DATE: Thursday, August 7, 1997              TAG: 9708070473

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LORRAINE EATON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   61 lines

TEENS SCOFF AT FINDINGS OF SURVEY ON DRUG USE NATIONAL REPORT SHOWS DRINKING, POT USE DECLINING.

Hampton Roads teens on Wednesday cast a wary eye on a national survey that claims that teen-age drug and alcohol use has declined. Some students said that drug use might be holding steady or declining slightly. But they all agreed that, if anything, young people are drinking as much or more than ever.

``Most people I know either smoke weed or do some kind of drug,'' said Jill Layug, 18, a 1997 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. ``Everyone drinks alcohol.''

Jill paused, then added, ``It's not good.''

The annual National Household Survey on Drug Abuse released Wednesday said 9 percent of U.S. teens used drugs in 1996, compared with 10.9 percent in 1995. This was the first decline since 1992. Alcohol use among teens dropped from 21.1 percent in 1995 to 18.8 percent last year, the survey said.

Locally, according to The Virginian-Pilot's annual survey of high school seniors, the percentage of teens who had ever tried marijuana was up slightly from 1996 to 1997. But the percentage of local teens who perceived an increase in drug use among their peers dropped to 65 percent this year, down from a six-year high of 78 percent in 1995.

Donna Shalala, U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services, was optimistic about the national results, but cautioned that ``we shouldn't hang out the victory flag yet.''

That's a good idea, said Randy Bowen, 19, of Virginia Beach. Randy laughed when he heard about the national survey on the radio. ``Everyone I know does something,'' he said. ``If they don't smoke pot, they drink.''

Cautiously optimistic officials credited public and private sector efforts, including an intense focus on the hazards of marijuana, and suggested that publicity on the high drug rate among teens helped focus attention on the problem.

Etoy Reid believes that drug use has declined among young people, but for a different reason. ``It's just gotten old for them,'' said Etoy, 18, a 1997 graduate of Open Campus High School in Virginia Beach. ``It's like normal, mainstream, not like it used to be, a secret.''

Etoy was one of several students who said that drinking is as popular as ever among teen-agers.

Drinking is common at parties, after work and after athletic events, students said. Teens gulp ``40s,'' big bottles of Old English or Schlitz Malt Liquor beer. Some graduate to ``gin and juice'' or cheap wine or other mixed drinks.

The Virginian-Pilot's survey of high school seniors has tracked a steady decline in the percentage of students who say they never drink alcohol. The number has dropped every year since 1995, when 56 percent of seniors indicated that they never drank alcohol. In 1997, that number dropped to 41 percent.

Despite controls, obtaining marijuana or alcohol isn't a problem, students said.

``Marijuana is easier to get than alcohol,'' said one Norfolk teen.

``It's 10 times easier,'' said another, who lives in the Green Run section of Virginia Beach. ``There are five, 10 places on my street where I can call for a sack.'' MEMO: The Associated Press contributed to this report. KEYWORDS: SURVEY TEENAGER DRUG USE

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