The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey that was given to the Mancos school kids last spring reveals some astonishing facts. Providing that the answers were truthful and we all know that they may or may not be alcohol plays a significant role in kids as young as 7th grade. Fifteen percent of 7th graders had used alcohol, and then it jumped up to almost 40 percent of 8th and 9th graders, almost 50 percent of 10th and 11th graders and 63 percent of 12th graders
had used alcohol in the past 30 days. The survey also revealed that around 30 percent of 10th, 11th and 12th graders had used marijuana in the last 30 days. Mostly high school kids had smoked cigarettes.
The survey also said that the places that kids got the alcohol during the past 30 days was that someone else had bought it, someone gave it to me (highest percentage), took it, or some other way.
The kids who took the survey said that the places they had drunk the alcohol theyd gotten were 10 percent at my home, almost 30 percent at another persons home, and 3 percent at a park, beach or parking lot.
During the school board meeting on Monday evening, the board discussed these findings, along with Mancos Marshal Bill Knauer. The discussion went in quite a few different directions, and several of the board members said that they knew of instances of alcohol and/or drug use involving school kids. Because of the open campus lunch it is believed the kids are able to obtain whatever drugs and alcohol they desire.
While the discussion, and the problem, didnt have a resolution and what problem as huge as this one ever does? the consensus at the meeting was that education and awareness was the answer; that awareness and education of not only students, but teachers and parents as well, is what needs to be done.
Yes, this has been addressed many, many times over the years. And yes, the facts are the same as theyve always been.
But they are facts that will always need to be given out, addressed and addressed again
until kids, and adults, realize that inappropriate and excessive use of illegal and/or hallucinogenic substances is dangerous.
The school AND the community need to get on board with this discussion and address the alcohol and drug problem with our youth or it will just get worse.
Jeanne Archambeault
Mancos Times editor
