In a sense, this is a solemn report.
Most U.S. teenagers are cutting back on alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and e-cigarettes as part of the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but vice versa, according to a national survey released Tuesday. Only one is said to be widespread.
About two-thirds of high school seniors say they haven't drank alcohol or used marijuana or tobacco products in the past month, the most since the annual survey on drug use began in 2017. , the largest percentage of sober teens.
Even fewer underclassmen turn their attention to material things.
The federally funded “Monitoring the Future” study was based on responses from 24,000 eighth-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students nationwide, and found that 80% of 10th-graders reported using the drugs and alcohol listed above. It was found that 90% had never used the above drugs or alcohol recently. Eight of the eighth graders abstained.
But the outlier as teens are turning to illegal drugs at higher rates are nicotine pouches, such as the popular brand Zyn. Still, the percentage of 12th graders using Zyn or other pouches has increased from just 3% in 2023 to 6% this year, according to the survey.
Researchers believe the decline in drug use among teenagers is a lasting effect of pandemic lockdowns that limited social gatherings and reduced peer pressure.
High school freshmen are often turned to drugs and alcohol by older classmates, researchers said.
But pandemic-era freshmen were forced to avoid large gatherings and social events, and they didn't start drinking or smoking. Researchers theorized that as they grew up, they no longer had enough experience with alcohol or marijuana to influence younger students.
“The pandemic has stopped the cycle of new children arriving and being recruited into drug use,” said Richard Meek of the University of Michigan, who designed the study.
The trend surprised researchers who had predicted a renewed surge in teenage users after lockdowns and restrictions on social gatherings were lifted.
“I think everyone was expecting at least a partial backlash,” Meehy said.
with post wire
