Drug and alcohol use higher than average for Washtenaw County adolescents, study finds
Young people in Washtenaw and Livingston counties have higher high school graduation rates than averages in the rest of the state and the U.S.
But what’s also significantly higher for this group of 12- to 17-year-olds? Their use of both alcohol and marijuana when compared to the rest of the state and country.
The Washtenaw County Public Health Department and Washtenaw Community Health Organization released these and other findings this month as part of the study called "Community Focus: Substance Abuse Indicators in Livingston and Washtenaw Counties."
The study, conducted in the fall of 2009, found the average age for a Washtenaw County adolescent to try alcohol is 13.3, and for marijuana, 14. Young people in Livingston and Washtenaw counties have not only used more marijuana or alcohol in the last month, they’re more likely to have tried it for the first time between 2006 and 2008 than their counterparts in the rest of the state and nation.
Unlike reports on substance abuse of the past, this study quizzed participants — 1,000 adolescents as well as adults living in the same household — on more than just whether they used alcohol or marijuana.
“When you’re really trying to address substance abuse in a community, you have to address a lot of factors at once," said Adreanne Waller, a senior management analyst and epidemiologist with the county health department. "What’s law enforcement like, what’s advertising like, and what are the community norms? Look at Pioneer parking lot on a football day. Those are messages kids are getting.”
Researchers also asked participants about various environmental factors, or indicators, known to contribute to substance abuse or to thwart recovery efforts — like unemployment, perceived risk and parental approval, high school graduation, absenteeism and others.
Findings on adolescents and marijuana in Washtenaw and Livingston counties include:
- Young people in Washtenaw County were less likely to think smoking marijuana and binge drinking were risky compared to the rest of the United States.
- Their perceived risk could influence the choice to smoke marijuana, according to national data used by the study's authors. Young people who think smoking marijuana is risky are a lot less likely to use it than those who think there is no risk or a moderate amount of risk involved.
- A young person in Washtenaw County is more likely to use alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes before age 13 than a young person in Livingston County.
The high rates of first-time marijuana use struck Waller as significant.
In this file photo, 17-year-old Stephanie Case places stickers warning adults of the penalties for buying or providing alcohol to minors on packs of beer at a Chelsea market. It was a new initiative aimed at curbing underage drinking.
File photo
“That link with the issue of low perceived risk and higher parental approval shows we’ve got some significant issues on the horizon,” she said.
Despite the tendency to experiment with alcohol or drugs, figures also show young people Washtenaw County have an 83 percent graduation rate, compared to a 75 percent graduation rate for all of Michigan and a 73 percent graduation rate for the country.
But adolescents who reported marijuana use also reported lower grades, saying what they do at school doesn't matter and the teacher seldom notices they do a good job. Non-using counterparts had better grades and more positive feelings about school.
Study authors say a lack of connectedness to school, even among secondary students, can predict substance abuse and mental health problems in late teenage years.
Waller added that looking at graduation rates and rates of drug use side-by-side won't give a full picture.
"If we were able to take a look at the kids who don’t graduate and look in the substance abuse rates in those kids, I would bet a lot of money that the substance abuse rates in those kids would be higher than those kids who do graduate. But we can’t really do that. We have to look overall."
And overall, Waller said, she hopes the study will help the state and federal government — as well as community partners like law enforcement, employers and other entities — decide where and how to allocate money for recovery programs.
“We will share findings across Washtenaw and Livingston counties, in particular, to agencies and organizations who allocate funds supporting such efforts,” she said.
Other areas of study relating to substance abuse included arrests and crashes involving driving under the influence, unemployment, perceptions of parental disapproval and perceived risk, high school dropout and graduation.
The study was conducted by the Substance Abuse Monitoring, Assessment and Recommendation Team, a panel created by the Livingston/Washtenaw Substance Abuse Advisory Council. SMART includes representatives from different areas, like substance abuse prevention and treatment, law enforcement, courts and others.
Other findings include:
- Washtenaw County drunken driving arrests have shot up 40 percent between 2000 and 2006, while arrest rates for the rest of the state decreased.
- Alcohol use drives up divorce rates, and divorce rates impact a child’s choice to drink, according to the study authors. Children in divorced families are more likely to drop out of school, use drinking as a coping mechanism, try alcohol younger and have a poorer academic record at school than peers whose parents’ marriages remain intact.
Read the full report here.
Juliana Keeping is a health and environment reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528. Follow Juliana Keeping on Twitter
Comments
Atticus F.
Thu, Dec 30, 2010 : 9:38 a.m.
When I was in High School I remember being told how bad pot was. But then I took a look around and realized that my friends parents were engineers, doctors, and researchers, and they consumed cannabis and drank wine/beer. While my parents were on food stamps and they didn't use pot or drink. It was at this moment that I realized I was being lied to. I dont condone teenage pot use or alcohol use, but I understand that kids will want to try these things. I'm just happy that more kids are graduating, and that we don't have higher rates of teenage meth use or teenage prescription drug use.
UtrespassM
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 9:38 p.m.
Which one is more harmful? the weeds or the cocktail of prescription drugs?
David Briegel
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 9:07 p.m.
The two most troubling aspects are the abject failure of the War on Drugs/Sanity and the failure to teach responsible use of any substance. I use it, I doesn't use me! Silly and hypocritical society! The consequences have been extremely bad.
Basic Bob
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 3:32 p.m.
@Peter Eckstein, teenage alcoholism and drug addiction does not discriminate based on socioeconomics or demographics. A using addict does not care what part of town the drug dealer lives in. The rich kids are using drugs. When they get caught, their parents hire lawyers and send them off to treatment. The less fortunate get a public defender and are court ordered to treatment.
H.
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 3:25 p.m.
This just in: the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. And I am supposed to be surprised by the findings?
Mick52
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 2:32 p.m.
"But adolescents who reported marijuana use also reported lower grades, saying what they do at school doesn't matter and the teacher seldom notices they do a good job." I always figured using MJ killed brain cells and now we have some research to confirm that. Wow, not only are the kids getting into the liquor cabinets and the medicine cabinets, they are also getting into the "medical marijuana" stash. @Sallyxyz: It won't matter if we put warning labels on six packs if they can't read anyway.
chelseamom
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 1:10 p.m.
In Chelsea our alcohol and marijuana use among teens is DOWN compared to 2007!!! Here's the article in the Chelsea paper http://www.heritage.com/articles/2010/08/16/chelsea_standard/news/doc4c6960e06181d158668489.txt This is due to the work of SRSLY Chelsea and it's director Reiley Lewis www.SRSLYchelsea.org @sallyxyz - The SRSLY coalition puts the stickers on alcohol. And the stickers do work, it lists out the fines adults will encounter if buying alcohol for under age minors. The use of alcohol by minors has gone down in Chelsea, whether it was the stickers, community involvement, or youth empowerment programs who knows, but our rates are going down.
Ariel
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 12:24 p.m.
I don't see the problem if these kids are still graduating and getting good grades. No matter how hard people try to keep pot and alcohol away from kids, if the kids really want it, they will find a way to get it.
Mike
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 12:10 p.m.
Having personal experience with a son who really enjoyed marijuana in high school and couldn't believe how easy it was to get plus spending lots of time in court rooms dealing with his "harmless" little problem I can tell you marijuana is a bad drug, most people in court (I'd say 90%) had marijuana issues. How do I know that? Because Judge Simpson drug tested everyone. It was a pretty amazing experience to sit through hours and hours of court cases. The kids are under a lot of pressure to perform at school, everyone is taking AP classes, and their parents are out making lots of money offering them very little support and lots of free time to experiment. And on top of that Ann Arbor is extremely permissive of marijuana. You reap what you sow people, lots of pot heads being produced here. And you really don't need a study to determine if the graduation rate of pot heads is lower than non-users. Just ask any school teacher or counselor and they'll tell you. Although a tax payer funded study would be a good thing to put in a stimulus package...........
Greg
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 11:28 a.m.
Guess I am just surprised that this would be unexpected or news given the area.
MorningGirl
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 11:22 a.m.
Ghost, I understood your first post perfectly. :) Peter, thank you for acknowledging that Ypsi Twp and Ypsi City are two different places. That is nearly always overlooked. And I agree with Cash.
breadman
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 10:34 a.m.
Ghost! you are 100% right... Military will take them at almost 18, and do they watch them every move they take for a service member? Not a Nephew of mine went in at 17 & 11 months and statred smoking in the Army. So just open the door and let do as pleased.... And for smart brains in Washtenaw County as a student. A child no longer goes to school and grows with age anymore. They raised the learning level by two years. I got scrip hand writing in third grade. Now there are teaching that in first grade. Come on grow up fast, in Michigan there are no good paying jobs any more.
walker101
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 9:52 a.m.
This is what happens when liberal ideologies are promoted by parents that smoke weed snort a little coke around the house in front their children cause Starbucks ran out of Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino. Also having another losing season at the BIg House will make many alum have another double. I guess the good part is that they can rid and wright?
a2d3
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 9:52 a.m.
"average age for a Washtenaw County adolescent to try alcohol is 13.3, and for marijuana, 14. Young people in Livingston and Washtenaw counties have not only used more marijuana or alcohol in the last month, theyre more likely to have tried it for the first time between 2006 and 2008 than their counterparts in the rest of the state and nation." 2006-2008 national and state first use average age would be useful for perspective.
Peter Eckstein
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 9:30 a.m.
Was there any breakdown on where in the county rates of substance abuse are high? This is a very diverse county--think Ypsi Twp, Ypsi City, Ann Arbor, Chelsea, rural townships--and one number for all doesn't tell us much. It is also very diverse demagraphically. There is a reference in the story to the Pioneer parking lot, but the specifics seem to deal with football Saturdays, not the behavior of Pioneer students. So this story raises far more questions than it answers.
Sallyxyz
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 9:21 a.m.
I don't think that placing warning stickers on six packs of beer about penalties for purchasing alcohol for an underage drinker, or purchasing alcohol if underage, will make any difference. Few of these purchasers get caught, and I doubt many of those purchasers read those labels, and if they do, they don't care. In a county like Washtenaw, high cost is also not a deterrent, given the relatively high income levels of this county. The easy availability of illicit drugs such as marijuana is also a contributing factor. The young age when these kids are trying/using alcohol and marijuana is probably the most distressing aspect of the study. I'd like to see a study on the use of meth or harder drugs in Washtenaw County among young people.
Ignatz
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 8:59 a.m.
Ghost, I completely agree. If you're old enough to employ military weaponry, you're old enough to drink and smoke with proper training.
stunhsif
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 8:34 a.m.
Incomes in both counties are relatively high compared to the rest of the state and the U.S. in general. So no suprise our children have higher graduation rates and more money to spend on recreation which unfortunately includes recreational drugs.
Brad
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 8:32 a.m.
Why the surprise? As we know, all Ann Arbor children are above average...
indigonation
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 7:44 a.m.
No cause for concern the alcohol and drug laws for this country are barbaric and unfair. No use in the government trying to tell others what to do. Alcohol and weed is not that terrible.
Cash
Wed, Dec 29, 2010 : 6:20 a.m.
I didn't respond to the poll because I think that a survey like this doesn't mean much. Not that I don't appreciate the article or the information, I just think it should be considered for what it is. If you ask an urban youth and a rural youth a question about drug or alcohol use, they may consider their response based on the social climate around then. It may just mean the Washtenaw County young people feel less stigma attached to telling the truth about drugs and alcohol. Just my opinion.