Substance use seems normal to teens

The 12 have gone through training with Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, a Virginia-based nonprofit that has been working with people across the nation to establish drug-free, healthy and safe communities since 1992.

Part of that mission involves training young people to be effective agents of change.

In Washington, D.C., in February, the students attended workshops on a wide range of topics, including drugs, alcohol and suicide. They went to Capitol Hill and spoke with U.S. Rep. Peter Welch and U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, and with the staff of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.

“We talked with them about four issues: underage alcohol use, marijuana use, vaping and Juuling in all three schools, and changing school curriculum so that teachers use less scare tactics and it’s more informative,” said Luca DeRuzzo, a seventh-grader from Stowe.

Elizabeth Fitzgerald, a Stowe eighth-grader, said vaping and using electronic cigarettes is a “huge problem” in Stowe Middle School.

“We also live in a small, close-knit community, and don’t realize how widespread the issue is,” said Sam Schoepke, a Stowe High junior. “It’s not just our school. Vaping is an issue across the country.”

Vaping devices, including the popular Juul brand, are small and contain flavored e-cigarette juices with nicotine. According to the students, the devices seem normal in school now, and are easy for underage students to get their hands on.

Jakob Boyer, a Lamoille Union High School sophomore, told parents that students try alcohol and other drugs because of peer pressure and seeing their family and neighbors use the products.

Stress and boredom in a small town play a role as well.

“Kids want to escape and they have access,” said Stowe High junior Ryer LaVeille.

“When kids are stressed, there are a lot of ways they can deal with it, but it’s shorter and easier to travel the path to use drugs or alcohol. Drugs and alcohol are advertised as a way out,” said Elijah Smith, a Peoples Academy sophomore.

“The overall conception is it’s all OK and normal to use, and that’s our main concern.”

Teens see the adults in their lives use drugs and alcohol at events, parties and at dinnertime, and many kids assume it’s OK to use those substances, even at their age, because their parents use them.

When parents confront their children about using substances, Ryer sad it is not helpful to be judgmental and forceful, because the rebelliousness of teens could push them to use drugs and alcohol more.

The best support, they said, comes from a good friend.

“There’s so much research and value in a good friend” who’s willing to ask a teenage friend to stop using, said Jessica Bickford, coordinator of Healthy Lamoille Valley.

Influential adults, including parents, can also help local teenagers by not being afraid to address the issue upfront, and explain why the teens shouldn’t do drugs or drink, rather than just telling them not to do it.

Suicide and mental health should be addressed as well, said Emalie Gonzales, a Peoples Academy freshman.

“You should be more concerned about teens’ health and happiness than the eight hours of homework we’re expected to do,” Emalie said.

The brain develops from the back of the head to the front. The frontal lobe is important for decision-making and judgment, but it’s not fully developed until age 25. Teenage decisions are often based on emotions, and Diane Lepikko, a trained prevention and guidance counselor at Lamoille Union Middle School, says that while teens are “less thoughtful and logical” than adults, it’s not their fault.

And when they start using substances, those substances can essentially change the brains wiring, making them more susceptible to substance abuse in the future.

Lepikko urges parents to be careful of the message they send to teens with their own substance use, to be clear with values and, above all else, to talk to their kids.

The Lamoille Area Youth in Action Council was put together by Lamoille County Sheriff Roger Marcoux, who says the group plans to stay together and do more research into the effects of bullying, safe schools and suicide to bring to parents.

Marcoux also plans to send a new batch of students to the conference next February.