Rural and urban crime and drug use

The latest newsletter of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania compares drug use among rural and urban students.

Rural kids were much more likely to use cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, and they start to experiment with these products at an earlier age.  Rural students are also slightly more likely to use electronic vapor products, although it was close–27% to 24%.

On the other hand, urban kids were more likely to smoke marijuana, although that was also fairly close.  

The newsletter also compared the rate of four types of violent crimes in rural and urban counties.  The urban areas were way ahead in aggravated assault and murder.  For example, rural areas had three murders per 100,000 residents; urban areas doubled that at six per 100,000.  What was not explained was that the rate of rape was 44 per 100,000 residents in rural areas, but 31 per 100,000 in urban areas.  

If you want the whole report, go to <www.rural.palegislature.us> and click on the July/Aug. newsletter.