Drinking Rates Higher in Westchester Schools

More high school students than ever in Westchester are drinking, but many are starting at a later age, states a report released this month on youth drug and alcohol consumption.

The findings are based on the responses of almost 10,000 students in the county across 12 school districts. 

"As educators in many cases we are paying more attention to these issues and we are better equipped and more aggressively addressing some of those behaviors," said Harrison School Superintendent Louis Wool.

The survey was partially conducted by the Student Assistance Services Corporation, a local group aimed at preventing substance abuse in the county.

The survey indicates that alcohol is still the drug of choice for teens in Westchester schools and that Westchester youths try alcohol, marijuana and tobacco slightly later than other students of their age across the state.

Of those who used alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, respondents reported that their first-use for alcohol was on average aged 13; for tobacco, 13.1 years of age; and for marijuana, 13.8 years of age.

However, although Westchester teens start dabbling with substances later in life, they end up using alcohol, tobacco and marijuana more often than their peers across the state.

The report stated that:

• "Compared to two years ago, more Westchester 10th and 12th graders reported using alcohol and marijuana in the last month. Alcohol use increased from 39.6% to 42.1% for 10th graders (6% increase); and from 52.5% to 60.3% (15% increase) for 12th graders. Marijuana use increased from 14.5% to 16.0% (10% increase) for 10th graders and from 22.0% to 28.0% (27% increase) for 12th graders."

There were some positives in the report, mainly the steep decline in smoking and the perception that smoking is harmful.

"The message has gotten across to kids about the evils of smoking," Tarrytown's School Superintendent Howard Smith said. "It's no longer a pervasive part of teen culture, in fact it's almost crossed the threshold were it's not cool to smoke."

New laws have also helped create a drop in tobacco use, according to Wool, who said that he remembers when adults were able to smoke on high school campuses.

"The law that banned smoking from school property, even outside of the building, has been very helpful," said Wool. "Very early on we are removing anybody that would be modeling that behavior from the context of school and education."

Tobacco use decreased for 10th graders from 11.7 percent to 11 percent (6 percent decrease), and from 18.4 percent to 16.0 percent ( 13 percent decrease) for 12th graders, the report said.

However, the use of marijuana is continuing to decrease in terms of perceived health risk among teens across Westchester. While teens are slightly more likely than two years ago (the last time the study was conducted) to think that regular use of alcohol is hazardous to their health.

Smith said that, so far, the messages against drunk driving are penetrating youth culture in his district. He said the aim now is to continue education about the dangers of alcohol to reduce consumption across the board.

"We know that education can work," he said. "Can we use what we've learned to take it one more step further."

Wool shared the same sentiment, saying that the work with educating students on important issues like drug and alcohol abuse is always an ongoing process.

"I think it's one that you need to keep revisiting," he said. "We think we may have a handle on it but I think the moment you let your guard down you are likely to see an uptick in that kind of behavior."

[Editor's note: This story was reprited from Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow Patch. Information was added to connect it more closely with Harrison.]