NIDA Survey Notes Decline in Adolescent Substance Use

NIDA recently released findings from the 2021 Monitoring the Future survey, which gathers data regarding substance use behaviors and attitudes among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. Results of the survey indicated that the percentage of adolescents reporting substance use decreased significantly in 2021, including those most commonly used–alcohol, marijuana, and vaped nicotine. The study also surveyed adolescents on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that students across all age-groups reported moderate increases in feelings of boredom, anxiety, depression, loneliness, worry, difficulty sleeping, and other negative mental health indicators since the beginning of the pandemic.