Data in the 2005 Youth Behavior Risk Survey released last month show drops in the number of local young people smoking or using chewing tobacco. However, it also showed a spike in the number of high school teens who chewed compared to two years ago.
The 2005 study looked at about 2,000 adolescents throughout Montana. Of those, 234 were in Missoula County.
McCourt acknowledged the surveys aren't meant to be scientific measurements. They record students' own claims about their behavior and activities, which are known to be suspect. The survey scorers attempt to control that by dropping surveys where the student appears to consistently lie. For example, those who misstate their age or weight (which can be checked against other school records) have their other answers given extra scrutiny.
That said, the data show middle schoolers cutting back on smoking, from 12 percent in 2001 to 7.8 percent in 2005. The survey considers anyone who admits having smoked or chewed in the past 30 days to be a tobacco user.
High school students showed an even better decline, from 28 percent smoking in 2001 to 17.1 percent in 2005. However, use of chewing tobacco jumped from 8 percent five years ago to 13.5 percent last year. Middle school chew use stayed relatively stable, from 4 percent in '01 to 4.5 percent in '03 and then to 3 percent in '05.
Tracking changes in tobacco use is also important because it may hint at propensity for other drug use.
“Smoking a cigarette does not cause you to use meth,” McCourt said. “Claiming that would be alarmist and unethical.
“But it is a red flag to parents and teachers that these kids are risk-takers. And with our second concern about the levels of suicide and depression in Montana, we think it's well worth our paying attention to teen smokers.”
But might not an interest in snowboarding or joining the Army show an equal interest in risk-taking? McCourt agreed that modern society seems intensely focused on high-stakes activity, from big-money poker games to extreme sports.
“If we're dealing with a generation that wants to take risks,” she said, “we want them taking them in areas where there is some adult monitoring, some adult supervision, and less chance of addiction.
“When you're taking a risk by using tobacco, you're not learning how to make decisions under pressure or how to combat fear.”
McCourt said the movement encouraged her staff to continue developing teaching materials for classroom use in tobacco awareness lessons. The Health Department does its own presentation days in fifth, seventh and ninth grades. In addition to the standard warnings about tobacco's health hazards, the presenters work on kids' own sense of individualism.
“I tell them, ‘People are building swimming pools for themselves with your money,' ” McCourt said. “Teens are already looking for ways to move away from adults, so we point out the way adults in tobacco companies try to manipulate them. They eat this stuff up.”
The hope now is that the greater community will also gobble the interest in tobacco cessation. Missoula County community health specialist Kelly Rice is bringing the presentations to programs like Kids In Action, the Missoula Parks and Recreation summer fitness camp.
She's also drafted a resolution that's working its way through the Missoula City Council. It would declare the city's parks and recreation areas voluntary tobacco-free zones. The resolution should go before the public Aug. 9.
Reporter Rob Chaney can be reached at 523-5382 or at rchaney@missoulian.com.
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