IU survey reports significant decline in tobacco use by Hoosier youth

Aug. 28, 2001

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A significant decline in tobacco use by Hoosier youth was reported in the latest Indiana Prevention Resource Center survey released today (Aug. 28). The most pronounced decline involved seventh to 10th grade students who are targeted in the state's new After-School Prevention Programs Initiative.

William Bailey, executive director of IPRC at Indiana University and associate professor of applied health science, said the annual survey addresses alcohol, tobacco and other drug use by Hoosier children and adolescents.

The 11th annual survey involved nearly 90,000 sixth through 12th graders attending 292 schools in Indiana. Funding for the survey is through a contract with the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction. The findings are posted on the Web at http://www.drugs.indiana.edu/drug_stats/youth2001/

"Comparing sixth through 12th graders from 1996 to 2001, the average decline is 8.5 percent in monthly cigarette use, 6.1 percent in daily cigarette use, and 7.5 percent in daily half-a- pack-or-more users," Bailey said. "This means that about 50,200 fewer Indiana children and adolescents smoked cigarettes monthly in 2001 when compared to 1996. Some 40,000 fewer smoked daily and 26,600 fewer smoked a half pack or more daily," he said, noting that cigar and pipe smoking also declined.

"Tobacco use by Hoosier youth has decreased steadily over the past decade," he said, "and it now is about one-third lower among middle school students and about one-fifth lower among high school students than in 1991."

He said the smoking decreases were most pronounced in seventh through 10th grades, which is the target group for a state program started in 1997 because that is the age range when youth are most vulnerable to beginning use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. The decreases also coincide with new initiatives to increase retailer compliance with laws restricting youth access to tobacco products.

Bailey said youthful smokers are 10 to 50 times more likely than nonsmokers to use marijuana, cocaine and other illicit drugs, so the drop in smoking should lead to a future decrease in the use of other drugs. He added, however, that although the tobacco rates have declined considerably, the Indiana figures still remain above the national averages.

Gov. Frank O'Bannon said, "These declining numbers are proof that our investments in after-school programs and anti-drug and tobacco messages are working to protect young Hoosiers. While I'm encouraged, we still have much work to do to keep drugs and alcohol out of our children's hands."

Other findings in the survey include:

Declines in alcohol use by Indiana students have been "slow and inconsistent" over the past decade. "Although heavier and more frequent drinking patterns decreased, there were small increases in infrequent use at some grade levels," the survey said.
After three consecutive years of decline, illicit drug use by Indiana youth leveled off in 2001. The Indiana rates exceed the national figures, but the gap is narrowing significantly, especially among younger children.
Over the last five years, the most significant decline in drug use involves the middle school grades. These grades have been targeted in recent years to receive more than $5 million per year from the state in prevention funding, with more than 500 new prevention programs starting in the last three years. "This dramatic rise in prevention programming levels corresponds closely with the dramatic drop in new drug use by youth in this age category," Bailey said.

For more details on the report, contact Bailey at 812-855-1237 or baileyw@indiana.edu. Persons in Indiana may call toll-free at 800-346-3077.

(Richard Doty, 812-855-0084, rgdoty@indiana.edu)

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