Youth substance misuse
True or false: Although Hampshire County youth drinking rates have fallen considerably over time, youth drinking rates are nevertheless higher than national averages.
True.
For example, in 2019, 44% of Hampshire County 12th graders reported drinking in the past 30 days; as of 2025, it's 28%. However, almost 60% report ever drinking, which is higher than the national average of just under 50%.
TRUE!
Rates of mental health challenges are finally falling, not rising!
What percentage of students say they've had a conversation with their parents about unprescribed Rx drug use?
A. 25%. B. 33%. C. 50%. D. 66%
B. About one in three youth (across grade levels) say they've talked with their parents about the dangers of unprescribed Rx drug use.
True or false: Hampshire County LGBTQ+ youth report higher rates of alcohol use than their straight and cis peers.
False.
LGBTQ+ youth do report higher rates of using cannabis and unprescribed Rx drugs compared to straight and cis youth.
_________ bullying is the most common, followed by _________ bullying and _________, respectively.
(Options: cyber, verbal, physical)
Verbal (24% experience this at least once/semester), cyber (16%), physical (13%).
Risk perceptions of __________ having declined since 2021.
A. Smoking B. Vaping C. Psilocybin D. Alcohol
A. Smoking.
95% of students said it was risky to smoke 1+ packs of cigarettes per day in 2021; now, it's 89%.
___________ is the most commonly reported mental health challenge.
A. Depression B. Loneliness C. Anxiety D. Anger
C. Anxiety.
45% of students say they were anxious or nervous most days in the past year.
True or false: In general, Hampshire County youth feel connected to their parents.
True!
E.g., 92% say they feel very close to their parents/caregivers.
Compared to 2023, LGBTQ+ youth report ____ unfair treatment and harassment by their peers as of 2025.
(More or less?)
More :(
In 2023, 29% of trans and non-binary youth reported unfair treatment or harassment by their peers; now, it's 35%.
In 2023, 20% of LGB students reported unfair treatment or harassment by their peers; now, it's 24%.
Nine in ten students say they feel safe at school. This percentage (90%) is ________ than that in 2023.
(Lower or higher?)
Higher!
2023: 85%
What percentage of Hampshire County students report using cannabis in the past 30 days?
10% (across grade levels)...and rates have fallen over time!
8th graders tend to report _________ levels of depression compared to 12th graders.
A. Higher B. Similar C. Lower
B. Similar.
(This is generally the case across all mental health outcomes.)
Since 2019, parents are ____ likely to have conversations about the dangers of substance use with their teens.
(More or less)
Less.
Rates of having conversations about substance use have generally fallen since 2019.
The % of students identifying as LGB has __________ since 2023, and the % of students identifying as trans or non-binary has __________.
(Increased, decreased, stayed the same?)
declined; declined.
(LGB went from 20% to 15%, trans and non-binary went from 8% to 5%).
Rates of unfair treatment or harassment for students of color have ___________ between 2023 and 2025.
(Increased or decreased?)
Decreased!
30% in 2023 among 8th graders v. 26% in 2025; 24% in 2023 among all students v. 20% in 2025.
Vaping rates have __________ over time.
A. Increased B. Stayed the same C. Decreased
C. Decreased.
For example, 38% of 12th graders said they vaped in 2019; now it's at 14%. Across all grades, vaping rates have gone from 25% in 2019 to 7% in 2025.
One in ___ students report being lonely "often" or "almost all of the time."
A. 2 B. 4 C. 6 D. 8
B. 4 (24%).
___% of 12th graders report that their parents do NOT think it is wrong for them to drink alcohol.
40%
One in ___ trans and nonbinary youth report deliberately hurting themselves physically in the past year.
A. 2 B. 4 C. 6 D. 8
A. 2
Almost half (48%) of trans and nonbinary youth report engaging in self-harm in the past year.
___% of students think school adults effectively stop bullying.
A. 25%. B. 33% C. 50%. D. 66%
B. 33.6%
What percentage of Hampshire County youth report using psilocybin at least once in their life? (To get this right, you must be within +/-1% of the answer.)
2.6%
_____ report more anger than _____.
(Think demographic groups! Gender, sexual orientation, race??)
Girls; boys.
One of the top places where high school students report using cannabis is at _______, _______ parent permission.
A. A party; without B. A party, with C. At someone's home, without D. At someone's home, with
D. At someone's home, with parent permission
16% of 10th graders, and 27% of 12th graders (who report using cannabis), say they do so at someone else's house with parent's permission.
LGBTQ+ youth report that their parents are ____ disapproving of ____ use compared to straight and cis youth.
A. More, cannabis B. Less, cannabis C. More, alcohol D. Less, alcohol
B. Less, cannabis.
About 25% of LGBTQ+ say their parents do NOT disapprove of them using cannabis compared to about 14% of straight and cis youth.
Likewise, LGBTQ+ youth are more likely than cis and straight youth to report that their parents are permissive when it comes to both cannabis and alcohol, and that their parents provide them with these substances.
Are students in phone-free schools more or less distracted by phones during the school day compared to students in schools without these policies?
Less.
77% of students in phone-free schools say they are NEVER distracted by phones in class compared to just 40% of students in schools without these policies.
(Local data also show that after phone-free policies are implemented, school engagement and student mental health both improve!)