BREAKING NEWS, Nov. 11, 10 A.M.: Wilton Youth Council released the results of a Youth/Parent Survey on Substance Abuse in Wilton this morning, distributing a press release outlining their major findings.
According to the release, the survey’s major findings demonstrate a decrease in the overall use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana and other drugs in the 17 years since the survey was first administered to Wilton students. However, data-point flares show “areas of concern,” including use of heroin, cocaine and prescription medication as well as rates of binge drinking. What’s more, one-quarter (26-percent) of high school juniors and seniors reported multiple* substance use within 30 days prior to the survey, a number that has stayed relatively constant over the last eight years.
The complete report of the results of the survey–done in collaboration with Positive Directions of Westport–can be found here on the Positive Directions website. The press release appears below:
“The Wilton Youth Council and Positive Directions of Westport have collaborated to survey Wilton middle and high school students about their use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs. The results are compiled in an extensive 50-page report. Achievements to date and areas requiring continued attention are outlined here.
- Overall use of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana has decreased since surveying began in 1998 and continued to decline in 2014/15.
- The largest decreases have been among younger students with current alcohol use (in the 30 days prior to the survey) in grades 7-8, down from 17% in 1998 to 2% in 2014/15, and in grades 9-10 from 49% in 1998 to 15% in 2014/15.
- Alcohol use in grades 11-12 also decreased, from 66% (1998) to 48% (2014/15).
- Multiple substance use has also seen a considerable decrease in grades 9 – 10 with 30-day usage down from 17% in 2007 to 5% in 2014/15. Use in grades 11-12 has remained roughly constant at 28% in 2007 and 26% in 2014/15.
Although these results indicate big improvements since surveying first began, there are still areas of concern.
- There is a subset of 11-12th graders (5%) reporting use of substances such as cocaine, hallucinogens or ketamine.
- A small number of students indicate using heroin within the last 30 days (0.4% of 10th graders and 0.9% of 12 graders); additionally 2.7% of 12th graders report using heroin in their lifetime.
- Despite the fact that tobacco use has steadily decreased since surveying began, use of e-cigarettes has significantly increased with 26.2% of 11th grade and 41.6% of 12th grade students reporting use.
- About 5.5% of youth in grades 11-12 report using stimulants, sedatives or both without their own prescription.
As students progress from grade 7 through 12, their perception of the risk of harm in using these substances substantially decreases and their usage increases. Of particular concern are the rates of those binge drinking and using marijuana in 11th and 12th grades. Meanwhile, when comparing the youth and parent surveys, the data show that youth are using substances at a higher rate than parents believe they are. We all have the opportunity to influence students to make healthy choices. The survey shows us that parental disapproval of the consumption of alcohol is a huge deterrent for most students. It is also clear from the data that students believe that having friends who don’t drink alcohol is a significant factor in deciding not to consume alcohol themselves.
What can YOU do?
Help your teen avoid substance use: develop your parenting skills, know the facts, and stay connected with your child. Wilton Youth Council offers many opportunities to do this. Attend WYC’s Parent Connection speaker series, “Everything You Want to Know About Your Adolescent.” Encourage your child to join WYC’s Youth to Youth program at Middlebrook and CODES in the High School for “natural high” fun, friendships and activities. Take advantage of the PeerConnection and PeerVention programs in the middle and high schools that train students in communication, problem-solving, and reaching-out skills as peer facilitators and positive role models. WYC prevention programs enrich the Wilton Community. For more information, visit wiltonyouth.org.
If you are interested in working on this issue, join Wilton Youth Council’s Task Force to Reduce Substance Abuse Among Youth, which continues to gather empirical data and jump-start initiatives to reduce substance abuse. The Task Force is made up of community members from various walks of life: counselors, social workers, educators, parents and students who meet on the third Thursday of the month at 3:15 p.m. at Wilton Public Schools. For more information, contact Margaret Creeth at via email or by phone at 203.834.6241 (Wilton Youth Services).
The survey, administered to 7th- 12th grade students by Wilton Public Schools and Positive Directions, in collaboration with Wilton Youth Council’s Task Force To Reduce Substance Use Among Youth, was a modified on-line version of the CT Governor’s Prevention Initiative for Youth. Parents were invited to take their own on-line version of the survey. The parent survey used language closely paralleling the youth survey, to compare perceptions and practices of parents and youth, and to track trends. This is the sixth time youth of Wilton have responded to questions about their use of substances and related beliefs and activities. Surveys were previously administered in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2007, and 2011.
*Editor’s note: the article has been updated to reflect that the statistic showing relative constant use among 11th and 12th graders refers to use of multiple substances, “… use of 2 or more substances (e.g. alcohol + marijuana).” The rates of 11-12 graders who used a single substance in the previous 30 days vary. Some are higher, some lower, according to the complete report.
