Lymes Youth Service Bureau Inc

LYME-OLD LYME PREVENTION COALITION DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES PROJECT

LYME-OLD LYME PREVENTION COALITION DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES PROJECT - LYME-OLD LYME PREVENTION COALITION (LOLPC) REPRESENTS THE TOWNS OF LYME AND OLD LYME, CONNECTICUT. THEY ARE TWO SCENIC SHORELINE AND RIVERSIDE COMMUNITIES LOCATED IN SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT’S NEW LONDON COUNTY. LYME, WITH A POPULATION OF 2,390 (CERC DATA, 2024), IS KNOWN FOR ITS QUIET LANDSCAPES, STATE PARKS, AND RIVERSIDE CHARM ALONG THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. OLD LYME, HOME TO 7,648 RESIDENTS, THRIVES AS A VIBRANT CULTURAL HUB DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, DRAWING SEASONAL VISITORS WHO SEEK ITS BEACHES, ART COLONIES, AND CLOSE-KNIT ATMOSPHERE. WHILE LYME TRENDS TOWARD A STABLER DEMOGRAPHIC, OLD LYME’S SEASONAL POPULATION SPIKE BRINGS A UNIQUE DYNAMIC TO ITS COMMUNITY FABRIC. BOTH TOWNS REFLECT RESIDENTS IDENTIFYING AS WHITE (LYME 90%, OLD LYME 86%) AND WITH THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE IN ENGLISH; OLD LYME IS MODESTLY MORE DIVERSE, WITH 8% IDENTIFYING AS HISPANIC OR LATINO/A, AND HAS A SLIGHTLY HIGHER POVERTY RATE (4%) THAN LYME (2%). BOTH LYME AND OLD LYME’S POPULATION INCLUDES 23% AGED 19 AND UNDER. (CERC DATA, 2024). DESPITE THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES, THE TOWNS ARE UNITED IN THEIR DEDICATION TO FOSTERING SAFE, SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES. EDUCATION PLAYS A FOUNDATIONAL ROLE IN COMMUNITY LIFE, WITH STUDENTS IN BOTH TOWNS ATTENDING SCHOOLS WITHIN THE REGIONAL SCHOOL SYSTEM. REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT 18 SERVES APPROXIMATELY 1,200 STUDENTS FROM LYME AND OLD LYME WITH A GRADUATION RATE OF 94%, REFLECTING THE AREA’S COMMITMENT TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND WELL-BEING. AMONG STUDENTS IN GRADES 6–12, ALCOHOL EMERGED AS THE MOST USED SUBSTANCE, WITH 6.53% REPORTING USE IN THE PAST 30 DAYS, FOLLOWED BY MARIJUANA (4.81%) AND CIGARETTES (1.2%). NOTABLY, NO PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE WAS REPORTED IN THIS CYCLE. LIFETIME USAGE AMONG HIGH SCHOOLERS (GRADES 9–12) WAS HIGHEST FOR ALCOHOL (31.1%), WITH MARIJUANA FOLLOWING AT 18.8%. THESE DATA POINTS HIGHLIGHT AN URGENT NEED FOR CONTINUED, TARGETED PREVENTION PROGRAMMING.  PERCEPTIONS ALSO PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE: MARIJUANA WAS SEEN AS THE LEAST RISKY SUBSTANCE AMONG HIGH SCHOOLERS, WHILE ALCOHOL WAS VIEWED AS THE EASIEST TO ACCESS BY BOTH MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. ALARMINGLY, PEER DISAPPROVAL—THE SOCIAL PRESSURE THAT OFTEN DETERS RISKY BEHAVIORS—WAS LOWEST FOR ALCOHOL USE IN YOUNGER GRADES AND FOR MARIJUANA AMONG OLDER STUDENTS. THESE TRENDS INDICATE SHIFTING NORMS AND UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AND ACTION, AND ACCESS TO HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES. OUR LOGIC MODELS AND ACTION PLAN WILL ADDRESS THESE RISK FACTORS AND LOCAL CONDITIONS WHILE ALSO BUILDING ON EXISTING PROTECTIVE FACTORS IN OUR COMMUNITY. • REDUCE THE PERCENTAGE OF LYME, OLD LYME 6-12 GRADERS WHO REPORT GETTING ALCOHOL FROM THEIR HOME OR GET ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA/THC FROM THEIR FRIENDS. • REDUCE THE PERCENTAGE OF LYME, OLD LYME 6-12 GRADERS WHO REPORT THEIR FRIENDS WOULD DISAPPROVE OF THEIR ALCOHOL OR MARIJUANA USE. • INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF LYME, OLD LYME 6-12 GRADERS WHO REPORT MODERATE OR GREAT RISK FROM USING MARIJUANA. LOLPC STAFF AND MEMBERS ARE FOCUSED ON PROVING EVIDENCE-BASED OR INFORMED PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS AND USING THE LATEST PREVENTION SCIENCE TO IMPROVE OUR PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS.