SRSLY Manchester launches educational campaign

This fall, SRSLY Manchester launched its 2018 Positive Social Norms Campaign, “SRSLY? Check Your Stats,” to reduce feelings of peer pressure by challenging the myth that a majority of teens drink alcohol, use tobacco, smoke marijuana and abuse prescription medications. The campaign is intended to help teens feel less pressure to use drugs or alcohol by providing them with facts about how many of their peers are actually using.

“Substance use among Manchester teens is actually quite low,” said Michaela Buckhannon, SRSLY Manchester’s Project Success counselor. “And the downward trend is very clear according to the data. More and more, young people in our area are choosing to live substance free. By sharing this knowledge, we hope students can stand up to feelings of peer pressure and make good decisions for themselves.”

“SRSLY? Check Your Stats” is intended to educate adults and youth in the community and challenge misconceptions with facts presented by the 2018 Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth Survey (MiPHY). The survey is conducted every two years through the Michigan Department of Education with students in grades 7, 9 and 11.

The 2018 Manchester MiPHY survey results on drug use in the past 30 days show that 83% of students have not consumed alcohol, 90% have not used marijuana, 95% have not abused prescription drugs, and 98% have not used a tobacco product. Since 2012, MiPHY data shows that the percentage of Manchester students consuming alcohol in the last 30 days has decreased by 41%. Within the same timeline, marijuana usage decreased by 32%, prescription drug abuse decreased by 44%, and use of tobacco products decreased by 73%.

The 2018 MiPHY data also shows that two out of three Manchester students have a friend committed to being drug free and 81% disapprove of peers that use alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or other drugs. The survey also shows that 88% of students in Manchester enjoy spending time with their parents.

Among Manchester youth, the only exception to the trend of reduced substance use is use of electronic cigarette products (including e-cigarettes, e-cigars, e-pipes, vape pipes, vaping pens, e-hookahs, and hookah pens). The MiPHY survey shows that 35% of Manchester students report usage of these products within the past 30 days.

To review local MiPHY survey results, please visit “SRSLY? Check Your Stats” at
http://www.srslymanchester.org

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.