Drug, alcohol abuse down, but not enough

Drug and alcohol use among America's students in grades six through 12 is at the lowest level in years, according to a new nationwide survey released last month.

That's the good news.

Researchers attribute the decline in chemical abuse among these youngsters to more efforts by more adults to keep children away from illicit substances.

Specifically, parents and teachers are warning students about drug use and encouraging youngsters to nurture other interests by joining extracurricular school and religious activities.

According to the Pride Surveys, the percentage of students using any illicit drug --- including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and others -- dropped to 22.3 percent, the lowest level registered since the 1993-94 school year.

The percentage of students who said they drank alcohol, 65 percent, or smoked cigarettes, 36 percent, in the previous 12 months was the lowest in the 15-year history of the Pride Surveys.

Survey researchers theorize that what they call "the best report on adolescent behavior in over a decade" may reflect a cultural reaction to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The cultural reaction they refer to involves an increased focus on community, spirituality and nation.

But even the good news contains far too much bad news.

Look at those percentages of youngsters who say they still have access to drugs and alcohol. They are far higher than we should ever learn to accept.

There remains plenty of work to be done by engaged adults -- parents in particular -- in keeping young people away from the alcohol and drugs. Parents must understand and teach their children that using and abusing drugs at any age, much less while in their teens, can do so much to harm their promising young lives.

In future years, a really good-news report from the Pride Surveys would be one in which the use of alcohol and drugs by children has virtually been eliminated, thanks to good parenting and strong reinforcement from teachers and other adult role models.

Until the adults get their act together, the numbers reported in similar surveys aren't likely to improve all that much.