The following are 2015 statistics of drug use among students in the sixth, eighth, 10th and 12th grades in Clearfield County as compared to the average use among students within the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The data comes from the Clearfield/Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission and was compiled using Pennsylvania Youth Surveys distributed among students within Pennsylvania schools.
5 percent of sixth-grade students in Clearfield County reported having used inhalants, with 2 percent of those students having used inhalants within the past 30 days, versus 1.7 percent of sixth-grade students in the state having used inhalants within 30 days of the survey.
9 percent of eighth-grade students in Clearfield County reported they have a low perceived risk of drug use, versus 37.7 percent of eighth-grade students in the state.
1 percent of 10th-grade students in Clearfield County reported that their parents feel it’s wrong to drink alcohol regularly versus 10.3 percent of 10th-grade students in the state.
2 percent of 10th-grade students in Clearfield County reported that they have used marijuana, and 12.5 percent of those students using marijuana within 30 days of the survey, versus 12.0 percent of 10th-grade students in the state having used marijuana within 30 days of the survey
3 percent of 10th-grade students in Clearfield County have reported using marijuana or hash oil in a “vape pen” in the past 12 months.
6 percent of 12th-grade students in Clearfield County have reported using marijuana or hash oil in a “vape pen” in the past 12 months.
8 percent of 12th-grade students in Clearfield County reported having used heroin, and 0.2 percent of those students used heroin within 30 days of the survey. Statewide, 1.4 percent of 12th-grade students reported having used heroin.
2 percent of 10th-grade students in Clearfield County reported having used/abused prescription narcotics, with 3.1 percent of those students having used prescription narcotics within 30 days of the survey, versus 2 percent of 10th-grade students in the state having used/abused prescription narcotics within 30 days of the survey.
5 percent of 10th-grade students in Clearfield County reported having used Ecstasy, with 1.1 percent of those students having used Ecstasy within 30 days of the survey, versus only 0.4 percent of students in the state having used Ecstasy within 30 days of the survey.
2 percent of 12th-grade students in Clearfield County reported having used synthetic drugs, versus 4.8 percent of 12th-grade students in the state reported having used synthetic drugs.
8 percent of 12th-grade student in Clearfield County reported having used methamphetamines, versus 1.0 percent of 12th-grade students in the state reported having used methamphetamines.
District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. discusses legal action regarding individuals who sell and abuse drugs in Clearfield County. Shaw was one of several speakers at a youth drug and alcohol forum held Wednesday at the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School. Shaw said many members in the community have a perception about how drug “dealers” should be handled, while those who make the laws have very different opinions. He urged those in attendance to speak to their legislators and become active to help make Clearfield County a safer place to live. (Photo by Kimberly Finnigan)
Sgt. Crystal Panebianco of the Lawrence Township Police Department discussed the different types of drugs police officers are seeing in Clearfield County and how parents can open a dialogue with their children to help prevent the children from becoming victims of drug and alcohol abuse. Panebianco was one of several speakers at a forum on drug and alcohol trends among Clearfield County’s school-aged youth Wednesday at the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School. (Photo by Kimberly Finnigan)
Jeff Aveni of the Clearfield County Probation Office, left, and Sgt. Nate Curry of the Clearfield Borough Police Department discuss drug and alcohol abuse among the youth of Clearfield County. Aveni and Curry discussed how drug addicts, regardless of age, will sometimes become involved in criminal activity in order to get the money and drugs needed for their addictions. Aveni also presented a display of drug paraphernalia items that had been confiscated from school-aged students in Clearfield County (Photo by Kimberly Finnigan)
EMT Andrew Gulich of Clearfield EMS presented statistics on the numbers of patients of opioid overdose who were “brought back” through the use of Narcan during Wednesday’s forum on youth drug and alcohol abuse at the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School. The forum was attended by over 60 people (Photo by Kimberly Finnigan)
Clearfield County Coroner Mike Morris presented statistics regarding drug-related deaths in Clearfield County during a youth drug and alcohol forum Wednesday at the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School. The forum was hosted by the Clearfield Area School Board and provided information about drug and alcohol trends among Clearfield County’s youth. (Photo by Kimberly Finnigan)
Karen Orner, left, and Carol Jackson, right, address a crowd of over 60 people Wednesday during a forum on youth drug and alcohol trends at the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School. Orner and Jackson presented statistical information about drug use among school-aged students in Clearfield County. The duo also provided information about drug paraphernalia, the ease of ordering certain types of drugs via the Internet and where to seek help for individuals who may have a drug or alcohol problem. (Photo by Kimberly Finnigan)
Clearfield Area School Board members Mary Anne Jackson, left, and Larry Putt, right, introduce members of a panel during Wednesday’s drug and alcohol forum at the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School. The school board invited members of the Clearfield/Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission, the Clearfield County Coroner’s Office, Clearfield EMS, Clearfield Borough and Lawrence Township Police Departments, the Clearfield County Probation Office and the Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office to speak about trends in drug and alcohol abuse among school-aged children in Clearfield County (Photo by Kimberly Finnigan)
Parents and concerned citizens gathered at the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School to participate in a forum regarding drug and alcohol use in Clearfield County. The forum was hosted by the Clearfield Area School Board and included speakers from the Clearfield/Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission, the Clearfield County Coroner’s office, Clearfield EMS, Clearfield Borough and Lawrence Township Police Department, the Clearfield County Probation Office and the Clearfield County District Attorney’s office. Over 60 people were in attendance for the event Wednesday evening (Photo by Kimberly Finnigan)
A display from the Clearfield/Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission outside the auditorium of the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School auditorium provides information about drug and alcohol abuse. The Clearfield Area School Board hosted a public forum Wednesday evening for parents and community members. (Photo by Kimberly Finnigan)
