How are Idaho teens really doing?
When Idaho teens were asked about their top challenges, drugs barely made the list.
Before we talk about drugs, let’s talk about what Idaho teens say they’re actually dealing with
When researchers asked Idaho teens about the biggest challenges in their lives, drugs barely made the list.
What came up first?
In other words: LIFE.
What Idaho teens told us
Researchers surveyed more than 850 Idaho teens from every region of the state.
Rathbone Falvey Research. (2026). The Unaltered State: Baseline audience research 2026. Rathbone Falvey Research.
of those challenges.
A lot more young people are carrying something…
The Athlete
The Honors Student
The Funny Friend
The One Who’s Always Posting
The One Who Seems Fine
A lot of struggles don’t look like struggles from the outside.
Teens with better mental health were much less likely to use substances.
% reporting NO substance use in past year
Excellent / very good mental health: 56% reported no substance use in the past year.
Poor / terrible mental health: that number dropped to 38%.
The difference connection makes.
When people are overwhelmed, stressed, lonely, or hurting, they naturally look harder for relief.
Not because they’re weak. Because they’re human.
So what helps?
Connection doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it looks like:
Teens with trusted adults, supportive relationships, and strong connections were less likely to use drugs and alcohol.
Connection — Ask One More Question, Check In, Stay Longer, Make Space
The conversation doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to happen.