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Utah Prevention Trends & Data BriefsSouthern Utah Drug Trends Southwest Utah Student Health & Risk Assessment Profile Report, 2025
This chart shows the top substances of abuse in the Southwest Five Counties of Utah, (Washington, Garfield, Beaver, Iron and Kane), and the trend pattern of youth use from 2015 to 2025. The data is an average of all grades, 6-12th.
The first thing you should note when looking at this chart is that drug use rates are low in Southern Utah. Even our most widely used drugs are still being used regularly by less than 5% of youth. Most kids don't use drugs. And most importantly, use rates are dropping across the board! Nicotine: As the chart demonstrates, the most common drug of abuse among Southern Utah youth is nicotine, inhaled through electronic cigarettes or vaporizers. E-cig rates are coming down since 2019, largely a result of targeted prevention efforts, including increases on regulation at the state level. Alcohol: Alcohol use rates have been dropping, overall - a few increases year-to-year have occurred - in Southern Utah and across the state and nation. Traditionally, alcohol was always the most common drug abused in Southern Utah, until 2015, when nicotine through E-Cigarettes far surpassed it, and the increase in marijuana passed alcohol use in 2019, but is just lower in 2025. Cannabis: Cannabis/Marijuana use has continually increased since 2007, but in 2021 finally leveled out, and now we are seeing some decreases. Changes in perception of the dangers and harms of this drug have given youth relaxed attitudes about marijuana, and they are using more than we have seen in the past. This is especially concerning as more and more research points to the increase in mental illness among all people, (especially youth), who use marijuana, (see "Connection Between Drug Use and Mental Health" on our FAQ page for more details). Tobacco Cigarettes: Traditional tobacco cigarette use has been on a steady decline in Southern Utah. However, new research shows that "21.5% of Utah youth who tried e-cigs reported that they smoked regular cigarettes for the first time after starting with e-cigs," (Utah Department of Health, 2012), meaning that e-cigs or vaporizers are a new gateway to traditional cigarettes. This may help explain why use rates are leveling out rather than dropping. Prescription Drugs: Prescription drug abuse has dropped in many of our counties, but in some locations certain prescription drug abuse continues to rise. For example, prescription narcotics (pain relievers) are abused less than they were six years ago, but prescription stimulants (like ADHD and asthma medications) and sedatives (like sleeping pills and anxiety medications) are abused more. Inhalants: Though the chart above shows that inhalant use is very low, when looking at specific grade levels rates can jump significantly, and overall, you can see a sharp increase in use from 2015-2025. 8th graders abuse inhalants more than any other grade. In some schools in Southern Utah, inhalant rates among 8th graders are at nearly 10%. This age group seems to be especially vulnerable when they have access to these products. We are also seeing an increase in the number of 10th graders using inhalants. National Drug Trends |
