Results of youth substance abuse survey to be discussed at town hall meetings

The Community Caring Council hopes to engage communities throughout Cape Girardeau County at four town hall meetings this month in which the organization will reveal the results of a survey about where area youths get alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs.

With a grant from the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the Southeast Missouri Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition began distributing the five-part survey in May at community events, schools and churches. It was also posted on the agency's website.

Through September, the coalition received 737 surveys back, more than 200 fewer than what coalition members were hoping to be returned. The average age of respondents was 15.

"It was harder to do than we thought because mainly we started in May and it was too late to get schools on board, so then we didn't have the target audiences we were hoping to have," said Kay Azuma, community coordinator for the council. "We did have some school sites where we had small groups of students, but not all of the student body we were originally hoping we'd have."

At the meetings, coalition members will present data collected from the survey, including specific drug use in Cape Girardeau County.

Those who attend the meetings will also learn where youth are accessing specific drugs, such as marijuana, heroin, methamphetamine and inhalants.

"We'll also ask youth to define how easy alcohol and tobacco was to obtain and we'll be sharing those percentages also," Azuma said.

The coalition will give details on the main goal of the survey -- finding out where youths get alcohol and drugs. Azuma said they've discovered teenagers get the substances from each of four options given -- from a family member, other adults, peers and youth dealers.

The coalition will kick off the town hall meetings 6 p.m. Monday at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. The other meetings are Tuesday at the Oak Ridge High School cafeteria, Nov. 23 at the Delta High School cafeteria and Nov. 30 at the Jackson Middle School library. All the meetings will be at 6 p.m.

For more information on the survey, meetings or how to get involved with the coalition, contact Shelly Wood at 573-587-1921 or at capepreventioncoalition@yahoo.com.

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