1/31/1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

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r JAN 311994 BOOK 91. F,mGE 628 —7 PRIDE SURVEY Charlene Tardi, Indian River County Dropout Prevention Program coordinator, reported that the Parents' Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE) survey was administered last spring and provides information to help communities assess the extent of substance abuse problems involving youth in the community. The information derived from the survey is critical because it shows the prevalence of drug abuse in the community, where and when young people are using drugs, availability of drugs to our young people and why some young people use drugs and others do not. This information is used in the prevention program. Ms. Tardi emphasized that alcohol is included in the definition of drugs, and the survey showed that alcohol is the drug of choice among our youth in Indian River County. The information derived from the survey is important because children who become addicted to drugs have a higher risk of becoming HIV positive, suicidal, or pregnant at an early age, and we know that the cost to society is great. Research shows a direct correlation between substance abuse and violent acts in a community or a school setting, and funding should be increased for prevention programs. Ms. Tardi stated that four students from Vero Beach High School were present to address the conclusions of the PRIDE survey. These students are members of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, which means they must be drug-free. School Resource Officer Ray Gage noted that these students are actively involved in our community, they keep their grades up, they are active in other groups, they are role models, and they are all- around top-notch people. Angie, Ashley, Colleen and Yamma, all students at Vero Beach High School, reported that cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, and alcohol are being used by students as early as fourth grade. They stated that the reason they are not using drugs is because they are active in sports, music and community activities. As members of the DARE team, they visit elementary schools and speak to young students about the dangers of drugs. They believed the community should give young people more to do, perhaps an activities center, and that everyone should work together. They believed harsher penalties for juvenile crime is a good idea, and they encouraged State Attorney Colton to pursue passage of the proposed legislation. They thought that parents who provide drugs, or make them accessible to their children, should be made aware of the dangers, and that parents need to be more concerned about their children in general. 12