Survey: Lindbergh Students Above Average in Drug and Alcohol Use

In the face of persistent talk about substance abuse among the nation's youth, local parents were surprised to learn the use and availability of drugs and alcohol among Lindbergh students was higher than state and national averages, in a presentation by the Safe and Drug Free Community Coalition.

A survey showed that among 12th-grade Lindbergh students, nearly 80 percent have used alcohol, 50 percent have used marijuana and 20 percent have used prescription medication not prescribed to them.

Working together with the coalition on the survey is Preferred Family Healthcare. Parents and alumni of the Lindbergh School District make up the Safe and Drug Free Community Coalition.

Gina Poeppel and Jean Sokora of Preferred Family Healthcare on March 1 shared the results of the survey that looked at Lindbergh schools' 8th-, 10th- and 12th-grade students. 

Sokora also said among Lindbergh district students who have tried alcohol or marijuana the average age is 13 for alcohol and 14 for marijuana.

Sokora pointed out that there is a margin of error in comparing the Lindbergh figures, since the state and national surveys did not specify the age range of students in the same way as the Lindbergh survey.

But the bottom line is, she said, students use drugs and alcohol, and know where to get them.

There is a growing focus on prescription drugs as well, Sokora said.

“Lindbergh students are not behind in the game. They are using prescription drugs not prescribed for them just like the rest of the country,” Sokora said.

The survey also looked at marijuana use and to a lesser degree, tobacco use.  

“I can tell you that students are using a lot less (tobacco) than they used to. However, marijuana use has increased and students do not view marijuana to be as harmful as tobacco products,” Sokara said.

In addressing what can be done about these numbers the common thread throughout the discussion was making parents and students aware of the dangers and consequences, being open to listening to kids and get help at the first sign of trouble.

The goal of the coalition is to serve all area youth, not only Lindbergh students.

Preferred Family Healthcare, which receives funding from St. Louis County Children’s Fund, is available to all kids, infant -19 years old, no matter the ability to pay. They offer educational programs, prevention, intervention and rehabilitation services.

One of the new trends the coalition is trying to target is “social hosting” or “key master” parties. These are parties in which parents are allowing minors to have alcohol and sometime even provide the alcohol. At key master parties parents are holding kids' car keys until time to go home and then they determine whether the minor is fit to drive.

According to Officer Scott Roach, school resource officer from St. Louis County Police Department, these parties have created a whole new set of problems that law enforcement is catching up with, in holding parents responsible for the consequences of these kinds of parties in the home. Charges against parents could include but are not limited to contributing to the delinquency of a minor, peace disturbance, parking violations (blocking streets so emergency vehicles cannot pass), and fines from police and fire departments.

Courts have also held parents accountable in civil cases. When a minor leaves a party in a home, then is involved in an accident, the liability can go back to the owners of the home--whether or not they were home at the time of the party. 

A Lindbergh High School health teacher, Mark Christian, started this year a peer-taught program called TryPOD (try putting off drinking). High school students are trained about the effects and consequences of alcohol and drugs. They then teach other students what they have learned.

Lizzie Etzkorn is among the students teaching in this new program. She said the response from students has been overwhelmingly positive.

A Lindbergh High School parent, Cindy Hartwig, became concerned after hearing of incidents occurring after school events such as prom. She joined the coalition to take a pro-active approach in preventing further incidents.

These issues are not a concern only for current parents. Carol Treppler and her two children are Lindbergh High School alumni. She joined the coalition out of concern after an incident she had with one of her kids.

“I called a parent who was hosting a party for a bunch of kids to find out if they would be home and monitoring the party to ensure there would not be drinking. The mother acted offended that I called. I didn’t know until a year later that alcohol was being served at the party and the parents were home,” said Treppler.

“I don’t want this to continue to happen. We, the parents, have to set the example,” Treppler said.

Approximately 68 parents attended the coalition's presentation March 1. According to members of the coalition, some present were parents who host such parties.

Coalition parents also pointed out that as parents, we childproof our homes when kids are little and then stop when they are teenagers. We need to ‘teenage proof’ our homes now more than ever.

A tape of the evening forum is going to be linked to the Safe and Drug Free Community Coalition website.  This site can be accessed through the home page of the Lindbergh School District at www.lindbergh.k12.mo.us or at http://pages.lindberghschools.ws/education/dept/dept.php?sectionid=1608.