According to the results of the 2025 Monitoring the Future Survey carried out by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), reported use of most drugs remained low among U.S. adolescents. Moreover, teen abstention from drug use also remained at an all-time high since the survey was first introduced in 1975. The survey, conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan with funding from NIDA, collects nationally representative self-reported data from 8th, 10th, and 12th graders on substance use patterns, attitudes, and perceived availability.

The study analyzed 23,726 web-based surveys completed by students from 270 public and private schools nationwide over the period spanning between February and June 2025. The results demonstrate that for the fifth consecutive year, teen substance use in the U.S. has remained near the historic lows first observed in 2021, a decline largely linked to pandemic-related social disruptions, while abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, and nicotine has stayed at record-high levels.

Overall, reported use of most substances among U.S. adolescents remained stable in 2025 compared with 2024, with high and consistent abstinence rates from cannabis, alcohol, and nicotine across all grades. In addition, alcohol, cannabis, nicotine vaping, and nicotine pouch use showed little change by grade level, while use generally increased with age. Although cocaine and heroin use remained low overall, modest but statistically significant increases were observed among eighth and 12th graders, and according to researchers, this trend warrants continued monitoring.

Researchers attribute the sustained low levels of adolescent substance use largely to pandemic-related disruptions that reduced drug availability and limited social interactions during this period. They also note that persistently high perceptions of risk, disapproval of use, and reduced peer exposure may be contributing to the continued stability of these trends. “We are encouraged that adolescent drug use remains relatively low and that so many teens choose not to use drugs at all,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of NIDA, in a press release. “It is critical to continue to monitor these trends closely to understand how we can continue to support teens in making healthy choices and target interventions where and when they are needed.”