Survey of local high school students reveals rise in prescription drug use

By Staff Writer

A survey of alcohol and drug use among Sumner County students in Tennessee reveals that binge drinking and the use of prescription drugs are on the rise, according to the school system's annual student report. The survey was commissioned by the Sumner County Anti-Drug Coalition, which is a group of local leaders in education and health who hope to use the results to track the performance of programs that are aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles among teens, the Tennessean reports.

The survey sampled nearly 700 students in sixth, eighth, 10th and 12th grades in White House, Portland, Westmoreland, Hendersonville and Gallatin.

Pat Conner, Sumner County Schools' Safe Schools, Healthy Students coordinator, told school board members that Sumner County's statistics mirror national survey trends about the prevalence of prescription drug abuse among high school students.

According to the survey, 6 percent of Sumner 12th graders and 12 percent of 10th graders reported having used prescription drugs to get high within the past 30 days.

Results of a study done by the National Center On Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University show that between 1993 to 2005, teen usage of prescription drugs increased 93 percent.