News

Survey: Fewer students binge drink

By Ethan Forman
Staff writer
Published: October 6, 2008

DANVERS — Danvers High School students are binge drinking less and taking part in fewer risky behaviors than they were two years ago, according to results of a new survey.

Tonight a program for parents called "Turning off the Tap: Underage Drinking and Prevention Strategies," will review results of the 2008 Danvers Youth Risk Behavior Survey. It was given to 810 students in grades nine through 12 at Danvers High earlier this year, said Peg Sallade, a consultant working with the Danvers Cares community coalition.

There is some good news in the youth risk survey, which shows reports of binge drinking are down, Sallade said.

In 2006, 39 percent of Danvers High students who took the survey reported they binge drank at a rate higher than the state average of 27 percent.

Binge drinking is defined as someone consuming five or more drinks in a row within a couple of hours. Students had to indicate whether or not they binge drank on at least one occasion 30 days prior to the survey.

This year, 31 percent of students surveyed reported they binge drank, Sallade said, a significant dip.

"It is still higher than the state average of 28 percent so it's still a community concern," Sallade said.

Students who reported alcohol use at least once 30 days prior to the survey dropped from 55 percent in 2006 to 45 percent in 2008. The state average is 45 percent.

"There is really good data to report in the positive direction," Sallade said.

Also, fewer kids are getting in fights, there are fewer incidents of students saying they were offered drugs at school, and the number of kids carrying weapons to school is lower than the state average, she added.

The scheduled speaker, Marilyn Belmonte, the co-chairwoman of the Burlington Drug and Alcohol Task Force, will talk about the effects of alcohol on the adolescent brain.

Not only do young teens' brains function differently, making it harder for them to discern risky behaviors, underage drinking can have impact test scores, Sallade said.