This year's survey revealed that about two-thirds of 12th graders reported no use of alcohol, marijuana, or cigarettes in the past 30 days, indicating a significant trend toward substance abstinence among teenagers. This is the highest rate since the survey began tracking such data in 2017 and suggests a cultural shift in teenage attitudes towards substance use. Additionally, 80% of 10th graders and 90% of 8th graders reported similar abstinence levels, which emphasizes the overall decrease in adolescent substance use.
Although significant increases in teenage substance use were anticipated after pandemic limitations eased, data from the Monitoring the Future survey indicates otherwise. Richard Miech, who leads the survey, expressed that there's uncertainty about whether the observed substance use trends among youth are a temporary phase or indicative of a long-term cultural shift, leaving researchers puzzled about the future trajectory of teen drug use.
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