Director's Corner

Director's Update

Kimberly A. Johnson, Director

What's New - Spring 2005

Along with Spring come several informative reports from the Office of Substance Abuse. Following is a brief description of what you will find in each report. For a complete look at specific reports, you can order print versions by contacting the IRC, at 1-800-499-0027, Email osa.ircosa@maine.gov or download the reports in PDF format from the OSA website.

One of the many new reports available from OSA is the recent Maine Youth Drug & Alcohol Use Survey (MYDAUS), administered in February 2004 to over 75,000 students, grades 6-12, from 342 public schools throughout the state. All 16 Maine counties participated in the survey which provides highlights describing the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, prohibited behaviors associated with drug use, and the risk and protective factors that influence these attitudes and behaviors.

Results from this survey are encouraging in that they indicate fewer students are smoking or using marijuana than were using in 2002, and there has been a significant decrease in the use of psychedelics and the club drug, ecstasy. On the other hand, little has changed in the consumption level of alcohol and binge drinking. Inhalant use is on the increase, especially among 8 th and 9 th graders, and the illegal use of prescription drugs remains high in the upper grades, indicating that we have much more work to do in our education and prevention efforts. You can query results directly from the MYDAUS web-based reports system or see the published reports at www.maine.gov/data/mydaus/mydaus2004.htm.

Also available from OSA’s prevention site are the Findings and Recommendations of the Maine Inhalant Abuse Prevention Task Force which was formed when the national issue of rising inhalant abuse became evident. The Task Force is working to prevent inhalant abuse and supports education of professionals and the public about the dangers of inhalants. They have developed a set of guidelines for adults, teachers, medical examiners, and other pertinent youth advisors. Guidelines for parents and caregivers, tips, and the latest information about inhalants can be found through the IRC, 1-800-499-0027, or online.

Another new report is the 2004 Maine General Population Drug and Alcohol Use Survey, [Executive | Full 1mb]where results indicate that a startling number of adults have a recent history of binge drinking, particularly young men in the 18-20 year old group. Though nearly all 4,000 respondents to the survey indicated that they have consumed at least one alcoholic beverage in their lifetime, study results show that alcohol use in general and binge drinking in particular decrease with age. The survey also collected information regarding substance use and the workplace. This report should be of interest to every employer in Maine.

The consequences of underage drinking have been well documented across the United States. In Maine, we have been working to strengthen the collaborative relationships between prevention and enforcement because we know that the effort invested in keeping kids from using alcohol will pay off in many ways. Two years ago, the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s office implemented a comprehensive underage drinking enforcement strategy which has seen a reduction not just in underage drinking, but in a wide range of crimes and high-risk behaviors, as well as a reduction in marijuana use.

The plan that achieved this success is within the reach of every law enforcement agency in Maine, and there is support available for those ready to tackle the problem of underage drinking in a way that has been demonstrated to work. For a case study of this recent Maine success story, see, Developing a Comprehensive Underage Drinking Strategy or call the IRC and ask for the report. You can also download a copy of the draft model policy at www.maineosa.org/prevention/lawenforcement/policy.htm.

OSA also has a new brochure for parents who are concerned about their child’s alcohol and drug use and want to know how to intervene. The impetus for the creation of this brochure came from a study required by the Health and Human Services Committee last session. The brochure, Worried That Your Child is Using Alcohol or Other Drugs?, An Action Guide for Maine Parents, will be available in quantity through the IRC and will be mailed to all of Maine’s middle and high schools this fall, as well as being available to law enforcement for use when they are informing parents of a child’s being caught using alcohol or drugs.

Other new developments at OSA include:

A partnership between OSA and the Women’s Project/PROP has resulted in an award of a SAMHSA grant for the state of Maine to address Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), a term that describes the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy. FASD is 100% preventable and the project goal is to eliminate alcohol-affected births in Maine. A Task Force is being developed to conduct a comprehensive statewide needs assessment after which they will develop a strategic plan based on the findings to address FASD in Maine.

Coming in late May is the first report of the Community Epidemiology Surveillance Network that outlines the trends in drug and alcohol use and abuse across multiple reporting organizations. The group will have its own web page on OSA’s site to provide current information regarding emerging drug use problems in Maine.

Thank you for visiting our website. Please email us at osa.ircosa@maine.gov if you need assistance accessing any information. We are here to make Maine a healthier and safer place.

Previous Updates

What's New - Winter 2005

What's New - Summer 2004

What's New - Spring 2004

What's New - August 2003

What's New - January 2003

What's New - August 2002

Office INFORMATION

Director's Corner

What's New - Spring 2005