Results of Clermont Student Drug Use Survey Released
Resize font A- A A+
Immediate Release
July 18, 2012

 

 

Batavia, Ohio.  According to the results of the Clermont County 2012 Student Drug Use Survey, over 82 percent of county youth in grades 7 through 12 have not used alcohol in the past 30 days. That is good news, as the number represents a four percent improvement over the past six years.  However, 15.4 percent of all the students surveyed have used a prescription drug not prescribed to them within the past year - some users as young as 11 years old.

 

This survey is a project of the Coalition for a Drug-Free Clermont County and Greater Cincinnati that provides in-depth analysis of the self-reported drug use patterns of area youth. Every two years, the Coalition implements the unprecedented Student Drug Use Survey to collect youth drug use data from seventh to twelfth graders throughout Clermont County, as well as nine other area counties. The survey is recognized across the region and nationally as a current and reliable source of validated information on local youth substance abuse and is the largest of its kind in the country.

 

A total of 9,146 students from schools county-wide completed the localized version of the PRIDE Survey between September 26, 2011 and December 21, 2011. The data is representative demographically of the region by grade/age, gender, and ethnicity.

 

Other results from the survey found marijuana use over the past 30 days has been steadily increasing, although slightly.  Since 2006, the average age at which youth first use tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana has increased, and the perceived risk of harm from using marijuana is decreasing. Youth who use prescription drugs that are not prescribed for them get the drugs most often from friends, parents, and siblings, and 5.4 percent of the youth surveyed reported using an illicit drug every day over the past year.

 

The Coalition for a Drug-Free Clermont County promotes drug free environments for youth by providing education to the community about the risks of alcohol and drug use. Through the efforts of volunteers, the Coalition sponsors Parents Who Host, Lose the Most: Don’t be a Party to Teenage Drinking, Red Ribbon week, After Prom events, and the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back program. These activities encourage making choices that avoid substance use and abuse. Volunteers are needed to assist with strategic planning and program implementation.

 

For more survey information, or to influence positive change in our community, please contact Heidi Nykolayko, Director, at 735-8159 and join the Coalition for a Drug-Free Clermont County.
###
For additional information about this or other county news, contact Clermont County Communications Assistant Rebecca Kimble at (513) 732-7597 or by e-mail, rkimble@ clermontcountyohio.gov.

 
Back to top
>