Incidence of Drug Abuse Remains Static in Vermont; Heroin Use Rising

Author: Kathleen Fleury

No longer do drugs and alcohol just present a problem in metropolitan areas.
Here, in rural Vermont, teens and adults consume alcohol, smoke marijuana and partake in other illegal drug activities. Statistics compiled over the last few years indicate an alarming percentage of drug use within the state.
These statistics, from the 2001 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey, offer perspective on drug use high school students in Middlebury. Alcohol is the most widely used substance, with 58 percent of 12th graders consuming at least one alcoholic drink in the last 30 days. Twenty-five percent of students report binge drinking, a number that increases to 38 percent among 12th graders.
A more positive trend shows that overall in 2001, 43 percent of students drank compared to 53 percent in 1995. Tobacco use has declined even further: In 2001 42 percent of students reported smoking a whole cigarette, down from 54 percent in 1999. Marijuana use increased from 1991 to 1997 but now has begun to decline with only 42 percent of students having tried marijuana compared to 47 percent in 1999.
One alarming number, however, is the percentage of students reporting heroin use in the state. Seven percent of 11th graders in Middlebury have used heroin. This is an increase of five percent since the last survey in 1999.
What do the experts in Vermont say about the situation? Craig Smith, director of Central Vermont Substance Abuse Services said, "I have no reason to believe that the statistics of problematic use for adolescents are any different than the national norms." Smith maintained that while drug is does exist in Vermont, it is not drastically different from drug abuse across the nation.
When asked about the popularity of heroin, Smith noted, "The purity is way up and the price is way down." He went on to describe the poor state of Vermont's economy, a fact that contributes, perhaps, to people forming their own drug community with an "infrastructure of meaning, interpretation, and existence."
He believes that the popularity of one drug versus another is not accidental, but that it reflects emotional, economic and physical needs of drug users.
Whether drug use is economic, social or both, what is clear is that Vermont faces the task of preventing further increases.
Deb Karpak, who works on drug prevention at Middlebury Union High School, finds these statistics to be very alarming. "Anything that detracts from the health and well being of people should be a concern. The fact is," continued Karpak, "is that any percentage is high,"
Many students falsely perceive a lack of harm associated wtih doing drugs. Others believe that drug abuse is socially acceptable, or more prevalent than last year's statistics demonstratd. Both perceptions are a perennial obstacleto experts in the fight for drug prevention.
Adrian Cohen, prevention specialist of Addison County, remarked on how such false perceptions are formed, "On Monday morning kids are not going to come in and talk about bowling. Instead they will discuss substance abuse," she explained
In this sense drug abuse is causing kids to believe it occurs more frequently than it actually does. The perception of harm is clearly represented by the fact that 66 percent of students feel that smoking a pack of cigarettes a day is very harmful, while only 46 percent regard marijuana to be harmful.
What can members of the community do to improve the situation? According to Cohen we can become aware and get involved. This means recognizing that our "brains continue developing until age 22, specifically the area responsible for memory and learning, and that alcohol and drug use significantly impedes this development," according to Cohen. It also means reaching out to the community and giving children the message that drugs are extremely harmful.