Prevention Council

Providing Substance Abuse Education, Information and Referral Services

Heroin, opioid demonstration spreads overdose knowledge

September 13, 2016

Seen in: The Daily Gazette
Story by: Cady Kuzmich
Link to full article: http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2016/sep/13/heroin-opioid-demo-spreads-overdose-knowledge/

 

Helping heroin addicts stay safe and get help is personal for Project Safe Point’s Alfonso Ferrara.

When he was born, he was born in detox.

“I come from a family of addicts. My mother got clean as soon as I was born so I grew up in the recovery phase,” said Ferrara. “I’ve seen what addiction does. I’m not there telling them ‘no.’ I’m there to make them safe.”

He led a heroin and opioid overdose prevention demonstration at the Clifton Park – Halfmoon Library on Moe Road Monday evening, September 12.

Ferrara studied psychology at SUNY Albany and has been working on education initiatives with Project Safe Point for about four months.

About two dozen community members, including concerned family members and retired nurses, gathered in a small conference room to learn how to properly administer NARCAN to help save someone who has overdosed. Some of those in the room worked with addicts professionally, witnessed overdoses or have a loved one who is addicted to heroin. Everyone who attended the event was given a NARCAN kit to take home.

A retired nurse from Schenectady, who wished to remain anonymous, described stopping at the scene of an overdose on Balltown Road in Niskayuna on August 12. “I was on my way to the bank and saw the police pulled over. I told them I’m a nurse and asked if I could help. They pulled the man from his car. He was grey and blue. We gave him CPR for 17 minutes but he was too far gone. He was 49 years old. The police were all out of NARCAN,” she said.

Another woman expressed worry and concern for her stepson, who is an addict.

Project Safe Point, which falls under Catholic Charities, embraces the notion of harm reduction. According to their website, practical harm reduction incorporates “a spectrum of strategies: from safer use, to managed use to abstinence to meet drug users ‘where they’re at,’ addressing conditions of use along with the use itself.”

Project Safe Point facilitates a needle exchange program so drug users have the option to use sterile needles rather than reusing their old ones. “If 10 syringes cost 10 dollars at CVS, they’re going to reuse their old syringes. When people are really addicted, they keep using so they don’t feel sick all the time. Withdrawal won’t kill you, but it can feel like it’s killing you,” Ferrara added.

During his demonstration on how to administer NARCAN, Ferrara discussed the difference between a “heavy nod” and an overdose. If a drug user is in a heavy nod, simply enjoying their high and ignoring the outside world rather than having overdosed, Ferraro said announcing you are about to administer NARCAN may help snap them out of it. NARCAN effectively throws the drug user into withdrawal, according to Ferrara.

If you find an individual who might have overdosed, you should check their responsiveness. A firm sternum rub should wake anyone who is simply in a heavy nod. If the individual is unresponsive even after a sternum rub, Ferraro said the next step is calling 911. If you need to leave the room in order to call 911, place the individual in a safety position on their side before leaving the room. After calling 911, begin administering NARCAN. Inject the drug into a large muscle like the upper arm, thigh or butt. It should take about two to three minutes to kick in, so you will need to do CPR while you wait to see if it took effect. If the individual is still unresponsive after the first three minutes, try administering another dose of NARCAN. “It can’t hurt you,” said Ferrara.

The NARCAN kit comes with two vials of NARCAN and two big-tipped syringes. The syringes feature big tips so they can pierce through clothing if necessary. Ferrara advised those who would be administering NARCAN to avoid getting air in the syringe. Since NARCAN is injected into large muscles rather than veins and time is of the essence in overdose scenarios, Ferraro said not to worry too much about minor air bubbles.

Once the NARCAN begins working, the individual will likely take a big gasp of air and begin experiencing withdrawal symptoms — it’s likely they will want more opiates. Ferraro said remaining calm and using simple, straight-forward messages is key.

Ferraro noted the NARCAN kits shouldn’t be exposed to extreme temperatures, so storing the kit in a car wouldn’t be ideal. He suggested tucking the small blue kit in a backpack or a purse.

Another method of responding to an overdose involves a nasal spray, but Ferrara said a shortage has prevented Project Safe Point from being able to distribute them to the public. For those who might have access to the nasal spray, Ferrara said it’s important to only spray half of the dose in each nostril so it can be properly absorbed.

Heroin addiction has been a growing problem in upstate New York. The number of people upstate seeking treatment for heroin addiction increased by 222 percent from 2004 to 2013 — that’s 86 percent higher than the spike in heroin-related treatments statewide in that same time frame, according to James Norton of the Southern Saratoga County Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council

The number of heroin-related fatalities in the United States has nearly tripled since 2010, according to the Center for Disease Control. The demographic most at risk for heroin addiction are people ages 18 to 25, said Norton. Heroin use “more than doubled” among that demographic in the last 10 years, according to the CDC.

Two Pieces of Bad News about Pot Legalization —  Rates of Marijuana Poisoning Skyrocket Among Colorado Kids & Stoned Driving Increases in Washington Since “Retail Legalization”  

(Alexandria, VA) – Two significant studies released this weekend showed continuing problems of legalized marijuana in Colorado and Washington State. The first study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that marijuana poisoning cases among children in Colorado has been rising an average of 34 percent per year — almost double the average 19 percent annual increase in the rest of the United States.  The second study, conducted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, found a statistically significant increase in daytime stoned driving in Washington State since its implementation of legal retail marijuana sales in 2014.

 

With respect to the Colorado study, about half of the cases of child marijuana poisoning involved edible pot products. The average stay at the hospital was 11 hours.  Moreover, the researchers concluded that, “Almost half of the patients seen in the children’s hospital in the 2 years after legalization had exposures from recreational marijuana, suggesting that legalization did affect the incidence of exposures.”

 

In Washington State, researchers conducted voluntary, anonymous drug tests of drivers via oral and blood tests, and found that more drivers tested THC-positive one year after implementation of the retail sales law than immediately before. Statistically significant increases were observed among daytime drivers, where that rate more than doubled from before implementation of legalization laws (7.8%) to one year after retail legalization was implemented (18.9%).  Stoned driving at night also increased in the same time period (17.5% to 22.2%), although this difference was not statistically significant. Overall, more than one in five drivers tested positive for marijuana one year after implementation.

 

“A powerful marijuana industry lobby has emerged in Colorado and Washington — stopping at nothing to block restrictions on advertising and promoting marijuana candies — and now we are paying the price,” said Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). “Other states should look at the example Colorado and Washington offer when considering whether or not to legalize and commercialize marijuana. The best intentions do not matter — once legalized, the industry takes over and writes the rules.”

 

Jo McGuire, co-chair of SAM’s Colorado affiliate and president & CEO of 5 Minutes of Courage, a Colorado advocacy group for drug-free communities, workplaces, and youth, also commented, “It’s not surprising that we’re experiencing these problems.  We have made pot use more socially acceptable for everyone. Other states shouldn’t follow our example.”

 

 

About SAM
Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is a nonpartisan, non-profit alliance of physicians, policy makers, prevention workers, treatment and recovery professionals, scientists, and other concerned citizens who oppose marijuana legalization and want health and scientific evidence to guide marijuana policies. Learn more at www.learnaboutsam.org.

Letter to the editor: We need to continue to educate community about drug solutions

Editor:

I would like to thank Mr. Lehman for writing the article “Medication collection box installed at Glens Falls Police station.” Our coalition would like to point out the primary reason these boxes are so important. Drug abuse often begins when kids have easy access to medications, which is another reason why medications should be locked up or disposed of immediately.

The Community Coalition for Family Wellness in South Glens Falls was formed in 2010 in response to concerns about teen deaths in the South Glens Falls community. Our coalition has secured grant funding to reduce substance use in the community. Most recently, we won a grant to combat the heroin epidemic.

One of the initiatives our coalition will be starting includes the distribution of free Deterra in South Glens Falls. Deterra is a safe, at-home drug destruction kit. Additionally, we are partnering with Project Safe Point to provide Narcan trainings in the community which can save lives by reversing an opioid overdose. We are offering these trainings every two weeks and in three months, more than 70 people were trained to recognize the symptoms of a heroin/opiate overdose and safely use Narcan to save a life. We will be providing education and information to the community about the dangers of improper opioid use and how it can lead to heroin use. Our grant will also provide funding for increased training for local law enforcement on recognizing drugged driving.

We appreciate your help in educating the community about these important issues. Community members who want to be involved in the Community Coalition for Family Wellness, can contact us by calling 581-1230 ext. 3615.

Jennifer Oliver-Goodwin, Community Coalition for Family Wellness, South Glens Falls

Saratoga Springs Students Learn About Social Media Safety

March 17, 2016

Featured on TWC News

Links to video can be found here: http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2016/03/17/saratoga-springs-new-york-students-learn-about-social-media-safety.html?cid=facebook_YNN-Albany

Saratoga Springs students took the day off to learn how to use social media safely and wisely. More than 250 students attended the Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference at Skidmore College Thursday.

Organized by the Saratoga County Prevention Council, the conference allowed students to discuss healthy online habits and behaviors. Students attended workshops about social media safety, media literacy and drug and alcohol prevention methods. Many of the workshops highlighted social media’s ability to skew perceptions of alcohol and drug use.

The Youth Specialist for the Saratoga Prevention Council, Kait Downey, says it is essential to teach students how to use social media appropriately.

“Social media can be a really great tool if it’s used responsibly,” Downey said, “and it’s up to parents and educators to try and help promote the safe and responsible use of it. Just remember to be light, bright and polite.”

Following the workshops, students spent the rest of the day dancing, chatting and snacking.

Conference educates students of important prevention techniques

March 18, 2016

Seen in: The Saratogian

Story by: Jennie Grey

Link to full article found here: http://www.saratogian.com/social-affairs/20160318/conference-educates-students-of-important-prevention-techniques

March 17 heralded the Prevention Council’s 34th annual Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference, held at Skidmore College for high-school students. The goal of the conference, sponsored by Saratoga County Stop DWI, was to motivate and prepare student leaders to actively engage their peers in effective local prevention initiatives centered around prom, graduation and other spring social events. More than 270 Saratoga County high school students from all 12 districts and BOCES learned from local prevention specialists and engaged in local awareness efforts.

Sophomore Meaghan Whalen from Galway Central School District said the conference was “really informative, fun and inspiring.”

“I met a lot of cool people and learned a lot,” she said.

Mayor Joanne Yepsen met with students at the conference.“As mayor of Saratoga Springs, sometimes I feel like the mother of 28,000 people,” she said. “The city and groups like the Prevention Council do a great deal to keep people safe here.“I know you’re taking the day off from school, and that’s a hardship,” she continued, smiling. “But this is really important because you’re going to learn a lot and save a lot of lives. Please make good decisions.”

This year, the Safe Spring conference focused on local awareness efforts and showcased hometown prevention heroes, said LeeAnn Mandrillo, communications specialist for the Prevention Council. The goal was for students to know what resources were available in their own communities, to learn from local leaders and to build partnerships enhancing what the students brought to their high school Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) clubs.

SADD is a peer-to-peer education, prevention and activism organization dedicated to stopping destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, teen violence and teen suicide. SADD is considered the nation’s dominant peer-to-peer youth education and prevention organization, with thousands of chapters in middle schools, high schools and colleges. Local students learn to be safe and sober leaders in their own communities, and to address substance-abuse issues in their own schools.

“Some of the high school clubs now have other names than SADD,” said Pat Marin, outreach and director of education services at the Prevention Council. “The students want to focus on more positive names like the Wellness Club.”

The South Glens Falls Central School District prevention club is called Sources of Strength. Senior Brittany Kenny said she joined because she wanted to help people who were struggling with addictive issues.“I wanted them to know they don’t have to go and abuse alcohol and drugs,” she said. “They can have the support of family and friends.”

According to the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, more than 1.9 million New Yorkers have a substance abuse problem: 1.77 million adults and 156,000 youths ages 12-17. The teen years are the likeliest time for someone to start taking drugs. And starting drug use as a teen can lead to drug problems when young people grow up. Extensive research has shown definitely that teen peer programs can have statistically significant effects on attitudes, norms, knowledge, behaviors, and health and achievement outcomes of teens. This is especially true with alcohol and drug use.

So the students attended program sessions and discussed such issues as: Should the legal drinking age be raised to 25, when the brain is fully developed? What are the consequences of drinking during other activities than driving? Why is it dangerous to mix alcohol and marijuana? What are the effects of marijuana and prescription drugs on driving? What challenges are the SADD clubs facing? And what were the most positive things learned at the conference to bring back to their clubs?

“The speakers were really informative, and it was good to hear all the different points of view,” said sophomore Ben Lafreniere from Galway.His classmate, freshman Lindsey Gileski, said, “I loved how all the sessions brought things into real life.”

Local police and former police officers held sessions on social media awareness and driving safety. Saratoga Springs prevention educator Brian Farr spoke about how advertising and marketing lure young people to try alcohol.

Junior Morghan Fisk from South Glens Falls attended Farr’s session and said she found it eye-opening.“Things aren’t always what they seem,” she said.

Prevention Council staff held SADD club advisor training and also banner-making sessions for the students.Kenny and Fisk helped make a banner for their club, Sources of Strength.“We wrote on it, ‘Positive Minds, Positive Vibes, Positive Lives,’” Kenny said.

Yepsen said to the students, “Your commitment to getting that message out gives me great hope and great confidence.”

Students gather in Saratoga County to promote responsible behavior Prom and graduation parties can raise potential problems

March 18, 2016

Seen in: The Daily Gazette

Story By: Cady Kuzmich

Link to full article can be found here: http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2016/mar/18/0318_safe/

As high school students try on prom dresses, peruse corsages and organize graduation parties, their parents may begin to worry about the potential dangers of drugs and alcohol their children could confront this spring. Nearly 300 students from across Saratoga County came together to discuss different ways to promote responsible decision-making during these milestones at The Prevention Council’s 34th annual Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference Thursday morning at Skidmore College. “We need to remind young people they don’t need alcohol to celebrate,” Janine Stuchin, Executive Director of the Prevention Council, said.

Students from 13 Saratoga County schools, including Shenendehowa and Waterford-Halfmoon, met to share ideas and learn how to expand their local SADD chapters. Shenendehowa’s SADD delegation was led by Emily Sellman, a special educator at Shenendehowa, and included junior, Meghan Reynolds, and three freshman, Emma Voska, Katie Morgan, and Giavanna Liberatore. This was Reynolds’ second time attending the Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference. “I just wanted to do something to make a difference in my school,” she said. Freshman Emma Voska noted the importance of SADD for Shenendehowa, saying it “helped heal the community” in the wake of the loss of students Deanna Rivers and Christopher Stewart to a drunk driving accident in 2012. All of Shenendehowa’s SADD members said the accident in 2012 played a role in their decision to join the club. The group is gearing up for the Sean’s Run 5K on April 24th. The annual event will honor Christopher Stewart this year. The chapter’s members agreed that the conference helped them feel more confident in their ability to make a difference in their community.

The conference began with a keynote speech by Justin Fischer, the pastor of student ministries at Pine Knolls Alliance Church in South Glens Falls. Fischer’s opening remarks related the potential of an acorn to grow into a tree when nourished properly to a student’s potential to grow into the best versions of themselves, if they are able to make responsible decisions. “The keynote talk was all about the potential inside of us,” said Stuchin. “Acorns need sunlight, air and soil. The decisions we make strengthen our potential or limit our potential,” she added. After Fischer’s speech, students split up for various workshops and SADD advisers had a chance to meet with other advisers from throughout the county. Expressive Prevention, a workshop led by Prevention Council Youth Specialist Kait Downey, focused on creative ways to spread positive messages, whether that’s through songs, poetry or visual art. Downey shared some of her own poetry and played a Macklemore song, “Kevin” featuring Leon Bridges, which highlights the dangers of prescription drug abuse. In the song, Leon Bridges croons, “Doctor, please. Give me a dose of the American Dream. Put your pen down and look in my eyes. We’re in the waiting room and something ain’t right. Overprescribe.” At the song’s closing, Bridges sings, “Doctor, your medicine and your methods, can’t cure my disease without killing me.”After providing examples of drug prevention messages in art, Downey asked the SADD members in the classroom to create something of their own.

Prevention Council Media and Marketing Specialist LeeAnn Mandrillo shared her thoughts on the conference, saying, “The Safe Spring conference empowers these students on every level. As peer educators they gain valuable tools they can bring back to their schools and use in peer education. As individuals they gain knowledge on how to make safe healthy decisions as they navigate through spring celebrations such as prom and graduation.” Stuchin described the conference as one of the Prevention Council’s cornerstone events. “We work throughout the year to energize and educate the SADD chapters across the county because a peer to peer message [is powerful.] We use the information we have, and the advisers, to help direct and craft that message in ways that we know are effective.” Stuchin suggested parents try talking with their children about drug and alcohol use while in a car or on a walk, since sometimes talking side by side feels less confrontational than face to face. Both Mandrillo and Stuchin urged parents and other adults to lead by example, not with words alone. Wes Carr, Saratoga County Youth Bureau director and STOP DWI coordinator, noted, “the feeling with kids that when they’re high school graduates, then they’re adults” and how that could lead to potentially dangerous behavior. Stuchin agreed, adding, “It’s a milestone and we can challenge the myth that we have to celebrate milestones with alcohol. Bringing these students together helps reinforce that.” “There’s great energy and momentum because these are kids who are committed throughout the year to talking with their peers. It’s about affirming the fact that many young people are making positive choices,” said Stuchin

 

Overdose drug Narcan training in Saratoga Springs

March 14, 2016

Featured on: WRGB Albany 6 News

Link to full coverage can be found here: http://cbs6albany.com/news/local/overdose-drug-narcan-training-in-saratoga-springs

 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A one-hour training session on how to use a drug that reverses an opioid or heroin overdose will be offered for the first time in Saratoga County Monday afternoon.

The Saratoga Springs Prevention Council, along with Catholic Charities are putting on the session. The hope is to get the general public involved in the fight against heroin by training them to administer Narcan.

New York is one of a handful of states where more people die every year from a drug overdose, than from car accidents. The number of deaths in the U.S. from heroin increased 6-fold from 2001 to 2014 according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

The makers of the reversal drug Narcan say it works within five minutes of administration. The drug knocks out those opiate or heroin receptors in the brain and can help a person start breathing normally again. The drug is given by nasal spray and within the last month independent pharmacies across the state are now allowed to hand out the drug. Both medical and non-medical persons can administer the drug.

“As opioids continue to be used in our county and throughout the country and there are more frequent overdoses than we’ve experienced before it’s important to have this training available and to have people in the community ready to respond,” Prevention Council Executive Director Janine Stuchin said.

The free session will be held at the Saratoga Springs Public Library from 3-4 p.m.

In addition to the March 14 training, other upcoming training dates are April 11 in Mechanicville; April 25 in Moreau, May 9 in Schuylerville, May 23 in Saratoga Springs, June 13 in South Glens Falls, June 27 in Vischer Ferry, July 13 in Hadley, July 25 in Charlton, Aug. 8 in Galway; Aug. 22 in Wilton, Sept. 12 in Clifton Park, Sept. 26 in Stillwater, Oct. 10 in Waterford, Oct. 24 in Malta, Nov. 14 in Wilton, and Dec. 12 in Ballston Spa. All sessions are from 6-7 p.m.

Details on locations and registration are available from the Prevention Council in Saratoga Springs, 581-1230, or on its website.

New effort announced to curb heroin overdoses

March 9, 2016

Featured on: WRGB Albany-CBS6

Link to feature can be found at: http://cbs6albany.com/news/local/new-effort-announced-to-curb-heroin-overdoses

SARATOGA SPRINGS-There’s new partnership to prevent heroin overdoses in our area.

The Saratoga Springs Prevention Council, along with Catholic Charities, have announced new training programs to deal with the growing problem.

The hope is to get the general public involved in the fight against heroin by training them to administer Narcan, a drug used to save someone who’s overdosing.

“As opioids continue to be used in our county and throughout the country and there are more frequent overdoses than we’ve experienced before it’s important to have this training available and to have people in the community ready to respond ” says Janine Stuchin, Executive Director of the Prevention Council.

Training is free and will be open to the public through the rest of the year.

Training programs in heroin/opioid OD prevention

March 9, 2016

Featured in: The Times Union

Story by:Dennis Yusko

The Prevention Council, Project Safe Point and the Community Coalition for Family Wellness is offering the first free training program in heroin/opioid overdose prevention at 3 p.m. Monday in the Saratoga Springs Public Library.

Attendees will learn the signs and symptoms of heroin and opioid overdose, as well as how to use NARCAN nasal spray to respond to an overdose situation. Those attending will also receive a free Intranasal Nalonene (NARCAN) kit. Several other programs are scheduled throughout Saratoga County this year. See the schedule of events below.

To register or for more information, contact The Prevention Council at 581-1230 ext. 3632 or email ccfw-pfs@preventioncouncil.org.

NARCAN training flyer sep 2015 - graphic_001

How do you measure alcohol use among teenagers? The New York State Office on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) goes right to the source, asking the teens themselves.

Featured in:The Saratogian

Story By: Jennie Grey

Link to article can be found here: http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20151214/survey-breaks-down-alcohol-marijuana-usage-among-students

SARATOGA SPRINGS >> How do you measure alcohol use among teenagers? The New York State Office on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) goes right to the source, asking the teens themselves.

The Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council of Saratoga County administers OASAS’s anonymous Youth Development Survey to participating Saratoga Springs City School District students in grades 7-12 every two years. The October 2014 survey results revealed key facts about increased drinking in older students and correspondingly low rates of use in younger teens.

Prevention Council Coalition Development Director Robin Lyle presented the 2014 results to the Saratoga Springs Board of Education at the board’s Dec. 8 meeting.

The Prevention Council is a community-based nonprofit organization. Its mission as a prevention specialist is to provide education, information and referral services on the subjects of alcohol, tobacco, other drug and violence prevention to individuals and communities throughout Saratoga County.

“While alcohol use by Saratoga Springs district ninth- and 10th-graders is at or below state levels, use by 11th- and 12th-graders exceeds state and national averages, and has increased 16 percent since the previous survey in 2012,” Lyle said. “Further, regular alcohol use by 12th graders is 9 percentage points higher than the state average and 23 percentage points higher than the national rate.”

The level of drinking among the Saratoga Springs high school upperclassmen is on a par with the national college underage drinking, Lyle said. Some 61 percent of the high-schoolers reported using alcohol in the past month.

Marijuana use among 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders is above the state usage rates. Regular marijuana use for 12th-graders is 8 percentage points higher than the state average and 15 percentage points higher than the national average.

“There’s also an increased use of electronic cigarettes and vaping,” Lyle said.

There’s good news as well. Middle school alcohol and marijuana use is significantly below the state rates and has remained consistently low throughout the past decade. Also, binge-drinking among high-schoolers has declined 24 percent since 2012.

Saratoga County communication is open: More students report having received prevention messages and having talked to their parents about substance use than other students across the state.

District Superintendent Michael Piccirillo encouraged the use of positive messages about choosing not to use alcohol or drugs.

“For example, we have a series of posters up in the high school that help dispel the myth that everyone is doing this,” he said.

On the other hand, some families aren’t watching out for their teens, since high school students are most often consuming alcohol at private homes, getting it from friends or acquaintances who are younger than 21, interestingly. Students also reported getting alcohol at concerts and sporting events, at a higher rate than their peers across the state.

“Of the 11th- and 12th-graders who reported using alcohol, 68 percent said either they were not caught or, if caught, did not receive consequences from their parents,” Lyle said.

The Prevention Council made several recommendations for parent, student and community focus on alcohol and marijuana use.

For parents, the nonprofit suggested raising parent/community awareness of risks of use, and increasing parent/teen conversations about expectations, family policies and consequences of use.

For students, the recommendations included promoting awareness of actual norms of substance use by peers and reinforcing periodically with positive messaging, and raising awareness of the risks of substance use.

For the community, the council proposed partnering with law enforcement to address underage drinking parties and promoting an underage drinking hotline to report such parties.

The Youth Development Survey was administered in-school in October 2014. A total of 3,186 individual student responses were included in the final report. Of these, 1,084 were middle and 2,102 were high school students.

And how do you know the students were telling the truth about such a complicated and personal subject? Following receipt of the surveys, all survey forms were checked to determine the validity and reliability of the data. A small percentage of students were judged to have returned invalid survey data. For example, students who claimed to use all drugs at the highest levels of use were eliminated from the final data set. In total, five separate checks of the logical consistency and validity of the students’ responses were conducted.