Most teens aren’t drinking, smoking or doing drugs, new survey shows

[Jack Aylmer]

HERE’S SOME GOOD NEWS – IT LOOKS LIKE DRINKING, SMOKING, AND GETTING HIGH AREN’T CONSIDERED AS COOL AS THEY USED TO BE AMONG TEENAGERS THESE DAYS.

EVERY YEAR SINCE 20-17 – RESEARCHERS WITH THE “MONITORING THE FUTURE PROJECT” HAVE TRACKED THE NUMBER OF 8-TH, 10-TH, AND 12-TH GRADERS ABSTAINING FROM ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND MARIJUANA USE.

THEY FOUND IN 20-24… SAW THE LOWEST USE OF THESE SUBSTANCES SINCE TRACKING BEGAN.

THIS YEAR, 67 PERCENT OF 12-TH GRADERS SAIF THEY HADN’T USED ANY OF THESE SUBSTANCES IN THE LAST 30 DAYS… A SIZEABLE JUMP FROM 53 PERCENT IN 20-17.

AND THE PERCENTAGE OF 10-TH GRADERS USING ABSTAINING ROSE FROM 69 PERCENT IN 20-17… TO 80 PERCENT THIS YEAR.

MEANWHILE, AMONG 8-TH GRADERS, THE NEWS WAS EVEN BETTER… GOING FROM 87 PERCENT TO 90 PERCENT.

*HOWEVER* – RESEARCHERS DID SEE A CONCERNING RISE IN THE USE OF NICOTINE POUCHES… WITH ABOUT 6 PERCENT OF 12-TH GRADERS SAYING THEY’D USE THEM – DOUBLING LAST YEAR’S FINDINGS WHEN 3 PERCENT SAID THEY DID.

OVERALL, THE STUDY’S AUTHORS SAY SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WHEN TEEN SUBSTANCE USE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY… IT HAS *NOT* REBOUNDED.

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