By TEDDYE SNELL
Thirty years ago, it wasn’t uncommon for parents to worry about their children becoming addicted to the latest fad: smoking marijuana.
Over the years, the popularity of pot has waxed and waned, and according to a recent national study, smoking marijuana is once again in vogue.
The University of Michigan conducts an annual survey, “Monitoring the Future,” which tracks drug and alcohol use among high-school age students. Findings were released in mid-December, and showed marijuana use among American adolescents increasing over the past two years, following a decade of decline.
“No only is use rising, but a key belief about the degree of risk associated with marijuana use has been in decline among young people even longer, and the degree to which teens disapprove of use of the drug has recently begun to decline,” said Lloyd Johnston, a University of Michigan researcher and the study’s principal investigator. “Changes in these beliefs and attitudes are often very influential in driving changes in use.”
While the study indicates attitudes about the dangers of smoking pot have changed, on a local level, use may be declining.
Two Tahlequah area high school students, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they know very few kids who smoke pot.
“It’s no big deal anymore,” said one teen. “I mean, it’s like it’s a drug you’d expect your parents to use. Nobody thinks about it being bad, but they also don’t smoke pot. I see more of the people I go to school with raiding their parents prescription drugs more than anything else.”
The second teen confessed to having smoked pot, drinking and abusing prescription drugs, but has since quit, and won’t associate with anyone who does use drugs.
“There are a lot more of us who don’t want anything to do with chemicals,” said the youth. “And that means all kinds of chemicals, from processed foods to abusing liquor and drugs. I don’t even drink anything that has caffeine in it.”
One local mother of three, who also asked to remain nameless, said one of her three children has been in and out of trouble for drugs throughout the teenage years. All three of her children are now out of high school, but they still have friends in school. She agrees youth are far more likely to abuse prescription drugs and alcohol these days.
“All I hear them talk about is Xanax and Lortab,” she said. “They get into things I would have been terrified to try. Pot is no big deal, and for the most part, they don’t want anything to do with it.”
Local attorney Denise Deason-Toyne said that based on her experience, marijuana use is still prevalent among teens, although there is definitely an increase in the abuse of prescription drugs.
Deason-Toyne said youth – and as a result, their families who find themselves in the criminal justice system due to drug abuse – face sometimes humiliating circumstances.
“Teens caught with marijuana may be referred to the Office of Juvenile Affairs for a review and possible delinquent petition,” she said. “For first-time offenders, there may be probation. The probation would consist of, I would guess, drug and alcohol evaluations, counseling and random drug tests.”
Deason-Toyne said the real issue of probation is that the offender has someone looking over his or her shoulder all the time.
“Parents have to take their children to counseling, make court appearances, etc.,” she said. “The embarrassment to parents can be enormous. Even though the juvenile proceeding is ‘confidential,’ imagine being seen at the courthouse in the middle of the day, accompanied by your teenager. People will naturally assume there has been a problem and that assumption is probably correct. Parents can feel that they, too, are on probation. So, if the kid messes up, there may be more consequences for the parents, including more counseling sessions and court hearings that they have to attend.”
Tahlequah High School Principal Jeff Thorne said the biggest problem school officials face is teen alcohol abuse.
“I would say alcohol is the No. 1 problem,” said Thorne. “Most of the kids I talk to say it’s available because their parents acquiesce. They don’t serve it, but they don’t keep track of it.”
Thorne said the administration recently had an in-house meeting talking with their school resource officer, who confirmed alcohol is still the biggest problem.
“They don’t bring it to school; they arrive drunk,” said Thorne. “Last year, we had a problem with students mixing drinks in cups from other places, so I’ve banned all outside soft drinks in cups with straws.”
Thorne said prescription pills are his second-biggest headache, followed by marijuana use.
“Marijuana is evidently hard to get, so it’s a distant third compared to pills,” said Thorne. “I believe the students have access to the pills through parents and grandparents. Grandparents may not be sure how many pills they have in the bottle, so there’s an awareness issue there.”
According to TPS Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Lisa Presley, the district offers many resources to combat drug and alcohol abuse.
“Our district has a system of care at each site,” said Presley. “Students are referred to the care team primarily because they are not being successful in school. That team works with the child and family to determine the barrier that is preventing the student from learning, then addresses that barrier.”
The resources available to that team include a wide variety of services, including school resource officers, random drug testing for students involved in activities, as well as Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Three school resource officers work full time in the district to address a number of issues, including truancy, child protection, students breaking the law, school safety, traffic control and any legal problems that arise. They also give in-class presentations related to child safety, drug use, and Internet.
All seventh- through 12th-grade students involved in extra-curricular activities are required to be randomly drug-tested, and any student in the age range may also volunteer to be in the drug-testing pool.
“Random student drug-testing is a proven deterrent to drug use,” said Presley. “Positive test results are kept confidential, and all students who fail the drug tests are required to attend counseling sessions.”
Thorne said one unique aspect of the program is its objectivity.
“We have an outside third party who chooses the random sampling,” said Thorne. “The people involved in choosing who is tested have never been to this campus, nor do they know the students. That way, the students can trust they aren’t being singled out by anyone they know. Any student involved in any activity, from sports, to academic teams to music programs, is subject to the random testing. It’s been a very successful program.”
AA meetings are held on campus for students with a drug/alcohol problem, as well as for students who deal with alcoholism in their families.
“These meetings are well-attended, and students report that AA has made a significant impact on their lives,” said Presley.
Thorne indicated students generally choose to attend the AA meetings.
“They may be encouraged to go by one of our counselors here, but actually attending the meeting is the student’s choice,” said Thorne. “This, I believe, is the third year for this program.”
According to Presley, the high school has three, full-time therapeutic counselors who work with students and families dealing with a number of issues, including drug and alcohol problems, depression, anxiety, suicide and self-mutilation, bullying, family issues, dating, violence, and any other issues that students need to cope with to be successful in school.
Thorne believes Tahlequah Public Schools is head and shoulders above other area institutions the services it offers.
“We have three therapeutic counselors,” said Thorne. “We are unique in that I don’t know of another campus in northeast Oklahoma that offers the child services we have.”
