A recent survey found that most US teens are abstaining from drinking, smoking, and marijuana, with record-breaking numbers reporting no use of these substances in the past 30 days. The Monitoring the Future survey, which has been tracking teen substance use since 1975, showed that about two-thirds of 12th graders (66%) hadn’t used alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, or e-cigarettes in the previous month. This is the largest proportion abstaining since the survey started measuring abstinence in 2017.
Among 10th graders, 80% said they hadn’t used any of these substances recently, while 90% of 8th graders reported no use. The only notable increase was seen among nicotine pouches, with about 6% of 12th graders reporting recent use, up from 3% in 2022.
Experts are unsure if this trend indicates a new public health problem or simply a temporary response to the pandemic. Richard Miech, who leads the survey, noted that it’s hard to determine whether this is the start of something new or not.
The pandemic may have contributed to the decline in substance use among teens. With schools closed and social gatherings prohibited, many students were at home under parents’ supervision, reducing opportunities for experimentation. As lockdowns ended, experts expected a partial rebound in substance use, but instead saw record-breaking abstinence rates.
Additionally, mental health issues like depression and anxiety may be contributing to the decline in substance use among teens. Some researchers believe that social inhibition and reduced opportunities for substance use due to pandemic-related restrictions may also play a role.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/teen-drug-use-b5e877b4c7eecb5354c3b8214e7d8692