Resource
Adults think substances are easier for youth to get than youth say they are
When one community surveyed both adults and students, the gap between the two was wide. A new planning guide helps coalitions run an adult survey of their own.
In one community we work with, most adults did not think it would be hard for young people to get alcohol, vape products, marijuana or prescription pills. The students in that same community told a different story.
When adults were asked how hard it would be for youth to get each substance, fewer than a third said it would be hard. Among students in grades 6 to 12, roughly seven in ten said it would be hard to get alcohol, vapes or marijuana, and more than eight in ten said the same about prescription drugs.
| Substance | Adults who said hard to get | Youth who said hard to get |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 28.4% | 68.9% |
| Vape products | 17.1% | 71.9% |
| Marijuana | 18.2% | 72.0% |
| Prescription drugs | 30.7% | 84.4% |
Why the gap matters
Neither number is wrong. They answer the question from two places. Youth know what is actually within reach for them and their friends. Adults are reacting to what they see and hear, which often includes the worst cases.
For a prevention coalition, the difference points to work that can be done. If adults think access is easy, messages about locking up medicine or not supplying alcohol at parties may feel pointless to them. Showing parents that most young people in town find these things hard to get can make those small steps feel worth taking.
A guide for planning your own adult survey
Many of our clients already survey adults to shape their work, support grant applications or raise awareness about a local issue. We pulled what we have learned into a free planning guide. It walks through each step, from deciding what to ask to sharing what you find.
If you also run the Youth Voices Count Survey, we can line up questions so adult and youth answers can be compared the way they are here.
“Having accurate and timely information around substance use, perceived risk as well as mental health challenges has provided our organization with the information we need to talk with our School Administrators, Town Leaders, and Coalition members.”
What the guide covers
- Deciding what you want to learn and who you need to hear from.
- Choosing questions that line up with your youth survey, so the two can be compared.
- Reaching adults in your community, online and in person, and getting enough responses to trust.
- Turning results into something a coalition, school board or town council will act on.
Data note: figures are the share answering sort of hard or very hard to the question of how easy it would be for youth to get each substance if they wanted to. Results are from one client community and are shared without naming it. They are not a statewide estimate.
About B. Weyland Smith Consulting
B. Weyland Smith Consulting, LLC is a public health consulting team based in Wethersfield, Connecticut. It provides program evaluation, needs assessment, survey services and grant preparation for school districts, prevention coalitions, health departments, behavioral health providers, towns and nonprofits, and runs the Youth Voices Count Survey and the Sound Perspectives school climate assessment. Learn more at bwsmithconsulting.com.