Fewer Franklin County teens are using alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs. 

The Franklin County and North Quabbin Prevention Needs Assessment Survey reported a 9 percent decrease in  teens using alcohol from 2015 to 2018. The teen health survey also revealed improvements in substance use risk factors, like family attachment. 

“You cant just say don’t do this. You need to look at the conditions in the school, in the family, and that’s what we are seeing really big improvements in,” said Kat Allen, Coodinator for the Communities that Care Coalition.

All nine Franklin County high schools participated in this teen health survey. The results showed a decline in the number of students using alcohol and other drugs, but a significant increase in students using e-cigarettes. The number of Franklin County high school students using e-cigarettes tripled in the last 3 years. 

Greenfield Public Health Nurse Cheryl Volpe cautions young people from using e-cigarettes.
Volpe said most e-cigs contain nicotine and cancer causing chemicals. You can’t legally buy cigarettes in Greenfield if you’re under 21, but Volpe said a lot of teens are purchasing vaping products online. 

Here is a link to the results of the teen health survey.