Youth access to alcohol, e-cigs has declined

For the second year in a row, youth access to alcohol and e-cig use in Socorro County has declined. That’s according to the Socorro County’s Community Survey and the Strategies for Success Student Survey.

Chris Rottman with the Socorro County Prevention Coalition presented the survey results to the Socorro City Council last week.

The Strategies for Success Student Survey is given to high school and middle school students in Socorro and Magdalena.

Since 2019, middle and high school have seen decreases in e-cig, alcohol, marijuana and cigarette use. According to the survey, the top three substances, e-cigs, marijuana and alcohol showed decreases after reporting high levels of abuse in 2023 among middle school students. In 2024, e-cig use was down from 15.7 percent in 2023 to 7.3 percent in 2024. Marijuana consumption stayed the same at 8.1 percent from the previous year. However, alcohol consumption dropped from 9.7 percent in 2023 to 5.7 percent in 2024.

At the high school level, 26.5 percent reported e-cigarette use in the past 30 days, 20.6 percent reported marijuana use, and 16.7 percent reported alcohol use. From 2020 to 2022, the percentage of marijuana use dropped from 28.6 percent to 20.6 percent, and alcohol use dropped from 26 percent to 16.7 percent.

The use of e-cigs dropped significantly during the past year at the high school level. In 2023, 15.7 percent of students reported using e-cigs, as compared to 7.3 percent in 2024.

In all the other categories, marijuana, alcohol, binge drinking, painkiller misuse, prescription stimulant misuse, cigarettes and fentanyl all showed significant decreases according to the latest survey.

Many of the kids identified social concerns and family perception as the reason they chose not to use substances, Rottman said, but they also identified reasons like wanting to keep good grades and play sports.

Socorro County Community Survey Highlights

• For the second year in a row e-cig use decreased for high school youth from 21.9 percent to 16.8 percent.

• Marijuana use decreased slightly for Middle School youth from 11.4 percent in 2023 to 8.1 percent in 2024.

• Students offered resiliency factors such as wanting to take care of their health, and to protect their future as reason for not drinking or using other substances.

• The perception of teen access to alcohol in Socorro County decreased from 87 percent to 82.8 percent.

One troubling finding is the significant increase in public perception regarding the arrest of adults providing alcohol to minors from 30.3 percent to 82.8 percent.

City Councilman Joel Partridge who helped with the survey, thanked the city council and mayor for supporting SCOPE. He noted there’s been a lot of work by a lot of adults in the community and Socorro County to push the agenda to have students make the right decision.

“It’s good to see the numbers coming down and kids making good choices,” said Partridge.

He also noted the increase in participation among students who completed the survey. Last year, 148 students participated while in 2024, 224 students participated in the survey.

In other business, the council:

• Honored more than 180 swimmers involved in this year’s Socorro Stingray swimming program – including 30 new swimmers joining the program.

• Heard more than 3,330 individuals used the Socorro Swimming pool this summer. Sixty-eight individuals enrolled in swimming lessons.

• Thanked local businesses, the more than 60 volunteers and New Mexico Tech for their support of the New Mexico Chile Tri-Athlon. More than 215 individuals participated in the event.

• Postponed the first reading of an ordinance for amending the rate schedule for solid water refuse collection, water, sewer, gas, gas meter and utility related charges.

• Approved the Gas Department’s longevity pay.

• Approved the Firefighter Recruitment Fund Grant.

• Approved new business licenses for DN Fusion Paint and Maintenance LLC; 2-J’s Skid Steere, Socorro Local Dismantling, Ignacio Amaya Construction and 2V Corner Store.

The next city council meeting will be at 6 p.m., Tuesday, September 3, 2024.