Teenagers have used much less of it in the past year

Drug use among adolescents has decreased significantly in the last year. The results were compiled by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and published in its latest Monitoring the Future survey, which takes into account substances such as alcohol, marijuana, vaping, and others.

The survey, which has been collecting data since 1975, reflects the sharpest drop in drug use among adolescents of all time. Vaping, the most widely consumed substance, saw a significant decrease in teens of different ages (from 17% in eighth graders in 2020 to 12% in 2021, from 31 to 20% in tenth graders, and from 35% to 27% in twelfth graders ).

Photo by Eliott Reyna via Unsplash

Despite the results of the survey, researchers believe that last year’s data was atypical and heavily influenced by the pandemic and lifestyle changes that have forced them into their lives.

“We have never seen such a dramatic drop in drug use among adolescents in just one year. These data are unprecedented and highlight an unexpected potential consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic which has created seismic shifts in the daily lives of adolescents, “said Nora Volkow, MD, director of NIDA.

“Going forward, it will be crucial to identify the crucial elements of the past year that have contributed to lower drug use – be it related to drug availability, family involvement, differential peer pressure, or other factors – and them to use for future prevention efforts. “.”

Binge drinking and cannabis use didn’t reflect big changes in the first six months of the pandemic, but alcohol use overall declined compared to 2020.

RELATED: Teenagers are more likely to eat weed and alcohol when they do

One interesting finding was the fact that while teenagers reported a decline in mental health – experiencing more boredom, anxiety, depression, and loneliness – it had no effect on their substance use, two factors normally linked. Researchers believe this is due to the pandemic’s impact on social interactions.

Photo by rawpixel / Getty Images

RELATED: Here’s What You Should Know About Teens and Marijuana Abuse

Speaking to CNN, Volkow explained the importance of keeping an eye on these trends, which could change quickly. “It is important that we go out with our eyes open. Unless we are proactive in prevention, I suspect that youth drug use numbers will return to what they were before the pandemic was declared a state of emergency, “she said. “They could even get worse because their mental health deteriorates, which puts them at risk.”