AMARILLO, TEXAS -- The results from an Amarillo ISD survey on teen risk behaviors has been released. They're shedding some new light on teen alcohol, tobacco, and drug use. The results show several things. First, that teens in the 6th through 12th grade are definitely using drugs and alcohol. AISD said the results of this survey are helping them come up with prevention methods.
"Some of the things we look at involve drug alcohol use, what kids engagin in, smoking issues like that so that we can assess where their at and where we need to put different measures in place or how we can improve upon what we're doing for prevention.", says Amy Hord, Lead Mental Health Professional at AISD.
In detail, the survey says 56% of 12th graders are using alcohol, and 30% tobacco products. That caps a steady incline that starts in the 6th grade. As far as drug use, teens are admitting to using marijuana, club and prescription drugs and even steroids. AISD says it has designed early childhood prevention programs to teach kids the appropriate ways to deal with stress.
"We are putting in place K through 8th so that we can teach them about proper choices and making choices when it comes to drugs, violence, bullying, things like that.", says Hord
Hord says AISD has initiated programs like "Too Good for Drugs" in the school system. She also said they offer presentations and newsletters to parents, and bring drug dogs on campuses. All this is done through a 5 year grant given by the federal government.
Another interesting survey released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looks at how teenagers are educated about sex.
On the national level, the study shows most teenagers did get some sort of sexual education by the time they were 18. However after years of a steady decline in the teen birth rate, the rate rose from 2005 to 2007, but did dip again in 2008.
The study shows that female teens are more likely to get information on birth control in high school. Of those females 2 out of 3 talked to their parents about how to say no to sex, and only 2 out of 5 males had that same discussion.
Do teenagers talk about sex-related topics with their parents? That question was asked in the survey and of the teens polled, more than 2 out of every 3 male teenagers and almost four out of every five female teenagers talked with a parent about at least one of six sex education topics ("how to say no to sex," methods of birth control, STDs, where to get birth control, how to prevent HIV/AIDS, and how to use a condom).
To read more of the results from the survey click here.
How do you talk to your children about their behavior when it comes to sex, drinking, and drugs?
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