During its first meeting of the 2015-16 school year, the Newtown Prevention Council heard a presentation by a representative from Quantitative Services on drug and alcohol surveys that had been administered to students and parents between March and May.

Dr Archie Swindell said he compared Newtown’s data with trends nationally and in the state.

The 2015 surveys were sponsored by Newtown Prevention Council and Newtown Public Schools. The survey results were presented in two parts: one for youth, and one for parents.

According to the youth survey report, “The 2015 Newtown youth survey is a continuation of a series of efforts to ascertain the prevalence of the use of substances by community youth, and perceptions and behaviors which may be related to use.”

The survey was last administered in 2013.

“Trends in the lifetime use of cigarettes by Newtown youth in all grades surveyed are decreasing more rapidly than national prevalence … continuing a long-term pattern,” the survey report states in part. “Alcohol use is also decreasing at rates equal to or greater than [national rates], and prevalences are considerably less than national among younger youth. Lifetime drinking prevalence has also decreased in grades 11 to 12, and is now slightly lower than national averages.”

 Trends in lifetime use of cigarettes are also decreasing, according to the report. In middle school grade the use level is “far below national averages,” and in the high school grades the decrease in use follows a trend that has been seen in surveys since 2000, according to the survey.

Roughly 2 percent of student responders in grade 7-10 and 9 percent in grades 11-12 reported experimentation of at least one of the 11 illicit substances listed in the survey, which included “hallucinogens, synthetic cannabinoid (“K2”), cocaine, heroin, angel dust (PCP), ecstasy (MDMA), and others.”

The survey also questioned students about eight different classes of medicine.

“The list includes pain meds like OxyContin, stimulants like Adderall or Ritalin, tranquilizers, sedatives including Quaaludes, steroids, and nonprescription meds,” the report reads. “Reported lifetime use in grades 11 to 12 was highest for stimulants (11.0 percent), pain meds (9.8 percent), sedatives (6.3 percent), and [over the counter] meds (5.5 percent), and less than 2 percent for others. 30-Day use of at least one of the meds was reported by 1.5 percent of youth in grades 7 to 10, and by 5 percent in grades 11 to 12.”

The survey also asked students about the perceived availability and harm of alcohol.

This was the third year the parent survey was given, and responders were parents of students in grades 7-12. A total of 436 parents responded to this year’s survey; 941 youth surveys were included in the youth survey report.

“The relationship between time spent without adults and prevalence of drinking reported in the youth survey showed the expected relationship,” according to the report, with a graph showing the more time spent at home without adults increased the prevalence of use, “except that the youth at highest risk (who report being without adult presence for 4 or more hours) had lower prevalence of drinking than in previous survey years.”

Marijuana use overall also followed a downward trend, according to graphs in the report. For students in seventh and eighth grade use of marijuana is at its lowest in the last 13 of the graphs; use in ninth and tenth grade as risen slightly over the last three surveys, but overall is still trending downward; and use in 11th and 12th grade is also at its lowest since 2002, when the graphs begin.

Prevention Council members also discussed on Thursday results from the report that indicate the perceived risk of harm from different substances, and how the results could impact for the council’s future efforts.

Changes In Funding

Also during the September 17 meeting, Prevention Council Co-Chair Judy Blanchard announced September will mark the final month of the council’s ten years of working with the Drug-Free Communities grant.

In the last five years of the grant, Ms Blanchard said, the council has accomplished a number of efforts, including sponsoring a state-sanctioned drug disposal receptacle, a prescription drug campaign with partnerships with local pharmacies and physicians, supporting a youth wellness campaign at Newtown High School called the Student Wellness and Awareness Team, presentations for students and staff, created billboards with messages for the community, and more.

The meeting was also Grant Coordinator Kim Killoy’s final one with the council, which also comes due to the grant concluding. Ms Killoy was acknowledged during the meeting for her efforts for the council over the last five years of the grant.

Newtown Youth & Family Services, according to Ms Blanchard, applied for and earned a grant that will help the council “move forward.”

The Connecticut Strategic Prevention Framework Coalitions Initiative grant is also a five-year grant and it is funded by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

“We’re very lucky,” said Ms Blanchard, adding that funding is hard to come by and “to be able to pick up another five years with Newtown Youth & Family Services means that you have really good ground there too.”