Kids, Drinking, Drugs,
and the Suburbs

Blue Springs is a wonderful place to raise a family. Our city has a low crime rate, an incredible school system, and a friendly small town feel. Parents in Blue Springs, like all parents, want what’s best for our children. We want them to be safe, healthy, and nurtured. We want our kids to grow and thrive in an atmosphere that reinforces the values taught at home. And we want them to know right from wrong, to stand up for what they believe, and to make good choices. In general, we feel that a suburban setting offers a safer and more wholesome environment than larger urban areas.

But are our perceptions of the suburban life accurate? In many ways, YES! In terms of the likelihood of our youth engaging in risky behavior, though, suburban teens aren’t much different from urban teens. If anything, in fact, suburban kids are more likely than their urban counterparts to have tried alcohol more than two or three times; to drive while high on drugs; or to try cigarette smoking.

This information comes from a 2004 study called "Sex, Drugs, and Delinquency in Urban and Suburban Public Schools," conducted by the New York City-based Manhattan Institute, an urban policy think tank*. Using hard national data, their researchers compared statistics from urban and suburban schools across the country, and this was their conclusion:

The parents who send their teenagers off to those freshly-painted, wholesome-looking suburban public schools every morning would probably be shocked if they realized those schools are virtually indistinguishable from urban schools on most measurements of sex, drugs, violence, and delinquency. There may have been a time when suburban schools really were a safe haven from the rise of these so-called "urban" problems. But if there ever was such a time, it's gone.

The study found:

• 74% of suburban 12th graders and 71% of urban 12th graders have tried alcohol more than two or three times; 63% of suburban 12th graders and 57% of urban 12th graders drink without family members present; and 22% of suburban 12th graders and 16% of urban 12th graders have driven while drunk.
• About 40% of 12th graders in both urban and suburban schools have used illegal drugs; 20% of suburban 12th graders and 13% of urban 12th graders have driven while high on drugs.
• More than 60% of suburban 12th graders have tried cigarette smoking, compared to 54% of urban 12th graders.

Without a doubt, there are many great things about Blue Springs. The opportunities for a terrific education and solid quality of life are outstanding. But the reality is that many of our teenagers are participating in illegal drug use and underage drinking. While we don’t know the exact number of teens taking part in risky behaviors, some Blue Springs students have told us they believe that it is "nearly everyone" in high school and "many" in middle school. Whatever the percentage is—it’s too high. And StandUp Safe, with the help of others in the community, wants to change that.

*The full Manhattan Institute report can be found at www.manhattan-institute.org