Watchung Hills School Sees Large Increase In Drug, Alcohol Cases

WARREN, NJ — Drugs and alcohol continue to be a pervasive problem in the state's cities and suburban areas, according to the state's most recent data. See where the Warren and Watchung Hills School Districts ranked.

New Jersey has released its annual list of substance-abuse cases reported by each school district, revealing the most recent data of reported cases. The data looked at the school districts with the highest increases – and biggest reductions – in cases from the previous year, between 2017-18 and 2018-19, which were the most recent years available.

Watchung Hills Regional High School ranked 45th in the number of cases out of 358 school districts in the state with 12.14 cases per 1,000 students.

It also ranked 80th when it came to increases from last year, with an increase of 3.55 cases, according to the state. Warren Township Schools, on the other hand, ranked 308th when it came to increases from last year, with a decrease of 2.38 cases.

In Somerset County, Somerset County Educational Services Commission in Somerset ranked the highest with 55.56 cases per 1,000 students. It also ranked at number 4 in the entire state.

To see the full state list click here.

New Jersey school officials told Patch that teen vaping has helped drive the numbers up over the past two years since many districts now count e-cigarette use as substance abuse.

The data, obviously, was compiled before Gov. Phil Murphy shut down school buildings because of the coronavirus crisis, and it's not known what impact the outbreak has had on the substance abuse crisis in schools.

Murphy announced on Wednesday that in-person instruction can return in September, but districts can opt to go fully remote. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, School Reopen Updates: What You Need To Know

The state Department of Education has cautioned that these numbers are reported by each district, so each jurisdiction is responsible for reporting its results fairly and accurately. But they are required by law to report them.

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