THE FACTS:

*93% OF ALL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS HAVE USED ALCOHOL

*66% OF HIGH SCHOOL DRINKERS SAY THEY DRINK AT LEAST ONCE PER MONTH

*37% OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ADMIT TO HEAVY PARTY DRINKING ON A REGULAR BASIS, DEFINED AS 5 OR MORE DRINKS AT A TIME WITHIN A 2 WEEK PERIOD

*5% OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ADMIT TO BEING DAILY DRINKERS

*10 TO 15% OF ALL 13-YEAR-OLDS HAVE TRIED ALCOHOL

*55% OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO DRINK STARTED BEFORE THE 9TH GRADE

*ALCOHOL USE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN AS MANY AS 65% OF ALL TEEN SUICIDES

*ALCOHOL RELATED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ARE THE NUMBER 1 KILLER OF YOUTHS AGES 16 TO 24

*EARLY USE OF ALCOHOL IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER INCIDENCES OF DRUG USE AND ABUSE, ESPECIALLY WITH MARIJUANA AND COCAINE

*58% OF ALL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS HAVE USED DRUGS OTHER THAN ALCOHOL

*39% OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS REPORT HAVING USED MARIJUANA IN THE LAST YEAR -- 23% IN THE LAST MONTH

*13% OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS HAVE USED COCAINE -- THE HIGHEST LEVEL EVER REPORTED

*57% OF THE STUDENTS WHO USE DRUGS SAY THEY BUY THEIR DRUGS AT SCHOOL

*33% OF THE STUDENTS WHO SMOKE POT SAY THEY HAVE SMOKED AT SCHOOL

*60% OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE USED AMPHETAMINES SAY THEY HAVE USED AT SCHOOL

*THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS USING DRUGS PRIOR TO THE 6TH GRADE HAS TRIPLED SINCE 1975

*STUDENTS THEMSELVES SEE DRUGS AS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM THEY ARE FACING, BUT MANY OF THEM DO NOT SEE ALCOHOL AS A DRUG

*DURING THE LAST 15 YEARS, LIFE EXPECTANCY HAS INCREASED FOR ALL AGE GROUPS EXCEPT FOR THOSE AGE 15 TO 24