We Are Wise Owls

Early Prevention Using a Digital Video Intervention in the Afterschool Setting

By Hailey Jones, Sarah Frerker, Rolena Stephenson, & Carol Cox

A recent survey of U.S. youth substance use showed that rates for alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use were similar to those during the previous year—with a rise, however, in overdose deaths, possibly due to synthetic opioid abuse. About 20–30% of high schoolers reported vaping, with a small increase in vaping cannabis in the preceding year. Past-year use of alcohol for high school seniors was 52%, between 6% and 8% of high schoolers reported illicit drug use other than marijuana, and over one-fifth of middle schoolers perceived taking prescription narcotics as high-risk behavior (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2022).