U.S. Teen Substance Use at Historic Lows for Fifth Year, Survey Finds

MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For the fifth consecutive year, the number of American teenagers using drugs and alcohol remains at a historic low. 

New survey data show that the dramatic decrease in substance use that began during the COVID-19 pandemic has not reversed, signaling a long-term shift in youth behavior.

The National Institute of Health-funded Monitoring the Future survey, which has tracked student behaviors and attitudes for more than 50 years, found that the falloff in drug use reported in 2021 has become the new normal. 

Students took the online survey in classrooms between February and June 2025.

Researchers initially thought that as social distancing ended and students returned to normal social lives, drug use would go right back to pre-2020 levels. However, the 2025 data shows that this rebound never occurred.

The most striking finding is the high percentage of students who now report staying away from substances entirely. 

In the month leading up to the survey, 91% of eighth-graders, 82% of 10th-graders and 66% of 12th-graders reported that they did not use marijuana, alcohol or nicotine.

“Many expected teen drug use levels to return to pre-pandemic levels once the social distancing policies were lifted, but this has not happened,” said Richard Miech, a research professor and lead investigator of the study, conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. 

He noted that the initial decline was likely due to teens spending more time at home with caregivers and less time in the social settings where drugs are often introduced.

The percentage of teens using alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, nicotine patches and vaping was stable from last year to this year among all grades.

Additionally, while overall numbers remain very low compared to previous decades, there were small but statistically significant increases in the reported use of heroin and cocaine in some grades.

The 2025 report also looked closely at newer products, such as nicotine pouches and hemp-derived cannabis products like Delta-8. 

These remained stable, though researchers are keeping a close watch on how these alternatives fit into the lives of the 23,726 students surveyed across 270 public and private schools.

Dr. Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), called the overall results encouraging. 

She said it is a positive sign that “so many teens choose not to use drugs at all,” but she urged health officials to “continue to monitor these trends closely to understand how we can continue to support teens in making healthy choices.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).

More information

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) provides resources on teen brain development and substance use prevention.

SOURCE: National Institute on Drug Abuse, news release, Dec. 17, 2025