Central VT New Directions Coalition

Last spring, 637 U-32 seventh-twelfth grade students participated in the Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). This survey, which has been given every two years since 1985 by the Vermont Departments of Health and Education, measures the prevalence of specific personal behaviors that directly affect the health of our youth.
The YRBS is part of a larger effort to help communities increase the "resiliency" of young people by reducing high-risk behaviors and promoting healthy behaviors.
Marijuana
The rate of marijuana use in Vermont continues to be among the highest in the nation. 31% of U-32 students reported hav¬ing used marijuana during the past 30 days, up from 29% two years ago. This is higher than the statewide average at 24%. Interestingly, at U-32, marijuana use decreased across all grades except for the 9th grade where it rose from 19% in 2009 to 26% in 2011.
Perceived risk of harm from using marijuana regularly is also decreasing. For instance, only 52% of 8th graders this year perceived great risk of harm from regular marijuana use, after peaking at 74% in 2007. Research has shown that as perception of harm decreases there is a tendency for use to increase.
An area of concern is that one quarter of all U-32 students reported they have recently ridden in a car or other vehicle driven by someone who had been smoking marijuana.
Alcohol
While the trend in alcohol use among younger students has decreased over the last 16 years, older student use has stayed the same, with almost 40% of both 10th and 12th grade students reporting using alcohol within the last 30 days. The percentage of 8th graders reporting using alcohol within the last 30 days decreased from 23% in 2009 to 16% in 2011.

Alcohol and tobacco use among high school students in Vermont (grades 9-12) has declined in the past two years, according the 2011 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and declined sharply since the survey began in 1993.
A total of 36,354 students in grades 6-12 took the survey, representing 138 schools. In 2011 for the first time two separate surveys were done – one for grades 6-8 and the second for grades 9-12.
High school students (grades 9-12) were far less likely to report ever drinking in 2011 (60%) compared to 2009 (66%), and far below the rate reported in 1993 (82%). Students who smoked in the past 30 days fell from 18 percent in 2009 to 13 percent in 2011, more than three times lower than the high of 40 percent in 1995.
The drop in alcohol and smoking can be credited in part to grass-roots efforts of students and the work of community coalitions, combined along with effective counter-marketing campaigns, policy changes and a cultural shift that has gained momentum in recent years among young Vermonters.