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Care Coalition presents youth substance‑use survey; board asks attorneys to draft a resolution on retail THC products
Summary
Care Coalition and district staff presented multi‑year survey data showing lower reported youth substance use than state averages, persistent perception and access concerns and retail availability of novel THC/hemp products. The board asked staff and counsel to draft a formal resolution for downstream advocacy.
Representatives from the Care Coalition of Transylvania County and district staff briefed the school board on substance‑use prevention programs, student incident data and retail trends during the April meeting.
Care Coalition Program Director Kristen Gentry reviewed nearly a decade of locally collected student survey data (grades 6–12) and summarized the organization’s core measures: past‑30‑day use, perception of harm, peer and parent disapproval and ease of access. Gentry said the survey shows long‑term declines in reported past‑30‑day use of alcohol, cannabis and prescription‑drug misuse at the high‑school level compared with 2014, but noted the program’s most recent data collections used opt‑in consent, reducing sample sizes and introducing sampling bias (particularly among juniors and seniors). Gentry also reported that 45% of respondents indicated vapes are “easy or somewhat easy” to access and raised concern about a local retail environment in which THC extracts, kratom, psilocybin extracts and other novel psychoactive products appear in area shops.
District staff described existing prevention programs and the high‑school random drug‑testing program. The athletic director explained current random testing is a urine screen (oral swabs used only as last resort), conducted about six times per year at roughly $206.50 per test; the program averages about $1,600 per testing event and roughly $9,600 annually. Historical testing data presented in open session showed the district collected about 331 samples in 2022–23 (321 negatives, 10 positives), 289 samples in 2023–24 (262 negatives, 27 positives), and, through April 1 of the current year, 239 samples with 11 positives accounting for five students.
Board members pressed on retail availability and sample‑bias limitations. Trustees asked whether age minimums or local zoning could limit retail availability of THC‑containing products and whether county or state action would be required. Care Coalition staff said the shops they surveyed were located within Brevard city limits and that local zoning could restrict retail locations but age limits are usually set at the state level; the coalition offered to provide a retail‑environment report to the board.
Following the presentations and discussion, the board agreed to pursue a formal resolution addressing retail availability and related policy concerns; trustees asked Care Coalition staff and district counselors to draft an initial resolution for the board attorney’s review.
Ending: Staff and the Care Coalition will deliver a retail‑environment report and draft resolution to the superintendent and legal counsel for review and possible transmittal to county and state officials.
