Youth outreach workers say they aren't surprised to hear about a new report that kids in the suburbs of Boston claim to be drinking less alcohol, but smoking more marijuana.

David Deiulis, spokesman for the Boston office of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, told Globe West that the reduction in drinking among high schoolers was somewhat encouraging.

But he also said parents should not become complacent about the findings on drinking.

“We still hear about too many parents who learn their kids have experimented with alcohol, and say, ‘Thank God it wasn’t heroin.’ But the dangers of alcohol are very real,’’ he said.

Jon Mattleman, Needham’s director of youth services, said he found the survey results highly disturbing.

“The at-risk behavior kids are reporting is staggering,’’ he said, “and this survey shows us how it is changing.’’

He said his department wants to start asking Massachusetts teenagers more questions about Internet use and social media, including the “24-7 Facebook and texting,’’ most of them engage in.

“We believe technology is a core competent of at-risk behavior, and it’s a topic parents have no idea about,’’ Mattleman said. “The way kids communicate, and how stressful and fatiguing that communication can be, is something we need to talk more about.’’

Read more here in today's Globe West

What do you think? Is it dangerous for teenagers to turn to pot instead of alcohol? Is technology really such a major factor? What should parents and communties do about it? Leave a comment, or send an email to enoonan@globe.com