Current priority public health issues
current Priority root causes
Low Perception of risk
Our state’s top scoring risk factor per the OPNA is that nearly 2 out of 3 Oklahoma youth (63.1%) are at risk of substance use due to Low Perception or Risk.* This points to a marked gap in education about the risk of alcohol and marijuana on the young brain.
Social Access
“Social sources” are the number one way youth get alcohol in Oklahoma. The top source is from parents (when combining with or without permission). The second most common way is from someone youth know over 21 years old.* This exposes the need for youth to call on adults in their community to keep young people safe. While we don’t have state-level data on sources of marijuana, the OPNA tells us that almost 1/3 of parents (27.8%) have attitudes favorable to drug use.* Many parents believe they can’t influence youth to make healthier choices, or they may feel like substance use at home is safer. We need to call on adults in our community to recognize that gaining young consumers is an old, but effective tactic used by a profitable addiction industry because they know young users are much more likely to develop lifelong dependency on their product.
Marketing to YOuth
Same playbook, different drug. We have already seen the tobacco and alcohol industry invest in cartoon and child-friendly images. As a society, we used to tolerate this, and now we are repeating the same cycle with the marijuana industry. In our Monster Soup Society environmental scans, we have located multiple instances of marijuana retailers violating state law (Title 442. Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority – 442:10-7-3(6)) because advertising “Depicts objects such as toys, cartoons, cartoon characters, or similar images which suggest the presence of a child, or any other depiction designed in any manner to be especially appealing to children or other persons under legal age to consume marijuana”.
Academic Success
The school domain presents another opportunity to implement community-based strategies to support students outside of the school system. Community groups and after-school programs can help improve student academic outcomes, thereby lowering their risk for substance use. Youth can conduct peer-to-peer tutoring and advocate for community partners to get involved.
psychological distress
As seen in the data to the right, our state’s youth mental health outcomes are at epidemic proportions. * Substance use occurs more frequently among those with depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders.**** Youth coalition members are concerned about vaping, smoking, alcohol, and other drug use among their peers, and have seen first hand that it is often used to manage stress and other mental health problems. Substance use is a quick fix for mental health issues, and while better coping skills are available, if youth are never taught alternatives they don’t have the tools they need to stay substance-free.
Retail Access
According to the most recent Alcohol Purchase Survey, the retailer compliance rate in Oklahoma is 73.7%, meaning approximately 1 in 4 retailers in Oklahoma make alcohol sales to minors.** Nationally alcohol sales to minors is a $17 billion dollar industry.***
Family Conflict
According to the OPNA, many Oklahoma youth are at risk of substance use due to Poor Family Management and Family Conflict. All families experience conflict, but we need to do more as a community to provide families the tools they need so that conflict is the birthplace of connection through the use of healthy conflict resolutions tools. Youth can take the lead in educating adults on family conflict resolution skills, breaking cycles, and calling on adults to improve family life.
Other
Youth bring lived experience about risk factors for which we do not have data. For example, Hispanic youth Monster Soup Society members alerted the coalition to the higher outlet/advertising density for marijuana in Hispanic neighborhoods, which led to data collection that substantiated their observations and community-education about health disparities and burden in minority neighborhoods.
Sources
* Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment Survey, Statewide Results, All Grades Combined, 2019-20.
*** Alcohol beverage companies made an estimated $17.5 billion on underage drinking in 2016, study says https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/11/health/alcohol-sales-to-minors-wellness/index.html
**** Mental Health and Substance Use Co-Occurring Disorders
https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/mental-health-substance-use-co-occurring-disorders