What We’re Learning

Every two years, Berkshire County 8th, 10th and 12 graders complete the Prevention needs Assessment (PNA), providing valuable data on youth substance use and risk factors, as well as protective factors that help young people flourish.

Here’s what we’ve uncovered in the last round of the PNAs:

Perceived recent use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and illegal drugs among peers is much lower in 8th graders compared to 12th graders.

  • % of each grade that thinks none of peers recently used substances exhibits downward trend from 8th to 12th grade for each substance. For example:

    • Alcohol: 8th (43%), 10th (29%), 12th (21%)

    • Marijuana: 8th (43%), 10th (30%), 12th (24%)

Having at least one friend that smokes cigarettes, consumed alcohol, or used marijuana is more common in 12th graders than 8th graders.

  • % of grade with 0 friends that use a listed substance exhibits downward trend from 8th to 12th grade for each substance. For example:

    • Cigarettes: 8th (94%), 10th (88%), 12th (79%)

  • % of grade with at least 1 friend that used a listed substance exhibits an upward trend from 8th to 12th grade for each substance:

    • Cigarettes, 1 friend: 8th (4%), 10th (7%), 12th (13%)

    • Cigarettes, 4 friends: 8th (0.7%), 10th (1.5%), 12th (1.8%)

  • Almost all students reported 0 friends using ‘other drugs’ and no notable differences were seen between grades

Perception that using alcohol or marijuana has a chance to make themselves be seen as cool is more common in 12th graders than 8th graders. Most students in all grades think smoking cigarettes has no chance to make themselves look cool.

  • Alcohol

    • No/very little chance: 8th (71%), 10th (60%), 12th (47%)

    • Pretty/very good chance: 8th (6%), 10th (11%), 12th (18%)

  • Marijuana

    • No/very little chance: 8th (68%), 10th (55%), 12th (44%)

    • Pretty/very good chance: 8th (9%), 10th (15%), 12th (16%)

Perceiving alcohol, marijuana use, and cigarette use as ‘very wrong’ is much more common in 8th graders than 12th graders. For all three substances, from 8th to 12th graders, a downward trend is observed for ‘very wrong’ and an upward trend is observed for ‘little wrong’ and ‘not wrong at all.’ (For other drugs, most students reported no chance to look cool) Example with alcohol:

  • Very Wrong: 8th (77%), 10th (53%), 12th (42%)

  • A Little Wrong: 8th (7%), 10th (17%), 12th (23%)

  • Not Wrong At All: 8th (2%), 10th (3%), 12th (10%)

Among students that drank alcohol within the past year (8th N=89, 10th N=112, 12th N=132), the two most common ways students access alcohol is through parties or at home with parents’ permission. Some other way was the most common for 8th and 10th graders, but that may a highly reported option due to concerns of consequences if they reported where they truly get alcohol. Top 3 per grade:

  • 8th graders:

    • Some other way (58%)

    • From home with parents’ permission (15%)

    • Tie: From home without parent’s permission (13%), at a party (13%)

  • 10th graders:

    • Some other way (34%)

    • From home with parents’ permission (28%)

    • At a party (24%)

  • 12th graders:

    • At a party (60%)

    • From someone they knew age 21 or older (38%)

    • From home with parents’ permission (33%)

Among students that drank alcohol within the past year (8th N=89, 10th N=113, 12th N=124), the two most common places students drink alcohol is their or someone else’s home without parents’ permission or their own home with parent’s permission. Top 3 per grade:

  • 8th graders:

    • Some other place (53%)

    • At their or someone else’s home without parents’ permission (28%)

    • At home with parent’s permission (22%)

  • 10th graders:

    • At home with parent’s permission (37%)

    • At their or someone else’s home without parents’ permission (31%)

    • Some other place (31%)

  • 12th graders:

    • At home with parent’s permission (46%)

    • At their or someone else’s home without parents’ permission (45%)

    • At someone else’s home with parent's permission (45%)

Among students that used marijuana within the past year (8th N=71, 10th N=86, 12th N=89), the most common way students access marijuana is through someone they know, and in most cases that person is under age 21. Some other way was the most common for 8th and 10th graders, but that may a highly reported option due to concerns of consequences if they reported where they truly get marijuana. Top 3 per grade:

  • 8th graders:

    • Some other way (56%)

    • From someone they knew under age 21 (17%)

    • From someone they knew age 21 or older (15%)

  • 10th graders:

    • Some other way (48%)

    • From someone they knew under age 21 (24%)

    • From someone they knew age 21 or older (21%)

  • 12th graders:

    • From someone they knew under age 21 (39%)

    • At a party (34%)

    • From someone they knew age 21 or older (31%)

Among students that used marijuana within the past year (8th N=71, 10th N=86, 12th N=89), the most common place students use marijuana is their or someone else’s home without parents’ permission or at an open area. Some other place was the most common for 8th and 10th graders, but that may a highly reported option due to concerns of consequences if they reported where they truly get marijuana. Top 3 per grade:

  • 8th graders:

    • Some other place (61%)

    • At their or someone else’s home without parents’ permission (29%)

    • At an open area like a park, beach, or back road (23%)

  • 10th graders:

    • Some other place (42%)

    • At their or someone else’s home without parents’ permission (31%)

    • At an open area like a park, beach, or back road (24%)

  • 12th graders:

    • At their or someone else’s home without parents’ permission (44%)

    • In a car (40%)

    • At an open area like a park, beach, or back road (38%)