remains a significant problem across all genders, race/ethnicities, and ages. However, adolescent drug use is particularly damaging as such use can affect the physical and mental development of younger people and can impact their opportunities later in life. In 1991, approximately 30.4 percent of those in school grades 8, 10, and 12 had
in their lives. This number reached a high of 43.3 percent in 1997, but had dropped down to around 25 percent by the year 2024. Marijuana and alcohol are the most used illicit drugs among adolescents in the United States, with around 65 percent of 12th graders
, compared to around 14.4 percent of those perceiving the same for cocaine. It is estimated that around 2.5 percent of
Marijuana and alcohol use
Thirty-day prevalence rates of marijuana use for school grades 8, 10, and 12 was around 10 percent in 2024, the lowest rate seen in the past two decades.
High school student marijuana use was slightly higher among females than males in 2021. Rates of
alcohol use among teens have similarly declined since the early 1990's. In 2022, around 16.5 percent of females and 13.8 percent of males aged 12 to 20 years had
drank alcohol in the past month.
What are study drugs?
Study drugs, or smart drugs, are prescription stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall that are generally used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but can be used recreationally to increase concentration and boost energy. However, around 41 percent of students in grade 12 thought
trying Adderall occasionally posed a great risk for harm, and
annual prevalence rates of Adderall use among those in grades 8, 10, and 12 have generally decreased in recent years. Similarly,
overall rates of Ritalin use have also generally decreased since 2001. In 2024, around two percent of U.S.
students in grades 8, 10, and 12 stated they had used Adderall in the past year, while less than one percent said they had used Ritalin.
Drug overdose deaths among young people
Despite decreases in general drug use among adolescents, the
death rate due to drug overdose among those aged 15 to 24 years has increased. In 2022, there were 6,696
overdose deaths recorded among those aged 15 to 24 years, compared to 4,777 in 2019.
Heroin, prescription opioids, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl are the drugs most commonly involved in overdose deaths and are the main drivers of this increase in deaths. However, those aged 0 to 24 years account for the smallest
share of overall deaths due to opioid overdose in the United States, with only five percent of opioid overdose deaths in 2023 occurring among this age group.
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