Rainier eighth-graders are smoking at nearly three times the state average, and alcohol abuse is more than twice the state rate, according to the Oregon Healthy Teens Survey released last month. Rainier 11th-graders are smoking at more than twice the state rate, but alcohol consumption is below the state average in that age group, the survey said.

“Unfortunately, there’s a significant difference in our numbers (from the state), and they’ve gone up from last year,” Superintendent Michael Carter said Tuesday. “We working to do what we can proactively and offer cessation programs and alternatives. We want to reinforce smart choices.”

According to the survey, 26 percent of Rainier eighth-graders are current smokers compared to 9.9 percent for the state. Among the 11th-graders, 21.5 percent are current smokers compared to 14.9 percent for the state.

The survey, which is given to eighth-graders and 11th-graders in the spring of each school year, is anonymous and voluntary. In 2009, 9,016 eight-graders and 6,684 11th-graders were surveyed from 135 schools across Oregon. At Rainier, 79 eight-graders and 65 11th-graders took the survey.

In addition to survey questions about tobacco and alcohol use, students are asked if they’ve ever felt harassed or unsafe at school, considered suicide, whether they are sexually active and about their eating habits and physical activity.

Carter said, in addition to the alarming tobacco use rates, the school board expressed concern over the number of students who said they had considered suicide in the past 12 months and those who are feeling bullied. More than 22 percent of Rainier eighth-graders said they had considered suicide compared to 18.2 percent in the state, and 13.8 percent 11th-graders said they had considered suicide, just barely up from the 13.5 percent state rate.

“Those really hit us hard,” Carter said. “The board wants to make sure we address all those issues. For example, we’ve already banned cell phone use during class times. We think that will help with the bullying.”

A new elective class may offer more help for students to make healthy choices, Carter said. Sherrie Ford, Columbia County tobacco prevention education program coordinator, said she’s working with students and teachers to help set up part of the curriculum.

“We’ve got students there who want to teach preventive messages to young kids, to work on signage and policy,” Ford said. “It’s great overall prevention messaging for all of the school.”

Ford said the school-based health center, which will open later this month next to the district office at Rainier, also will provide materials for substance abuse, smoking cessation and other health issues.

Carter said Rainier students are going to be reminded that underage tobacco use is not only an unhealthy choice, it’s also illegal.

“The resource officer will give warnings at the beginning of the school year, but after that he’s going to start citing,” Carter said.

Rainier Results

EIGHTH-GRADERS (79 STUDENTS SURVEYED)

Behavior                                                                                                                            School %          State %

Smoked cigarettes one or more days in past 30 days                                                  26.0%           9.9%

Used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip one or more days in past 30 days                     18.2%           4.1%

Drank alcohol in past 30 days                                                                                             47.4%           23.2%

Had 5 or more drinks of alcohol within a couple of hours in past 30 days                 29.7%           10.7%

Used marijuana in past 30 days                                                                                          21.6%           10.6%

Considered suicide in past 12 months                                                                              22.7%           18.2%

Felt harassment about weight, clothes, physical characteristics                                  30.3%           15%

Have had sexual intercourse                                                                                                35.5%           17.7%

RAINIER 11th-GRADERS (65 STUDENTS SURVEYED)

Behavior                                                                                                                                School%            State%

Smoked cigarettes one or more days in past 30 days                                                   21.5%            14.9%

Used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip one or more days in past 30 days                      18.5%              7.4%

Drank alcohol in past 30 days                                                                                               30.8%           38.3%

Had 5 or more drinks of alcohol within a couple of hours in past 30 days                   16.9%            23.4%

Used marijuana in past 30 days                                                                                          12.5%              21.8%

Considered suicide in past 12 months                                                                                13.8%             13.5%

Felt harassment about weight, clothes, physical characteristics                                   15.4%              8.1%

Have had sexual intercourse                                                                                                 53.8%             48.4%

Source: Spring 2009 Oregon Healthy Teens Survey