Trends In Prevalence Of Drugs Use In 8th, 10th, And 12th Grade (1975 - 2025)

The Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles and Values of Youth annual surveys were designed to explore changes in important values, behaviors, and lifestyle orientations of contemporary American youth. The surveys began in 1975 with 12th-grade students only. Eighth- and 10th-grade student surveys were added in 1991 under the title Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of American Youth (8th- and 10th-Grade Surveys) and, in 1996, the designation “12th-Grade Survey” was added to the titles of the subsequent 12th-grade surveys.

When examining the issues covered by the series, two general types of tasks may be distinguished.

• The first task is to provide a systematic and accurate description of the youth population of interest in a given year and to quantify the direction and rate of change occurring over time.
• The second task, more analytic than descriptive, involves the explanation of the relationships and trends observed.

Each year, large, distinct, nationally representative samples of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students in the United States are asked to respond to drug use and demographic questions, as well as to additional questions on a variety of subjects, including attitudes toward religion, parental influences, changing roles of women, educational aspirations, self-esteem, exposure to sex and drug education, and violence and crime – both in and out of school. In each grade, students are randomly assigned to complete questionnaires with a subset of topical questions in addition to a set of core questions on demographics and drug use.

Drugs

• ADHD Non-Stimulant (Prescribed)
• ADHD Stimulant (Prescribed)
• ADHD Stimulant or Non-Stimulant (Prescribed)
• Abstainers
• Adderall (Not Prescribed)
• Alcohol
• Alcohol with Caffeine
• Androstenedione (Not Prescribed)
• Any Illicit Drug
• Any Illicit Drug including Inhalants
• Any Illicit Drug other than Cannabis
• Any Nicotine Use
• Any Nicotine Use other than Vaping
• Any Prescription Drug
• Bath Salts (Synthetic Stimulants)
• Been Drunk
• Beer
• Bidis
• Cannabis
• Cannabis Products made from Hemp
• Cigarettes
• Cigarillos (Small Cigars)
• Cocaine
• Cocaine other than Crack
• Crack
• Creatine
• Crystal Methamphetamine
• Diet Pills
• Dissolvable Tobacco Products
• Ecstasy (MDMA)
• Energy Drinks
• Energy Drinks or Shots
• Energy Shots
• Fentanyl (Not Prescribed)
• Flavored Alcoholic Beverages
• Flavored Little Cigars
• GHB
• Hallucinogens
• Hallucinogens other than LSD
• Heroin
• Heroin with a Needle
• Heroin without a Needle
• Inhalants
• JUUL
• Ketamine
• Kreteks
• LSD
• Large Cigars
• Liquor
• Look-Alike Pills
• Medical Cannabis
• Metatine
• Methamphetamine
• Methaqualone (Quaaludes) (Not Prescribed)
• Nicotine Pouches
• Nitrites
• OTC Cough/Cold Medication
• OxyContin (Not Prescribed)
• PCP
• Powdered Alcohol
• Prescription Anti-Anxiety Drugs (Not Prescribed)
• Prescription Opioid Drugs (Not Prescribed)
• Prescription Sleeping Drugs (Not Prescribed)
• Prescription Stimulant Drugs (Not Prescribed)
• Prescription Weight Loss Drugs (Not Prescribed)
• Prescription Weight Loss Drugs (Prescribed)
• Provigil (Not Prescribed)
• Regular Small Cigars
• Ritalin (Not Prescribed)
• Rohypnol
• Salvia
• Smokeless Tobacco
• Snus
• Stay-Awake Pills
• Steroids (Not Prescribed)
• Synthetic Cannabis
• Tobacco with Hookah
• Vaping Cannabis
• Vaping Flavored Cannabis
• Vaping Flavoring
• Vaping Flavoring without Nicotine
• Vaping Nicotine (E-cigarettes)
• Vicodin (Not Prescribed)
• Wine

Reporting windows

• 10+ Drinks
• 12 Month
• 15+ Drinks
• 30 Day
• 5+ Drinks
• Current
• Daily
• Ever Used Daily for a Month or More
• Half-Pack+/day
• Lifetime