Teen Substance Abuse Rates at Historic Lows, Yet Concerns Remain

Strategic Insights -

Teenagers' use of cigarettes, alcohol, and other substances is at historic lows, according to this year's Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey results. However, the survey also reveals a concerning trend of slowing rates of decline in teen smoking, continued high rates of abuse of other tobacco products, marijuana, and prescription drugs. Despite the declines, more teens continue to abuse marijuana than cigarettes, and alcohol remains the drug of choice among all three age groups queried.

Key Takeaways:

  • Cigarette use has declined to historically low rates, with 18.7 percent of 12th-graders reporting current (past-month) use, down from a recent peak of 36.5 percent in 1997 and 21.6 percent five years ago.
  • Only 6.1 percent of eighth-graders reported current smoking, compared to a recent peak of 21 percent in 1996 and 8.7 percent five years ago.
  • Despite a five-year decrease in binge drinking, measured as five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks, across all three grades, binge drinking was reported by 6.4 percent of eighth-graders, 14.7 percent of 10th-graders, and 21.6 percent of 12th-graders in 2011.
  • Use of marijuana has shown some increases in recent years and remains steady, with 36.4 percent of 12th-graders reporting past year use, and 6.6 percent reporting daily use, up from 31.5 and 5 percent, respectively, five years ago.
  • The upward trend in teens' abuse of marijuana corresponded to downward trends in their perception of risk, with only 22.7 percent of high school seniors seeing great risk in smoking marijuana occasionally, compared to 25.9 percent five years ago.
  • 11.4 percent of 12th-graders reported past year use of synthetic marijuana, known as K2 or spice, which is a significant concern.
  • Abuse of the opioid painkiller Vicodin was reported by 8.1 percent of 12th-graders, similar to 2010 and down from 9.7 percent in 2009.
  • The non-medical use of the ADHD medicines Adderall and Ritalin remained about the same as last year among 12th-graders, at 6.5 and 2.6 percent, respectively.

Statistics:

  • 46,773 students from 400 public and private schools participated in this year's MTF survey.
  • Cigarette use has declined from a recent peak of 36.5 percent in 1997 to 18.7 percent in 2011.
  • Binge drinking decreased across all three grades, from 8.7 percent, 19.9 percent, and 25.4 percent in 2006 to 6.4 percent, 14.7 percent, and 21.6 percent in 2011.
  • Marijuana use increased among 12th-graders, from 31.5 percent in 2006 to 36.4 percent in 2011.
  • Daily marijuana use increased among 12th-graders, from 5 percent in 2006 to 6.6 percent in 2011.

Sources:

  • Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey results
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • University of Michigan
  • Monitoring the Future website: http://monitoringthefuture.org
  • NIDA's teen website: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/peerx
  • National Survey on Drug Use and Health: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2k10NSDUH/2k10Results.htm
  • Youth Risk Behavior Survey: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/yrbs/index.htm