Although recent reports of drug use amongst youth have shown slight improvement, the statistics are still of great concern; especially each time a teen commits a crime, dies or becomes disabled due to substance abuse. In one recent example, the 2006 Arizona Criminal Justice Commission Youth Use Survey showed that in Arizona 1 out of 10 eighth graders has used a prescription drug to get high and an alarming 1 out of 5 high school seniors has tried a prescription drug to get high. According to Randy Oaks, Prescott Chief of Police and MATForce Executive Committee Member, “Because of statistics such as these, MATForce, the Yavapai County Substance Abuse Coalition, is seeking ways to keep our area youth healthy by helping parents and teens learn more about the risks of drug abuse."

A new study released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America reveals a troubling new insight into the reasons why teens use drugs. According to the 2007 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study of 6,511 teens (PATS Teens), the number one reason teens see for using drugs is to deal with the pressures and stress of school. In previous PATS Teens studies, when teen respondents were asked to select from a number of reasons for using drugs, the number one reason (65 percent) selected was to “feel cool.” The 2007 study was the first to offer the option of selecting school stress as a motivator, one which nearly 3 out of 4 teens (73 percent) strongly agreed with. This was followed closely by “feeling cool” (65 percent) and “feeling better about themselves” (65 percent).

An accompanying 2007 Partnership study of parents’ attitudes about teen drug use, released in June, showed that parents severely underestimate the impact of stress on their teens’ decision to use drugs. The study showed that only 7 percent of parents believe that teens might use drugs to cope with school stress. Scott Dunsmore, Superintendent of the Mingus Union High School District said, “This study confirms that a wide disconnect exists between what teens are thinking and feeling and what parents believe about their teens when it comes to attitudes about drug use.”

Kevin Kapp, Prescott Unified School District Superintendent adds, “That is why it is critical for parents and caregivers to learn more about teen substance abuse issues and risks.” PATS research consistently shows that kids who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use than those who do not. Yet, only 32 percent of teens report that they are getting this vital message from their parents.

MATForce offers a variety of ways to learn more about substance abuse risks among youth. Speaker Presentations are available for parent or civic groups of any size that are designed to provide an overview of substances typically abused by youth. MATForce also offers youth educational presentations for schools or youth groups. Free educational seminars, which are open to the public, are held on the fourth Thursday of each month from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM in Prescott and Cottonwood. MATForce also has a library of free resource materials. For more information visit the MATForce website at www.matforce.org, the Arizona Partnership for a Drug-Free America website at www.partnerupaz.org or call Youth Count at 708-0100.

MISSION STATEMEMT

With determination and integrity, we, the citizens of Yavapai County, commit to working in partnership to build healthier communities by striving to eliminate substance abuse and its effects.

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