This fact sheet provides data on substance use and related factors in Chippewa County. It finds that 5th graders reported higher rates of past 30-day alcohol and inhalant use compared to state averages. While adult data is not available for the county, adults in the region reported lower binge drinking and higher cigarette smoking than state averages. Rates of DWI arrests and adults in prison for drug offenses have decreased since 2006 in the county. The data aims to inform prevention efforts through establishing community priorities.

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1
CHIPPEWA COUNTY
SUMN.org FACT SHEET 2014
Substance Abuse Prevention
This fact sheet provides county level data on substance use and related factors to
help guide decisions about prevention efforts. These data can be used to justify
need for prevention funding, monitor substance-related trends, and plan programs
and initiatives by establishing community level prevention priorities.
Key Findings
 In 2013, Chippewa County 5th graders were more likely than the state average
to report past 30-day alcohol use and inhalant use, but no 5th graders reported
cigarette smoking, marijuana use, or prescription drug misuse
 While Chippewa County data on adult use are not available, adults in the
Southwest region less likely than the state average to report past month binge
drinking, and more likely to report cigarette smoking
 The DWI arrest rate and the rate of adults in prison for drug offenses for
Chippewa County residents have both decreased since 2006
 Chippewa County 5th graders perceive the most risk of harm from smoking
marijuana and misusing prescription drugs—they perceive the least risk of harm
from binge drinking and smoking cigarettes
For more information
on alcohol, tobacco,
and other drug use,
consequences,
contributing factors,
and treatment, as well
as mental health data,
visit SUMN.org
5h
Grade Past 12-Month Substance Use, 2013 Minnesota Student Survey (MSS)
5.6%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
2.8%
3.6%
0.6%
1.1%
1.1%
2.1%
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
10%
Alcohol
use
Cigare:e
smoking
Marijuana
use
PrescripBon
drug
misuse
Inhalant
use
Chippewa
County
Minnesota

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2
Youth Substance Use
Alcohol + Tobacco + Drugs
Data on Chippewa County youth substance use from the 2013 Minnesota Student
Survey (MSS) are only available for 5th graders. However, past 30-day substance
use data from 6th, 9th, and 12th graders are available from the 2007 MSS survey.
 In 2007, Chippewa County students were slightly less likely than the state
average to report 30-day alcohol use (23% vs. 24%) and marijuana use (6% vs.
9%); as likely to report cigarette smoking (20%); and more likely to report
smoking cigarettes (14% vs. 12%).
Adult Substance Use
Alcohol
 According to the 2010 Minnesota Survey on Adult Substance Use (MNSASU),
past month binge drinking was reported by 16% of adults in the Southwest
region, and 18% of Minnesota adults
Tobacco
 Past month cigarette smoking was reported by 22% of Southwest adults and
20% of Minnesota adults (MNSASU).
Drugs
 Southwest region adults were less likely to report past-month marijuana use than
the state average (5.4% vs. 8.1%) (MNSASU).
Treatment
Drugs + Alcohol
The proportion of admissions of Chippewa County residents to Minnesota treatment
facilities for opioids has increased since 2007 (DAANES)
Chippewa County
12th
Graders
Reporting How Much
They Typically Drink
at One Time,
(MSS 2007)
Chippewa County Admissions to Minnesota Treatment Facilities for Substance Use, DAANES
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Opioids
Methamphetamines
Marijuana
Alcohol

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3
For the most recent
year available, the
economic costs
associated with alcohol
use in Minnesota are
an estimated $5.06
billion.
This amounts to over
$975 for every person
in the state.
These costs are 17
times greater than the
$296 million in tax
revenues collected
from alcohol sales.
The Human and
Economic Cost of
Alcohol Use in
Minnesota, MDH
(March 2011)

Consequences
Alcohol
 The DWI arrest rate for Chippewa County residents rose from 49.8 per 10,000
population in 2001 to 106.4 in 2006, and then fell to 49.4 in 2012, averaging
66.3 per 10,000. The state followed a similar pattern, with an average of 64.1
per 10,000 population over the same time period (Minnesota Office of Traffic
Safety, DPS)
 In 2011, 4.9% of motor vehicle crashes in Chippewa County were alcohol-
related. Throughout the state, 5.0% were alcohol-related (Crash Facts, DPS)
Tobacco
 Since 2001, the lung, bronchus and trachea cancer death rate for Chippewa
County has fluctuated between 7.9 per 10,000 population (in 2004), and 1.6 (in
2006). In 2011, the rate was 4.1 per 10,000. Chippewa County averaged 4.9
per 10,000 population from 2001 to 2011, which is slightly higher than the state
average of 4.6 per 10,000 (Minnesota Center for Health Statistics, MDH)
Drugs
 The rate of Chippewa County adults in prison for drug offenses increased from
0.1 per 1,000 population in 2001 to 1.7 per 1,000 in 2006, and has since fallen
to 0.4 per 1,000 population in 2012. The state rate has held steady during the
period, averaging 0.4 per 1,000, while Chippewa County averaged 0.8 (Inmate
Profile, DOC)
 The rate of Chippewa County adults on probation for drug offenses has
remained lower than the state’s, but has increased from 0.4 per 1,000
population in 2001 to 2.5 in 2012, averaging 2.0 per 1,000. Minnesota’s
average is 3.4 per 1,000, for the same time period (Probation Survey, DOC)
Contributing Factors
Social and retail access to substances, low perception of harm, low perception of
parental disapproval, and community norms favorable toward substance use all
contribute to alcohol, tobacco, and drug use in a community.
Perceived Harm
Chippewa County 5th
graders were least likely to believe that people put
themselves at great or moderate risk of harm, physically and in other ways, by
consuming five or more alcoholic drinks once or twice per week: 67%. Perceived
great or moderate risk of harm for other substances was as follows: smoking
marijuana once or twice per week: 78%; smoking one or more packs of cigarettes
per day: 72%; using prescription drug not prescribed for you: 78%.
Perceived Parental Disapproval
Among Chippewa County 5th
graders, 94% said their parents would think it’s very
wrong or wrong for them to smoke cigarettes. Similarly, students felt their parents
would feel it’s very wrong or wrong for them to have one or two drinks of alcohol
nearly every day (92%), to smoke marijuana (97%) or to use prescription drugs not
prescribed for them (97%).

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Mental Health
An estimated 23% of suicides are alcohol-related. Further, having a mental
health disorder such as depression or anxiety is a risk factor for substance
abuse and many individuals suffer from co-occurring substance use and
mental disorders.
From 2008 to 2012, Chippewa County’s suicide rate averaged 0.8 per
10,000 population, while Minnesota averaged 1.2 (Minnesota Center for
Health Statistics, MDH). According to the 2010 MNSASU, Southwest
adults are as likely as the state average to report at least moderate
depressive symptoms in the past two weeks: 8%.
Chippewa County 5th graders are slightly more likely than the state
average to report that they agree or strongly agree that, in the past 30
days, “I worry a lot” or “I sometimes feel bad without knowing why” (MSS).
A number of risk and protective factors are associated with not only
substance use but also mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.
Examples of shared protective factors are youth being able to talk to their
parents about problems they’re having, and feeling safe (at home, at
school, and in your neighborhood). Examples of shared risk factors are
adverse childhood experiences, dating violence, and bullying. For data on
shared risk and protective factors, visit SUMN.org.
5th
Graders Reporting
Negative Emotions (MSS
2013)
State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup
Minnesota’s SEOW has been monitoring substance abuse trends since
2007. The Workgroup helps guide prevention planning at the state level,
and provides training and technical assistance to communities. In, 2008
the SEOW launched the Substance Use in Minnesota (SUMN) website to
ensure quick and easy access to data for prevention professionals.
SUMN.org
SUMN is a one-stop-shop for data, tools, and prevention resources.
Visitors can search county, regional, and state level data by topic, by
location, and by demographic producing tables, charts, graphs, and maps.
View and download data products, such as this fact sheet, and find tips on
finding, analyzing, translating, using, and disseminating data.
Contact Us
For questions or more
information regarding the State
Epidemiological Outcomes
Workgroup or SUMN.org,
please email:
substanceusemn@gmail.com
To contact the Regional
Prevention Coordinator for the
Southwest Region, please
visit: www.rpcmn.org
Funded
by
the
Minnesota
Department
of
Human
Services
Alcohol
and
Drug
Abuse
Division
36%
44%
33%
42%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
I
worry
a
lot
I
feel
bad
Chippewa
County
Minnesota