The 2018 Pride Survey results are now available. Students in 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade were surveyed at all three school systems in the community – Anderson County Schools, Clinton City Schools, and Oak Ridge Schools. Major components covered in the survey include student behaviors related to drug use; student perceptions about drug use; student mental and physical health; vehicle safety; school climate; family life; and risk and protective factors. For past 30-day use, reported use varied by type of substance; 6.4% of students reported use of tobacco, 7.0% reported alcohol use; 5.6% reported marijuana use; and 1.6% reported misuse of a prescription drug (Pride, 2018). We’ve seen a large increase in use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), such as e-cigarettes and vaping devices. For past 30-day use, 11.8% of students reported using e-cigarettes. Overall, 12th grade students report the highest percentage of use across all surveyed substances (Pride 2018, Figure 1.). Compared to 2016, our rates of 30-day substance misuse among our 6th-12th grade students is the lowest in recorded history for alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, a direct result of the work our volunteers and the significant collaboration among community partners in Anderson County.
Figure 1: Reported Past 30-Day Use by Grade Level, Pride 2018
