National Synopsis:

"In the 27 years that the MTF (Monitoring the Future) study has collected data, past year prevalence rates for self-reported marijuana use by seniors peaked at 50.8 percent in 1979 and declined to a low of 21.9 percent in 1992. Since then, it reached a relative maximum of 38.5 percent in 1997 and is now at 37.0 percent in 2001." (Smoking among teenagers decreases sharply and increase in ecstasy use slows, December 19, 2001)-Monitoring The Future Press Releases

Monitoring the Future:

The University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future Survey has been tracking substance abuse among youth for the past 27 years. It is the most widely national survey of youth drug use statistics. The most recent study included nearly 44,000 students in some 424 public and private secondary schools, trend data are reported for 12th graders since 1975 and for eighth graders since 1991.

The most recent study was released on December 19, 2001. Key findings sited in the press release include:

• Illicit drug use by secondary students is finally heading down after six years of steady increases.

• Some teenagers see an increased risk in occasional use of marijuana.

• Marijuana, the most widely used of the illicit drugs, accounted for most of the increase in overall illicit drug use during the 90's and now accounts for much of the observed decrease. There was some gradual downward movement in all three grades in those reporting any use of marijuana in the prior 12 months.

• Marijuana use is still widespread. This year, nearly a quarter of eighth-graders said they had tried marijuana, and about half of all 12th graders said they had done so.

Additional data tables and figures are available at the Monitoring the Future website.

The following Hot Quotes show that though drug use appears to be leveling off, we still have a long way to go in our education and prevention efforts. It is also important note that only one year ago, a survey found that drugs were the number one concern for both parents and youth alike!

"Authorities have made dozens of drug arrests recently along Interstate 20 in East Texas, which they say is increasingly becoming a corridor for narcotics traffic." (Drug arrests increase on I-20, MSNBC, December 17, 2001)

"The survey results, released Wednesday, show that drugs remain U.S. teens' No.1 concern. And fewer youths - 51 percent - expect to totally abstain from future drug use than in 1999, when 61 percent expected to abstain. More also believe it's easier to buy pot than cigarettes." (Marijuana easy to get, teens say, The Cincinnati Enquirer, February 22, 2001)

(Hot Quotes from 1998)

(Hot Quotes from before 1998)