PCSS-MAUD Webinar: Understanding and Addressing Youth Alcohol Use-Monitoring the Future Report 2025

Monitoring the Future Report 2025

Pdf Summary

This comprehensive 2024 Monitoring the Future (MTF) report presents data from 50 years of U.S. secondary school student surveys on substance use, attitudes, and social context. The MTF study annually assesses nationally representative samples of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders regarding licit and illicit drug use, including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, prescription and illicit drugs, as well as new products like vaping devices and nicotine pouches.<br /><br />Key 2024 findings include record-high drug abstention rates with 67% of 12th graders, 80% of 10th graders, and 90% of 8th graders reporting no past-month use of alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine, continuing declines initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicotine pouch use notably doubled among 12th graders to 6% and increased significantly in 10th grade. Use of the three most common substances—alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine vaping—continued to decline across all grades.<br /><br />Demographic patterns show males generally exhibit higher use than females, though females slightly surpassed males in marijuana use in 2024. White students had higher usage for most substances than Black/African American and Hispanic students. Students with college plans showed lower prevalence of illicit drug use, and regional and urbanicity variations were observed for certain drugs.<br /><br />Trends since 1975 reveal cohort and period effects. The report details declines in cigarette smoking to all-time lows, shifts in perceptions of harm and disapproval influencing use, and the social context of parental and peer attitudes as key determinants of trends. Despite higher drug prevalence among absentees and dropouts, adjustments for these groups produce only modest increases in national estimates, affirming data representativeness.<br /><br />MTF data highlight that perceptions of risk and peer disapproval closely track use patterns. The report also documents changes in drug availability perceptions, with declines for many drugs post-pandemic. New substances like delta-8 THC and evolving modes of use like vaping marijuana have been monitored.<br /><br />The report includes extensive tabular and graphical trend data, methodological details, and research publications covering substance use reasons, longitudinal outcomes, and policy effects. This ongoing surveillance supports informed prevention, policy, and public health efforts addressing adolescent substance use in the U.S.

Keywords

Monitoring the Future

2024 report

U.S. secondary students

substance use trends

alcohol use

marijuana use

nicotine vaping

drug abstention rates

demographic patterns

adolescent drug prevention