Students cut back on risky business

Monday, Jan. 31, 2000 | 11:22 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs has increased among high school students in the past two years, but students are exercising more and are not carrying weapons to the classroom as often as in the past, a new survey shows.

The state Department of Education released today its annual "Nevada Youth Risk Behavior Survey" in which 1,677 high school students responded in the spring of 1999, answering 87 questions about their behavior.

Mary Peterson, state superintendent of public instruction, said the study shows that some of the state's Year 2000 goals have been reached and exceeded. The state set the goals several years ago to focus on teens' health and achievements.

The report notes progress in several areas, including students carrying guns, number of suicide attempts, and the number of students receiving information about AIDS.

The number of students carrying a gun in the past 30 days has been reduced to 5 percent of students surveyed, a drop of 39 percent since 1993.

The department said 18 percent of the students carried a weapon -- a gun, knife or club, but not necessarily at school. That's down 10 percent from the previous survey. Thirty-four percent of the students were in a fistfight, which is unchanged from the 1997 survey.

Only 20 percent of the students surveyed seriously considered suicide in the last year, a 9 percent improvement over the 1997 survey.

But those who actually attempted suicide appeared more serious about it. Nine percent of students actually attempted suicide, an increase of 12 percent, and 27 percent of those who tried sustained injuries that required medical treatment. Nevertheless, the state noted improvement in the rate of injurious suicide attempts since 1993 of 22 percent.

The survey said 87 percent of the students have been taught about AIDS/HIV, down 4 percent from the previous survey. But that's still above the 85 percent of the 2000 Goals.

However, according to the survey, fewer student who had sex used protection.

The department said 15 percent of the students who had sexual intercourse indicated neither they nor their partners used any method of birth control, and 8 percent reported they have been pregnant or have gotten pregnant. That's an increase of 25 percent in pregnancies.

And more students reported having sex.

Fifty-one percent of the students had sexual intercourse at least once during their lifetime, up 8.5 percent from the previous survey. Seven percent report they had sexual intercourse for the first time before age 13, unchanged from the prior sampling.

The survey said 69 percent of the students tried smoking cigarettes, unchanged from the 1997 survey. But 27 percent of the students smoked a whole cigarette for the first time before age 13, an increase of 17 percent.

Forty-nine percent of the students who bought cigarettes in a store in the 30 days before the survey were not asked to show proof of age. That figure conflicts with surveys conducted by the state Attorney General's Office that suggest that stores are clamping down on sale of cigarettes to minors.

Use of alcohol and marijuana rose. Eighty-one percent of the students had at least one drink during their lifetime, up 3 percent. And 38 percent had their first drink before age 13.

The survey reported 49.5 percent of the students had used marijuana at least once during their lifetime, up 9 percent. It said 26 percent of the students used it in the month before the survey and 9 percent used it on school property the previous month. Sixteen percent of the students used marijuana before age 13.

Use of cocaine increased by to 13 percent, up 2 percent from the prior survey.

But there were fewer drug sales on campus. The respondents said 31 percent of the students were offered, sold or were given illegal drugs, down 18 percent.

Students who said they always wore a helmet while riding a motorcycle dropped to 48 percent, a decline of 8 percent.

Peterson said students are making progress in physical fitness. Sixty percent of the students polled exercise regularly to strengthen or tone muscles, which is 20 percent higher than the Year 2000 goal. And 76 percent of students enrolled in physical education classes exercise or play sports for more than 20 minutes per class period. The Year 2000 goal is 50 percent.

"Healthy lifestyles and behaviors are essential for all children," Peterson said. "While we appear to be making progress in some critical areas, I am particularly concerned about the reported increases in the use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana and the increase in sexual activity among Nevada's youth.

"Improved academic performance depends on healthy bodies and minds. I hope parents, educators and community leaders will work together to help our children develop healthy lifestyles and behaviors," she said.