Youth Drug Use Continues Historic Decline Post Pandemic

Adolescent drug use in the US has continued to drop or remain stable in 2024, extending unprecedented declines that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey.1

Nicotine vaping surged between 2017 and 2019. | Image credit: Sophon_Nawit – stock.adobe.com

The MTF survey collected data from over 24,000 students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades across 272 schools, ensuring a nationally representative sample. Conducted by the University of Michigan and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the survey found that abstention rates from alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine reached record highs among these age groups this year.

Notably, 67% of 12th graders, 80% of 10th graders, and 90% of 8th graders reported no past 30-day use of these substances. In 2017, these rates were 53%, 69%, and 87%, respectively, marking significant improvements for older high schoolers and defying expectations from researchers.

“I expected adolescent drug use would rebound at least partially after the large declines that took place during the pandemic onset in 2020, which were among the largest ever recorded,” said Richard Miech, PhD, team lead of the MTF study at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. “Many experts in the field had anticipated that drug use would resurge as the pandemic receded and social distancing restrictions were lifted. As it turns out, the declines have not only lasted but have dropped further.”

Alcohol Use Hits Historic Lows

The most common substance reported by teens, alcohol continued its long-term decline in 2024. Since 1997, past-year alcohol use fell from 75% to 42% for 12th graders, from 65% to 26% for 10th graders, and from 46% to just 13% for 8th graders. However, compared with 2023, despite the large drop since the 1990s, alcohol consumption rates remained stable for 8th graders, while declining by 4.5% for sophomores and 4% for seniors.

Marijuana Use Stalls and Declines

Marijuana use among teens had remained steady for 20 years before the pandemic, but has seen sustained decreases more recently. Past-year marijuana use among 12th graders fell to 26%, the lowest level in 3 decades. Meanwhile, 10th-grade use dropped to 16%, and 8th-grade use plateaued at 7%, continuing its decline from 11% in 2020.

Nicotine Vaping Continues Postpandemic Decline

Nicotine vaping, which surged between 2017 and 2019, has now returned to prepandemic levels. In 2024, past-year nicotine vaping rates were 21% for 12th graders, 15% for 10th graders, and 10% for 8th graders—dramatic declines from peaks observed in 2020.

The findings reflect a significant reversal in what had been an alarming upward trend before the pandemic. Public health campaigns and restrictions on flavored e-cigarettes may have likely contributed to the sustained drop in teen vaping rates. However, researchers noted an increase in the use of nicotine pouches among older students.2 The percentage of high-school seniors using nicotine pouches doubled from 3% to 6% in just a year, raising concerns about emerging alternatives to traditional vaping.

Stable and Declining Trends Across Substances

Beyond alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine vaping, the survey also highlighted declines and stability in the use of other substances. Use of any illicit drug other than marijuana declined among 8th graders, dropping from 4.6% in 2023 to 3.4% in 2024, while rates remained stable for older students. Misuse of prescription narcotics—such as OxyContin—among seniors reached an all-time low at 0.6%, a significant decline from 9.5% in 2004. Meanwhile, cannabis vaping rates held steady, with 17.6% of seniors reporting use in the past year.

“Kids who were in 8th grade at the start of the pandemic will be graduating from high school this year, and this unique cohort has ushered in the lowest rates of substance use we’ve seen in decades,” said Miech. “Even as the drugs, culture, and landscape continue to evolve in future years, the Monitoring the Future survey will continue to nimbly adapt to measure and report on these trends—just as it has done for the past 50 years.”

References

1. Missing rebound: youth drug use defies expectations, continues historic decline. News release. University of Michigan. December 17, 2024. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://news.umich.edu/missing-rebound-youth-drug-use-defies-expectations-continues-historic-decline/

2. Reported use of most drugs among adolescents remained low in 2024. News release. National Institute on Drug Abuse. December 17, 2024. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2024/12/reported-use-of-most-drugs-among-adolescents-remained-low-in-2024