North Dakota teens are like teens across the nation, according to a national survey.

The percentage of teens in North Dakota who drink, smoke and have unprotected sex is about the same as teens nationwide who participate in those activities, according to the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Health and Human Services.

"YRBS (the survey) is an important tool for measuring risky behavior," said Terry Dwelle, North Dakota Department of Health executive director.

The survey randomly samples teens in middle and high school on alcohol and tobacco use, sexual behavior, unintentional injuries and violence, and physical activity. In North Dakota, 11,700 of the 33,000 middle and high school students took the survey last year. Students had an option not to take the survey. The national survey results are from a random sampling of the state results.

The percent of teens who drank in the past month is 49 percent, the percent of teens who smoked in the past month is 22 percent and the percent of teens who had unprotected sex in the last 30 days is 37 percent.

North Dakota teens are above average in some areas of what the survey deems risky behavior. It had the highest percentage of students who binge drink among the states that participated. North Dakota teens also lead the survey with the highest percentage of teens who drive after drinking or ride with someone who has been drinking.

Officials at the Department of Public Instruction argue North Dakota cannot be ranked first in the nation among any category because not all states take the survey.

"In the past, you heard 'first or last,' now it is among 'highest or lowest'," in the nation, said Andrea Pena, department of public instruction YRBS coordinator and HIV/AIDS coordinator.

The results of the 2005 survey were well received by DPI and the North Dakota Department of Health.

"You will find a number of improvements," said Wayne Sanstead, state superintendent. "We still have work to do. That is a clear message."

Although North Dakota teens had the highest percentage of binge drinking and non-seat belt use among participating states, decreases in areas of alcohol and tobacco use were encouraging.

"We need to continue our diligence in addressing" alcohol and tobacco use, Dwelle said. "At this point tobacco use is at the lowest point since participating in the survey."

Only speculation could account for the decreases in those areas. One possibility is the crackdown on teen tobacco use and selling of tobacco to teens.

Although tobacco use is down among teens in North Dakota, that is on par with teens nationwide. Where North Dakota teens diverge from the national survey results is on smokeless tobacco products, which include chew, snuff and dip. North Dakota use is higher than the national average, at 11 percent compared to 8 percent. More North Dakota teens also had tried to quit smoking in the past 30 days, at 65 percent compared to 55 percent.

The state started giving the survey in 1995. Compared to the first survey results, most areas have decreased or not changed a statistically significant amount.

The purpose of the survey is to recognize risky behavior, find a trend in youth behavior and create programs and policies to decrease risky behavior.

The health department would like a comprehensive health program to continue the downward trend in tobacco and alcohol use, Dwelle said. Beside schools, he would like parents to get involved, as well as the community and employers. Part of the comprehensive program would be a social marketing campaign, he said.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)