Mixed Data on Drug Use by Youth

The annual Monitoring the Future study presented a mix of progress and negative trends involving drug use by young people. Steve Pasierb, president of The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, analyses the figures.

By Steve Pasierb, Guest Contributor

Steve Pasierb is the president of The Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

In this article, the author comments on the December 2008 Monitoring the Future study on drug use. The Monitoring the Future study is an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults. The study is conducted at the Survey Research Center in the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan.

The 2008 Monitoring the Future study (MTF) indicates the continuation of a promising trend in the declining rates of use of certain drugs—particularly stimulants like methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack—among our country’s teens. However, the study also indicates several areas of growing concern. I will address both in this article.

There is considerable progress to report. The long-term decline in the use of methamphetamines, especially among 12^th graders, is of particular importance. Since 1999, use of this highly addictive drug that has devastated some parts of the country has dropped by two-thirds among this age group. Through the combined efforts of parents who regularly talk about the risks of using meth with their teens, and local education initiations like those of the Partnership’s Meth360® program, which operates in 24 states, there is strong hope that this progress will continue.

Positive trends were also reported in two other key areas—use of over-the counter cold and cough medicines to get high, and teen use of anabolic steroids. The abuse of over-the-counter cold and cough medicines is one of the most concerning trends in teen drug use, and news that prevalence of this behavior among eighth and 12^th graders has declined even a small percentage is an indicator that prevention efforts have begun to have an impact, and that these must continue.

Additionally, steroid use has declined steadily since 2001, and since that time, use has dropped by one-third among 12^th graders, and by half among eighth and 10^th graders, which bodes well for the health of young athletes.

However, there are also reasons for concern. Despite the good news above, the MTF study highlights three areas of concern that should serve as a call-to-action for all those who work with youth or their parents.

First, the abuse of prescription medications continues at alarming levels. The fact that 15 percent of 12^th graders report abusing a prescription drug in the past year—and that this prevalence has remained steady for several years—is a stark contrast to the progress made against illicit drugs.

The second area of concern is among eighth graders, where there has been a weakening in the perceived risk of using inhalants—household products that are sniffed to get high. In 2008, this age group also reported a lower rate of disapproval of this behavior.

Lastly, MTF indicates that the decade-long decline in marijuana use among all grades has leveled off, and among eighth and 12^th graders, there is weakening in the perceived rising of using marijuana regularly.

Historically, when risk perceptions weaken, the likelihood of use increases. As such attitudes about both marijuana and inhalant use are in potentially dangerous transition periods, use may be poised to rise in the future.

While parents and caring adults have the greatest influence over a teen’s decision to try drugs, research shows that there is a statistically significant correlation between increased teen exposure to antidrug messages on television and a decreased likelihood of trying drugs. It is of some concern that the softening of risk perceptions among a new generation of teens coincides with a time of reduced budgets for federal, state, and local antidrug media campaigns.