Illegal Use of Prescription Drugs and Heroin is Only Popular Among Adults
The NIH has declared that use of prescription drugs and heroin is at its lowest since the Monitoring Future Survey was first introduced. These drugs have not seen a decline in popularity for adults, but teenagers tell an entirely different story. The use of synthetic cannabinoids, Vicodin, inhalants, methamphetamine, amphetamines, ecstasy and alcohol is at an all time low in NIH records, in all age-groups that took part in the survey.
For 8th-10th graders, the use of Ritalin, Oxycontin, bath salts, over the counter cough medicine and bath salts also saw a significant decrease, and it is at its lowest since the survey was first made. 12th grader reported the lowest amount of crystal meth and sedative use as well.
Drug Use in Teens is Down to 27.2%
The only drug that has seen only a slight decrease is alcohol. 40% of teens surveyed were revealed to have gotten drunk in the past year. The popularity of e-cigarettes is also evident. While the use of regular cigarettes is at it’s lowest, 9.5% of 8th graders, 14% of 10th graders and 16.2% of 12th graders had used e-cigarettes in the past year.
The Only Drug that Did Not Lose Popularity is Marijuana
6% of high school seniors reported having smoked marijuana daily. 6.5% high school freshman and 16.6% of sophomores smoked in the past month. 21.2% of seniors admitted having used it in the past month. The perception of marijuana at high schools has seen a steady shift. 31.9% of seniors surveyed said that consistent use of marijuana could be harmful, which is down 6% from last year.
These Figures Should Be Taken With A Grain of Salt
Dr. Nora Volkov, director of
NIDA, advises the community to still remain alert. The fact that figures are lower doesn’t mean that they will continue to decline. The past twenty years have seen a trend shift toward relatively safer drugs, but rates of drug use are still very high at the national level.
In comparison to other countries, the United States has some of the highest rates of drug use among younger age groups. It will likely be some time before global surveys show us any different. There is lots of work to do until illegal drug use is kept at a manageable line.
Will Legalized Medical or Recreational Marijuana Factor into These Figures in the Future?
If marijuana is legalized under federal law, it may no longer factor into these figures. Whether it for in medical or recreational use, marijuana shows no signs of becoming less popular. Aside from the fact that it introduces potentially harmful fumes and tar into the lungs, there is little to be said about opposing marijuana. While it does impair judgment, it has shown potential to treat pain, depression and other ailments in moderate amounts.
Party Drugs Are Dead to Teens
The fact that this survey shows marijuana as the most popular drug of choice is probably not only for the teenage age group. Figures for young adults in or recently out of college are probably similar. In any case, it’s good news that party drugs and dangerous opioid analgesics are less popular, perhaps because marijuana is as trendy as it is accessible in the United States. Whether or not the trend will stabilize is yet to be seen, as the government has been increasingly considering of legalizing the plant.
