Study: Higher Tobacco Use for American Indian Students

Reuters ^ | 11/6/03

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

ATLANTA (Reuters) - High schoolers at American Indian schools have higher rates of smoking and drug use than other U.S. students, underscoring a need for more health education and counseling programs in their communities, federal health officials said on Thursday.

A U.S. study conducted in 2001 found that 88 percent of high-school pupils at schools funded by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs have smoked, compared with 64 percent of high schoolers nationwide.

The study, published by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was based on surveys of 5,654 high-school students at schools that are primarily located on Indian reservations.

Alcohol use was reported by 81 percent of the American Indian students, up slightly from 78 percent of ninth- to 12-graders nationwide.

About 77 percent of the American Indian students said they had used marijuana, compared with 42 percent of high-school students nationwide. The cocaine usage rate was 21 percent for Indian students, compared with 9 percent for high schoolers nationwide.

"It is alarming," lead author Lana Shaughnessy of the Bureau of Indian Affairs said of the report's findings. She said higher levels of poverty and social isolation could explain the increased alcohol and drug usage among American Indian students.

Shaughnessy added that the study shows a need to implement drug and alcohol prevention programs at an early age.

"If students are using alcohol (and other substances) at such high percentages by the time they are in ninth grade, we need to look at what's going on in third and fourth grade," she said.

[DumpsterDiver]

But wouldn't I be in turn fleecing myself or just gettin my piece of the pie.

You're a tough nut to crack, Flurry. Apparently, you haven't spent enough time researching the joys of government give-aways. As a good "team player" you must always think of it as getting your well deserved piece of the pie; a piece that you are entitled to.

Don't make me send you back to the education camp, young man!

[nothingnew]

This is wierd. I live in SW Colorado and know quite a few American Indians, both young and older, and NONE of them smoke that I am aware of. Go figure.

FMCDH

[Conspiracy Guy]

Sorry DD. I keep reverting to that hard work ethic personal responsibilty thing. The indoctrination is taking but it is slow. I better put the earphones back on : )

[DumpsterDiver]

I keep reverting to that hard work ethic personal responsibilty thing.

KNOCK IT OFF!

I better put the earphones back on :)

Where's the theme from the Twilight Zone when you need it, eh?

[Conspiracy Guy]

Look where I was last week.

Solar Flare

We best be careful til this thing,
Has run it’s natural course.
My tinfoil hat could not withstand,
The power of this force.
It bombed my brain just like a nuke,
The functioning was gone.
I thought I was a Liberal,
I felt so all alone.
But praise the Lord it went away,
And I am back to normal.
Those solar flares can sure do harm,
Your brain will be a doornail.
So please be careful when you’re out,
I’ll tell where I’m at.
Until this solar storm is gone,
I’ll wear a double hat.

Flurry 10/31/03

[DumpsterDiver]

We best be careful til this thing,
Has run it's natural course.
My tinfoil hat could not withstand,
The power of this force.

Flurry 10/31/03

Beware of Halloween. It's an evil, evil day. Even more evil than Big Tobacco.

[Conspiracy Guy]

And my paranoid day.

Black Ops

I’ve seen the helicopters,
Lurking in the night.
I know that they are watching,
Hey what gives them the right?
To snoop on me and snoop on you,
I’m sure they’re shooting film.
Recording every word we say,
The future’s looking dim.
I think next time I hear them,
And I hope that it’s soon.
I’m dropping trou and bending,
I’m giving them the moon.

Flurry 10/31/03

[DumpsterDiver]

I like your poems, Flurry. If you ever need inspiration to feed your paranoia, check out Nancy Luft.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Whew.. She needs a triple foil suit... How this?

Sick and Tired

I’m sick of being sick and tired,
Yes something has to give.
It could not be my lifestyle,
You know the way I live.
So if I say, “I’m sick and tired”,
Please take it with a grain.
I’m really only sick and tired,
Of folks without a brain.
The democrats, the lib’ral press,
The folks in Hollywood.
They really want to wreck this land,
These folks aren’t up to good.
Don’t vote for dems, they mean you harm,
Don’t buy the New York Times.
Don’t go to see the movie show,
Please don’t support these slimes.
You see they need your money to,
Continue their crusade.
Let’s cut them off and then we’ll see,
The idiot’s parade.
They’ll whine and squeal that we aren’t fair,
That we have censored speech.
No, they can say what they will say,
But they aren’t out of reach.
The reach of Free America,
To say enough’s, enough.
They’ll find that down here on the ground,
Life can sure be tough.

Flurry 11/4/3

[MrsEmmaPeel]

This is one of the main reasons I was gung-ho for the Indian casino that just got shot down in our recent Maine election.

I am so glad you brought that up. Since you claim to be a Republican, how is it that you can favor preferential treatment of one ethnic group over another? I didn't think Republicans stood for that, or even quotas. If you favor one race over another, you can't be a Republican.

Having said that, I am thrilled that the casino measure as it was written was defeated by a VERY significant margin. Those who are honest about the casino issue will welcome the opportunity for other races to contribute. Otherwise, their opposition is just noise, boring noise that should be deleted.