Planet Youth Lanark County
A new way to engage our community
A prevention model designed and proven to reduce or delay substance use among youth
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What is Planet Youth?
Planet Youth is not a program—it’s a new approach to identifying and establishing long-term, community-driven strategies that promote positive social and environmental change.
It was pioneered in Iceland over 25 years ago — since then, the youth substance use rate there has gone from 48% to about 5% in 2023.
SURVEY RESULTS
In 2022 and 2024, Grade 10 students were surveyed at schools across Lanark County. Here are some highlights of the findings.
Substance Use
33%
Tried alcohol at age 13 or younger
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“The issue is not what youth do; it’s the nature of what they do. If it is organized, productive, and under the leadership of adults, that is really the core ingredient.”
Alfgeir Kristjansson, PhD, MSc Associate Professor, West Virginia University School of Public Health, USA Senior Researcher, ICSRA, Reykjavik University, Iceland
