Drilling down the data gleaned from the Arizona Youth Survey concerning alcohol and substance abuse on local youth was the focus of a recent meeting of StandUp AJ, Apache Junction’s drug-prevention coalition.

Shana Malone, a consultant for the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, explained at the hybrid in-person and Zoom meeting on Aug. 30 the local results with graphs and pie charts.

Two key takeaways from her presentation are to start prevention programming earlier, and talk with youth early and often.

The Arizona Youth Survey is administered every two years to a statewide sample of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders under the direction of the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission Statistical Analysis Center in partnership with the Arizona State University School of Criminology & Criminal Justice, according to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission’s website.

Survey questions range from lifetime substance abuse, 30-day substance abuse, age of first use, substances offered and sources, according to azcjc.gov/Data/Arizona-Youth-Survey/Substance-Use.

Because of the sensitive nature of the youth survey, the online interactive data dashboards and a visualization center website only report on statistics involving 25 or more students, it states.

Statistics for 2022 can be found on the data sheets by ZIP code, such as:

• In the past 30 days, the top five substances used by eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders in ZIP code 85120 were alcohol, 12.9%; e-cigarettes, 9.2%; marijuana, 7.5%; marijuana concentrates, 5.8%; and inhalants, 2.9%,
• In the past 30 days, the top five substances used by eighth- and 10th-graders in ZIP code 85119 were e-cigarettes, 13.6%; marijuana, 13.6%; marijuana concentrates, 11.4%; alcohol, 9.1%; and inhalants, 5.7%
• Under lifetime substance abuse, the top five substances used by eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders in ZIP code 85120 were alcohol, 32,1%; marijuana, 23.2%; e-cigarettes, 23.1%; marijuana concentrates, 19.8%; and over-the-counter drugs, 8.1%.
• Under lifetime substance abuse, the top five substances used by eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders in ZIP code 85119 were alcohol, 25.8%; marijuana, 24.4%; marijuana concentrates, 20%; e-cigarettes, 22.5%; and inhalants, 12.4%.

In addition to substance abuse, the survey assesses the prevalence and frequency of gang involvement and other risky behaviors. It helps stakeholders to better understand the risk and protective factors correlated with these behaviors, according to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission’s website.

StandUp AJ was formed in 2020 and replaced a drug-prevention coalition that started serving Apache Junction in 2008 and dissolved. Volunteers include Apache Junction community members, law-enforcement officials, educators and National Guard Counter Drug Task Force representatives.