REPORT CITES INCREASED TEEN DRUG USE

America must still fight the war on drugs despite its efforts at prevention and education. Southeast Missouri is prepared for the battle.

A national report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that American teens increased drug use by 78 percent from 1992 to 1995.

Kerry Hoggard, a substance abuse counselor for the St. Francis Center for Recovery, confirmed the report findings.

"There's definitely been an increase in that age bracket," he said. "It's not that they didn't use them before, but there are more of them percentage-wise. The parents are more aware."

The center offers outpatient drug treatment services to residents of Cape Girardeau, Perry, Bollinger, Scott and some Southern Illinois counties.

Although teen drug use increased, there was no change among adults, according to the national report.

The issue quickly became a campaign issue Tuesday. GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole said it was a "national tragedy" but the White House warned against grandstanding. "This is nothing short of a national tragedy. Starting next January, I'm going to make the drug war priority No. 1 once again," Dole said.

Donna Shalala, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said the issue should be bipartisan since it concerns all children. The health agency produced the report.

"The one thing we can't do is to turn drug use among young people into a political football because that is the wrong message for kids," said Mike McCurry, presidential spokesman.

The report information was compiled from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse and included information on all drug use from illicit drugs to cigarettes and alcohol.

The report combined figures for cigarette smokers and drinkers of all ages, not just 12 to 17 year olds, to show that the total number of drug abusers increased significantly in the United States.

About 29 percent of the population smokes cigarettes and 52 percent of the people surveyed had used alcohol in the last month.

Illicit drug use among teenagers increased from 8.2 percent to 10.9 percent in 1994-1995. Marijuana use was the most frequent for that age group.

Despite the odds against them, Southeast Missouri teens are prepared for the battle. Student-led clubs and drug prevention programs emphasize drug-free activities in hopes of raising student awareness.

"It seems like more people who might be using or drinking are coming to the club and wonder what it's like," said Sara Corn, a member of the Key Club at Scott City High School.

The club was formed last year as an offshoot of the Team Spirit leadership group at the school. Team Spirit is a national drug prevention program funded by the Missouri Division of Highway Safety.

Throughout the school year, area clubs sponsor drug-free weeks with special activities and plan mock drunk driving accidents to create more student awareness of the problem.

But hitting high school students with dozens of prevention programs could be too late.

Project CHARLIE, a drug prevention program in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson schools, targets younger students. CHARLIE is an acronym for Chemical Abuse Resolution Lies In Education.

"We feel like if we get them early, they can learn the harmful effects and how to handle peer pressure and how to make healthy choices for their life," said Jana Jateff, Project CHARLIE coordinator.

By targeting children in second and fourth grades, Project CHARLIE can teach social skills that are necessary for drug abuse prevention, Jateff said. "The primary thing is that they know they are someone special and they do matter."

The classroom lessons, which amount to 30 minutes a week, teach students how to handle peer pressure. Volunteers are still needed for a training session Aug. 31.

--The Associated Press contributed to this story.