Fewer Jersey teenagers are smoking and drinking Health survey also finds a decrease in sexual activity Wednesday, October 04, 2006 • BY PEGGY O'CROWLEY • Star-Ledger Staff The number of New Jersey teenagers who say they don't smoke, drink or have sex continues to go up, according to a state survey that reflects a nationwide trend in which more young people are rejecting risky behaviors. State education officials yesterday welcomed the overall results of the 2005 Student Health Survey, attributing them to ongoing messages in the state's health curriculum and new initiatives such as a law banning cigarette sales to anyone under 19. "It's obviously a positive thing for us to note," said Lucille E. Davy, acting commissioner of education. "The decrease in smoking is significant and has been continued over the last couple of surveys we've done." Only 20 percent of high school students reported smoking cigarettes, down from 30 percent in 2001 and 37 percent in 1995. Fewer than half, 46 percent, said they had had one or more alcoholic drinks in the last 30 days, down from 51 percent in 1995. And fewer than half of the high school students reported they had ever had sexual intercourse. Among those who did, 75 percent said they used a condom, compared with 67 percent in 2001 and 1995. Because of the high response rate of the survey -- taken by 1,495 students in grades 9 through 12 in 29 schools -- the state information can be included in the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. The survey was administered for the first time to middle school seventh- and eighth- graders. Those results will not be included in the federal report because too few students were surveyed to reflect the statewide population. Also, comparisons cannot be drawn because there is no historical data. Nonetheless, one of the findings was troubling: One in five, or 21 percent of the middle-schoolers surveyed, reported they had thought seriously about suicide, state officials said. As a result of new legislation, all teachers must now get two hours of training in suicide prevention and awareness, said Gary Vermeire, coordinator of the state Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program. "Every school building is required to have an intervention and referral services team that accepts requests for assistance from any school person who has concern about a child," Vermeire said during a telephone press conference to announce the survey's findings. One of the target populations is students in transition, such as those moving to high school from middle school, he said. Tom Collins, the coordinator of data and evaluation for the survey, said the 2007 survey will ask the same question about suicide and compare results. The survey is modeled on the national risk behavior survey, and the same questions are not asked in each two-year period, Collins said. Some are "rotated out" to allow for other questions, which is why there is no data for smoking, for instance, in the 2003 survey. © 2006 The Star-Ledger. Used by NJ.com with permission.