What is the survey?
The Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) is the primary source of comprehensive data on young people at the state, county, and local level in Minnesota. It has been conducted in schools every 3 years since 1989, and is the only consistent source of statewide data. Students are asked about a wide variety of topics including general health, substance use, mental health, and school engagement.
Prevention Works!
The survey was recently completed in 2022 and the latest results offer us both hope and concern. Some of the findings that raise concern include increases in marijuana use and anxiety or depressive symptoms. Conversely, findings that raise hope include steady declines in prescription drug misuse rates (since 2013) and alcohol use rates (since 2016).
We have been following the results of this survey for the last 10 years to inform our work and measure progress. Back then, we did a lot of work around prescription drug misuse when the opioid epidemic was surging, then shifted gears to help with the youth vaping epidemic, and now we’re shifting focus to mental health and marijuana education.