Trends and Statistics

Although Relatively Few, “Doctor Shoppers” Skew Opioid Prescribing

One out of every 143 U.S. patients who received a prescription for an opioid painkiller in 2008 obtained prescriptions from multiple physicians in a pattern that suggests misuse or abuse of the drugs, according to a recent estimate. While these “doctor shoppers” comprised only 0.7 percent of all patients with opioid prescriptions, they purchased almost 2 percent of all such prescriptions and 4 percent of the total amount of opioid drugs measured by weight. Dr. Douglas McDonald and Kenneth Carlson of the research firm Abt Associates, Inc., of Cambridge, Massachusetts, derived national estimates

In Nationwide Survey, More Students Use Marijuana, Fewer Use Other Drugs

For the 16th year in a row, NIDA’s annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey has documented a decline in the percentage of American students in grades 8, 10, and 12 who report having ever used alcohol. The percentage of survey respondents who reported having ever smoked cigarettes also dropped, for the 17th straight year, bringing lifetime smoking prevalence among these teens to less than half of the peak reported in the mid-1990s (see Figure 1). However, the portion of students reporting that they had used an illegal drug during their lifetime increased by 1.7 percentage points, from 34.1

Percentage of adolescents reporting drug use decreased significantly in 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic endured

Results from the 2021 Monitoring the Future Survey report substance use behaviors and related attitudes

Drug and Alcohol Use in College-Age Adults in 2014

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The 2014 Monitoring the Future College Students and Adults survey shows trends in alcohol, marijuana, nicotine, and stimulant use in college students and non-college peers.

Monitoring the Future 2017 Survey Results

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This infographic of the NIH's 2017 Monitoring the Future survey highlights drug use trends among the Nation's youth for marijuana, alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes (e-vaporizers), and prescription opioids.

Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2/Spice) Unpredictable Danger

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This infographic shows that synthetic cannabinoids, like K2 or Spice, are not natural drugs and can lead to dangerous health effects.

Drug and Alcohol Use in College-Age Adults in 2016

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The 2016 Monitoring the Future College Students and Young Adults survey shows trends in the use of marijuana, alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs in college students and non-college peers.

Researchers Speak: The ABCD Study

In this video, Dr. Terry Jernigan describes the purpose and goals of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.

Nonmedical Opioid and Heroin Use Among High School Seniors

This study analyzed the use of use of nonmedical opioids and heroin use among 68,000 high-school seniors participating in the NIDA-funded Monitoring the Future Study between 2009 and 2013.

Monitoring the Future 2016 Survey Results

Read more about Monitoring the Future 2016 Survey Results

This infographic of the NIH's 2016 Monitoring the Future survey highlights drug use trends among the Nation’s youth for marijuana, alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and prescription opioids.

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