Thank you to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital, PCA, Tomahawk STAR Foundation, Tomahawk Area Foundation for Youth (TAFFY) and Tomahawk School District for their donations and support of the Tomahawk Social Norms Project.
From 2010 to 2020, there was an important reduction of perception of alcohol and tobacco use among Tomahawk High School students as measured by a decrease in perception of alcohol as the typical socializing beverage (30% to 21%), perception of students driving after drinking (90% to 58%), perception of students riding in a vehicle with another student who had been drinking (85% to 66%) and perception of peers who have drank alcohol (96% to 85% perceived used by typical student; 66% to 53% perceived use is normative [more than half their peers used]). Between 2010 and 2020, the actual reported 30 day use of alcohol has dropped by 16% (54% to 38%). The percentage of student reporting that they never tried alcohol increased by 31% (19% to 50%), never tried cigarettes increased by 10% (57% to 67%), and never tried marijuana increased by 13% (63% to 76%). This data demonstrates that by marketing true norms we are changing perceptions which leads to an increase in healthy behaviors.
(Note: Due to school transitioning to virtual in March 2020 as a result of COVID-19, we were unable to meet with youth on the committee. This resulted in our campaign being halted until winter 2020.)
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