Norwich ― Substance use among youths in Norwich spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic but now appears to be dropping, according to a 2023 survey of about 3,000 youths.

But students are still expressing concerns about their mental health.

The survey of local middle and high school students has been conducted every two years by the grant-funded Norwich Prevention Council. The results are used to steer programs on substance use prevention, reduction and to address the root causes of substance use.

Hannah Ornburn, drug prevention coordinator for Norwich Human Services, presented the latest survey and an overview of programs run by the Norwich Prevention Council to the City Council on Monday.

The survey showed drops in reported uses of substances, the top three being alcohol, marijuana and nicotine, and a decrease in the percentage of students expressing mental health concerns. But Ornburn said the mental health survey responses are still concerning.

About 24% of students in 2023 said they had thoughts of hurting themselves, down from about 28% in 2021.

About 24% of respondents said they had “felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more” in 2023, down from 30% in 2021. And about 11% of students said they had “seriously considered attempting suicide” in 2023, down from almost 15% in 2021.

“These numbers are way too high,” Ornburn said. “So, this will be a focus moving forward for us and for the school system.”

A few key points emerged from the survey, she said, including the need to start substance use education in the elementary schools. The council launched the “Sunnyside Up” pilot program in the Thomas Mahan and John Moriarty elementary schools this year with 275 students participating.

The program focuses on emotional health and making positive decisions. For children in fourth through sixth grades, the program includes identifying substances, their harmful effects and “how to say no,” Ornburn said.

“We noticed that middle school is a little too late to start talking about substance use,” Ornburn said. “So, we acted quick, which some of you probably think is too early, but I promise you it’s not.”

Another program, First Step, is an early intervention effort that enrolls students suspended for substance use into a 90-minute session with Ornburn based on a curriculum she created. They discuss pressures felt by the students, struggles they are facing, communication skills and healthy relationships, Ornburn said.

This school year, 44 students have enrolled in the program, mostly middle and high school age and one elementary student.

The Seven Challenges Program is new and designed for students showing signs of substance use disorder. Rather than trying to force students to stop or reduce their substance use, Ornburn said, it focuses on underlying traumas or causes of the substance use. Without that, she said, students likely would return to using the substances. Two students are currently enrolled in the program.

Survey results

According to the survey, which had 2,990 respondents, the use of alcohol, nicotine and marijuana declined as well as less common substances, such as opioids and prescription drugs, Ornburn said.

The percentages of students reporting they had used alcohol, a vaping product or marijuana either during their lifetimes or within the past month dropped dramatically from the 2021 survey results. Those who reported lifetime use of alcohol dropped from 21.4% to 16.3%, and lifetime vaping use dropped from 14.2% to 10.6%, while marijuana use dropped only slightly from 18% to 17.6%.

Ornburn said students took the surveys on school computers. Although the survey is anonymous, she recognized that some students may be wary that their answers could be tracked. The Norwich Prevention Council is looking into alternative ways to do future surveys to ensure student anonymity.

Another question asked youths how easy it is to obtain substances. Results were nearly even with about 15% saying it would be “very easy” to obtain alcohol or nicotine. But Ornburn was surprised that even with the recent state legalization of adult recreational marijuana, the percentage of students saying it was “very easy” to obtain dropped from about 16% to about 14%.

Parental involvement is another strong message coming from the survey and in the Norwich Prevention Council’s goals, Ornburn said.

The survey showed nearly 80% of students reported their parents thought it was “very wrong” to use alcohol, nicotine or marijuana. But the most common way students obtained alcohol in 2023 was from their parents with permission, Ornburn said.

She said the council needs to stress that parents should not give their children alcohol or allow them to drink in their homes with friends, “because that is unsafe and we all know what that leads to down the line.”

The Norwich Prevention Council will stress educating parents on the state’s so-called social host laws that make it a misdemeanor to provide illegal substances, such as alcohol or marijuana, to youths in their home.

The council launched an ad campaign on Southeast Area Transit buses with placards reading: “Puff, Puff, Cuff,” to alert parents to the social host law.

“Parental attitude is the biggest indicator of whether or not a student will use substance or not,” Ornburn said. “So, they really do care what a parent thinks. They may not seem like they do, but they do.”

c.bessette@theday.com