Wisconsin teens are smoking fewer cigarettes but the use of marijuana over the past 15 years rose "significantly," according to a new survey.

            The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) announced that the number of students who reported smoking a cigarette in the past 30 days dropped to 17 percent – down from 21 percent in 2007.

           The survey found, however, that the prevalence of marijuana use rose "significantly" between the years 1993-2009. Students who reported using marijuana at least once in their life has increased from 23% in 1993 to 34% in 2009.

           Current marijuana use (past 30 days) has increased from 11% in 1993 to 19% in 2009. However, during 2001-2009 there was a downward trend of students who reported using marijuana at least once in their life and those who reported current use.

             Gov. Doyle said the decline in smoking was encouraging news and credited in part legislation he signed earlier this year making public places smoke-free. In 2008, he led the effort to raise the cigarette tax by $1 with a main goal of reducing youth smoking.

            “Throughout my career, as Attorney General and Governor, I have worked hard to protect our kids from smoking and becoming addicted to tobacco,” Doyle said. “Our efforts to reduce youth smoking are working - from raising the cigarette tax to preventing youth tobacco sales and involving them in our outreach campaigns. When goes Wisconsin’s smokefree in July of 2010 we will further improve public health, save lives and reduce health care costs.”

            The 2009 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey was conducted by DPI as part of a national effort by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor health-risk behaviors of the nation’s high school students. DPI administered the survey to 2,434 students in 57 public schools in Wisconsin in the spring of 2009. 

            DPI has administered the Youth Risk Behavioral Survey every two years beginning with 1993.

            Among other survey findings:

            In 2009 a large percentage of Wisconsin high school students reported drinking alcohol. The percentage of students reporting binge drinking (five or more drinks of alcohol in a row) in Wisconsin is higher than most states.
            • During 1993-2009 a significant decrease occurred in the percentage of students who reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days (48%-41%).
            • Twenty-five percent of students reported binge drinking (5 or more drinks of alcohol in a row) in the past 30 days.
            • During 2007-2009 a significant decrease occurred in the percentage of students who reported using ecstasy one or more times during their life.
            • In the past four years the percent of students who reported using methamphetamines at least once in their lifetime has decreased significantly (6%-3%).
            • Between 1997 and 2009 the percentage of students who reported being offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property during the past 12 months decreased significantly from 28% to 21%.

            For complete survey results,  click here

            For more on Wisconsin’s Youth Tobacco Prevention and Control efforts, visit this site