Published: March 12, 2008 11:03 pm         

Students in Garfield County reveal underage drinking, drug use realities

A local prevention specialist said Wednesday it is “frightening” survey results show nearly one quarter of a select number of Garfield County sixth-graders have used alcohol.

Tammy Grantz, executive director of PreventionWorkz, a community prevention re-source center, discussed results of a 2006 Oklahoma Preven-tion Needs Assessment survey Wednesday with Youth Oppor-tunity Task Force of Garfield County. She also outlined an action plan to combat teen drug, alcohol and tobacco use.

“The OPNA survey was given in 2006 to all sixth-, eighth- and 12th-grade students in Garfield County,” Grantz said.

The study found in Garfield County 23.5 percent of sixth-graders had tried alcohol, as had 60 percent of eighth-graders, 72.2 percent of 10th-graders and 76.9 percent of 12th-graders.

The study also showed 4.3 percent of sixth-grade students, 10.7 percent of eighth-grade students, 24.7 percent of 10th-grade students and 30.6 percent of 12th-grade students admitted to binge drinking.

“Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks in one setting,” Grantz said.

Tobacco figures were not much better: 13.4 percent of sixth-graders reported to have tried cigarettes, as had 32.2 percent of eighth-graders, 47.7 percent of 10th-graders and 57.6 percent of 12th-graders.





Willing to take the test



Grantz said the figures were based on a select number of students willing to answer questions — 41 sixth-graders, 68 eighth-graders, 331 10th-graders and 218 12th-graders.

“I was interested to see how young our kids are when they are actually starting to use substances,” Grantz said. “If you just go by these numbers, it’s kind of frightening. I thought it was interesting that with tobacco use, it looks like they are younger for each age category.”

The study was not limited to the number of students who already have used a substance. Grantz also looked at the number of students who said they intended to use drugs.

Grantz said “56.2 percent of sixth-graders said they had an intention to use drugs. That is a red flag for me.”





Changing the ‘social norm’



Grantz believes some of the issues may involve the way drug and alcohol use is viewed as a norm in the community and society. The study found 49.3 percent of sixth-graders perceived there were laws and norms toward acceptable drug and alcohol use. In the other age groups, 36.1 percent of eighth-graders, 36.8 percent of 10th-graders and 25.1 percent of 12th-graders had similar attitudes toward laws and perceived norms.

“It’s my job as a preventionist to change that social norm in the community so all of our kids know that, no, it’s not normal, it’s not healthy, it’s not safe, it’s not a good idea to use any kind of drugs,” Grantz said.





Parental support



Prevention needs to begin with the family, Grantz found in the study.

She said “55 percent of 10th-grade students believe they have parents who favor antisocial behavior and drug use.”

Oftentimes, Grantz said, it will have to do with parents who use themselves. This creates an effect in which kids become supportive of their parents’ use and, in turn, will use themselves.

Grantz said kids with parents more supportive and actively involved in their child’s activities are less likely to use drugs and alcohol. The study found the percentage of kids who believed their family was supportive was quite low, though.

“The study shows it’s about kids feeling like they have an attachment to their families, that their parents care about them and spend time with them,” Grantz said. “It was kind of low, especially the eighth-grade kids. It was only 39 percent.”

The flip side to the issue is how kids view pro-social behavior. The study found only 41.7 percent of 12th-graders believe it was beneficial to be actively involved in the community.





A plan of attack



PreventionWorkz has established a strategy to try and improve upon these issues of drug use, she said.

The first initiative will be to combat underage drinking, beginning with enacting or expanding public policies to help discourage adults from allowing underage drinking, Grantz said. Second, it will establish more alcohol and drug-free community events or festivals and provide more recreational areas and parks.

This will involve, among other things, establishing further training for law enforcement and a communitywide media campaign on the dangers of underage drinking, she said.

Grantz also believes an increase in youth development programs will help promote prevention. The strategy suggests programs like the Girl Power conference and the TNT drama troupe, which performs skits about alcohol and drug prevention, are effective.

Grantz said the issue of teen drug and alcohol use is beginning to open more eyes around the community.

“I think the community is beginning to support the issues a little more,” Grantz said. “It is our responsibility to provide kids with a community that is safe and healthy. That is what this committee really is all about. It is about finding out what the actual issues are and dealing with them, so our children can grow up in a safe and healthy environment.”

Youth and Family Services, YWCA Enid, Catholic Charities, Garfield County Health Department, Office of Juvenile Affairs and Community Development Support Association participated in Wednesday’s meeting.