Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America 901 North Pitt Street, Suite 300 * Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703-706-0560 * Fax: 703-706-0565 www.cadca.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Betsy Glick (703) 706-0560 x246
December 16, 2002	CONTACT: Cliff Kai (703) 706-0560 x224

CADCA ENCOURAGED BY 2002 MONITORING THE FUTURE SURVEY RESULTS

ALEXANDRIA, VA— The results of the Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey released today are encouraging to Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and its more than 5,000 members across the country. The 2002 results, which represent drug use patterns of U.S. students in 8th, 10th and 12th grades, showed a decrease in teen use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs across the board as compared to 2001. The survey also reported the first significant decrease in drug use among 10th graders in four years.

"I am pleased that more American teens are staying away from these dangerous substances," CADCA Chairman and CEO Arthur T. Dean said after seeing the survey results. “This is good news – that community coalition efforts around the country are working,” he added. Dean recognizes that even with the downward trend, “we must continue working hard in our communities in order to build on these successes because drug use rates are still unacceptably high."

The decline in ecstasy use as well as an increase in its perceived danger were the “bright spots" of the survey according to Dean. “It is evident by the study’s encouraging results that community coalitions are contributing greatly to decreasing drug use and increasing the perception of risk among adolescents through effective, comprehensive prevention strategies."

The MTF survey was conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research and funded by NIDA. More than 43,000 students in 394 schools across the country were surveyed. To read more about the survey, and to find out specific figures about each drug, visit http://www.drugabuse.gov/Newsroom/02/NR12-16.html.

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Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), home of the Drug-Free Kids Campaign, is the premier national membership organization representing more than 5000 community anti-drug coalitions nationwide, providing training, information and support. These coalitions are local partnerships between parents, teachers, young people, law enforcement, health providers, the faith community, business and civic leaders, elected officials and concerned citizens who unite and mobilize to make their communities safe, healthy and drug-free -- one community at a time. For more information about CADCA, visit www.cadca.org. For more information about the Drug-Free Kids Campaign, visit www.drug-freekids.org