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Start Talking!
Know! Transition Increases Risk
7/30/2019
While there is much excitement about the start of a new school year,
there may be much apprehension and anxiety as well. This may be
especially so for youth entering their first year of middle or high
school, and for adolescents of any age transitioning to a new school
(because of a move or several other reasons).
The thought of unfamiliar faces, new teachers and coaches, increased
academic and athletic expectations, lockers that possibly won’t open
and sharing hallways with older students – the risk for first day
jitters is at an all-time high. But there is another “risk” factor that
increases during such times of transition – the risk for the onset of
substance use.
Middle school is the time when substances like alcohol, cigarettes and
possibly marijuana, tend to make their first appearance. According to
the 2016 Monitoring the Future (MTF) study, by 8th grade 23 percent of
students drank alcohol, 10 percent smoked cigarettes and 13 percent
used marijuana. As young people progress into high school, the risk for
use of these substances, and others, grows significantly due to the:
Increase in access and availability;
Drug use by students in higher grades; and an
Increase in substances being used at social activities.
To compare, among 12th grade students, 61 percent drank alcohol, 28
percent smoked cigarettes and marijuana use had more than tripled, with
45 percent having used in the past year.
It is also important to note that among high school seniors, the MTF
study showed the use of small cigars (16 percent) and prescription
drugs (12 percent) to be significant. When it comes to the reasons
young people give for drinking, smoking and using other drugs, not much
has changed over the years.
Teens use substances in an attempt to:
Ease anxieties;
Loosen up at social gatherings;
Relax when stressed or to “stop feeling” when sad or depressed;
Fit in or give in to peer pressure;
Improve academic or athletic performance;
Lose weight or gain muscle; and, of course,
Some teens use simply to get high, take a risk or satisfy their curiosity.
What has changed over the years, according to the MTF study, alcohol,
tobacco and drug use among teens declined significantly in 2016, and
have hit their lowest rates since the 1990s. In looking at the
percentage of students still drinking and smoking, however, we see that
there remains work to be done.
Parents are the first line of defense to prevent substance use among
youth; and while it may seem very basic, here are some things you can
do to protect your child, regardless of age or grade level.
Include these items on your back-to-school to-do list:
Be active and supportive in your child’s daily life.
Ask questions about substance use and reinforce non-use messages.
Make clear your expectations and consequences for breaking rules.
Always know where your child is and with whom they are spending time.
Make sure young people are being monitored when hanging out together.
For times when you are not physically present, check in with them regularly.
Keep an eye on your child’s social media activities.
In general, middle and high school youth are interested in gaining
independence, trying new things and taking some risks – all normal
aspects of development. Unfortunately for some, these normal aspects of
development may increase the tendency to experiment with substances.
Being there for them and having regular and ongoing conversations about
the dangers of substance use can and will go a long way toward keeping
them safe, healthy and drug free.
Learn how to get the drug prevention conversation started at StartTalking.Ohio.Gov.
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