BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—New data released by the Marion/Crawford Prevention Program highlights a positive trend in substance avoidance among local youth, though officials remain concerned about a parallel rise in mental health struggles.
The comprehensive survey, which included more than 2,000 students in grades 7 through 12 across six public schools and Pioneer Career and Technology Center, revealed that 91.3% of Crawford County students are not using alcohol. Additionally, 93.1% reported they do not vape, and 96.1% do not use marijuana.
Christi Eckert, representing the prevention program, noted that while the majority of students are making healthy choices, the data helps dismantle the perception that “everyone is doing it.”
“Youth often overestimate how many people are using, “Eckert said during a recent community update.
“We really need to celebrate that the vast majority are staying away from these substances.”
Despite the encouraging substance use statistics, the survey sounded an alarm regarding student well-being. Approximately 40.8% of students reported feeling “no good at all,” with middle schoolers showing higher rates of self-doubt. Furthermore, 33% of respondents reported feeling so depressed or hopeless for at least a two-week period that they stopped participating in their usual activities.
The survey identified several “risk factors” contributing to these numbers, including social media pressure and family conflict, which was reported by 38.8% of students.
One of the most striking findings involved parental communication: 60.4% of youth reported that their parents had not spoken to them about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs in the past year. Eckert urged families to move beyond “one and done” conversations to help lower these risks as students transition into adulthood.