sibole said the survey showed that 7 out of 10 Watertown High School students don't smoke marijuana and nearly 8 out of 10 students don't smoke cigarettes. When it comes to students' perception of their peers' alcohol use, 62 percent of students overestimated the percentage of their peers who have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days. The survey said 93 percent of WHS students typically drink something other than alcohol when hanging out with friends. Sibole said a total of 74 percent of students believe the rate of alcohol use among WHS students has increased over the past five years, while it has actually decreased.

“We want kids to stop and think about their choices,” Sibole said. “Kids often feel they have to do things like drink alcohol or do drugs because everyone else is doing it or because that's the norm.”

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Sibole is taking the information she received from the survey and trying to educate students about what is really happening with alcohol, tobacco and drug use. Eye-catching posters with local statistics have been posted throughout the high school. The posters try to engage students into the statistics with sayings such as, “No matter what everyone says, not everyone at WHS drinks,” or “Hanging out with friends is much more fun when you can remember what you did last night.” Another poster says, “Most WHS students are making healthy choices and being positive role models. Doesn't your kid brother deserve someone to look up to?”

The posters will also be printed as small advertisements in the Daily Times periodically over the next few weeks.

“It's not just about educating the kids, but also the parents,” Sibole said. “It's important everyone knows what's going on with our kids in the community.”

To help educate parents on statistics with students, Sibole has sent home various newsletters called, “Parenting for Prevention,” which reviews results from the local survey and national surveys on drugs and alcohol.

The Social Marketing Campaign and Social Norms Approach is being used by other high school's in the area including Lake Mills High School and Palymra Eagle High School to decrease the drinking and drug use among youths. The new approach to health education not only involves posters but also includes announcements and advertisements. Some larger high schools throughout the state have posted billboards stating statistics of the community's teen drug and alcohol use.

Sibole said the social marketing approach is meant to decrease the drug and alcohol usage among teens. The approach may take up to three years before significant progress is seen.

“We want to change things and make it more desirable for teens not to drink,” Sibole said. “Other high schools who have been doing this social marketing approach have seen positive results after a few years.”

Sibole said the district is not replacing the regular drug and alcohol education currently presented to students with the social marketing approach, but are using the different approach as an asset to what is already being taught to students.

The survey also asked students who they believe and what activities they enjoy.

Students reported that the top activities they engage in with friends are listening to music, watching TV and movies, being outdoors, sports and shopping.

Most students do value their parents knowledge and information about alcohol, tobacco and drugs, although many don't discuss it.

“When asked which sources of information about tobacco, alcohol and drugs are most believable to the teens, 44 percent indicated that their parents are very believable, yet only 16 percent of students regularly receive information on this topic from them,” Sibole said.

Sibole said the survey showed 86 percent of students said the Internet is either not believable or a little believable.

“This tells us that what we say truly matters to our teens,” Sibole said. “It's critical that we give them accurate information and share our values regarding tobacco, alcohol and drug use with them. Whether they communicate it to us or not, they are listening.”

Sibole also surveyed eighth-graders at Riverside Middle School. Posters about those statistics were also distributed and posted throughout the halls of the middle school.