Substance abuse is a well known problem and a contributing factor to many of the challenges that we are experiencing in our local community. Data from one national survey (2017) indicates that high school seniors are more likely to smoke marijuana than cigarettes and that 17% of high school seniors reported binge drinking (i.e., 5 or more drinks in a row) in the past two weeks.(1) A second national survey found similar results in 2017 with high school youth engaging in a range of risky behaviors including 30% reporting past 30-day alcohol use, 20% reporting past 30-day marijuana use, and almost 10% reporting smoking cigarettes in the past 30 days. In addition, 14% reporting taking pain medication without a prescription or other than how prescribed at least once in their lifetime.(2)

Sources:

​​​​(1) University of Michigan. Monitoring the Future Study (December 2017) available here: http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/data/17data.html#2017data-drugs

(​2) Kann L, McManus T, Harris WA, et al. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance — United States, 2017. MMWR Surveill Summ 2018;67(No. SS-8):1–479. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/2017/ss6708.pdf

• ​​Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  
• ​Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
• ​Office of National Drug Control Policy
• The Council on Alcohol and Drugs
• ​Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• www.youth.gov
• ​National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
• ​National Institute on Drug Abuse
• ​Lets Be Clear GA - Marijuana Abuse Prevention Education in Georgia