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NIDA Monitoring the Future Survey, Results published

Since 1975 the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey has measured drug, alcohol, and cigarette use and related attitudes among adolescent students nationwide. Survey participants report their drug use behaviours across three time periods: lifetime, past year, and past month. Overall, 46,348 students from 386 public and private schools in the 8th, 10th, and 12th grades participated in this year's survey. The survey is funded by the NIDA, a component of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), and conducted by the University of Michigan.

These year's main results showed:

From 2007 to 2008, the percentage of 10th graders reporting lifetime, past year, and past month use of any illicit drug other than marijuana declined significantly. Lifetime use decreased from 18.2% to 15.9%, past year use declined from 13.1% to 11.3%, and past month use decreased from 6.9% to 5.3%.

Cigarette smoking continues to fall to the lowest rate in the survey's history. Between 2007 and 2008, declines were observed in lifetime, past-month, and daily cigarette use among 10th graders. Although there were no one-year declines for 8th and 12th graders, all grades have continued a longer term trend of declining cigarette use.

Overall, the use of stimulants declined: lifetime, past year, and past month amphetamine use declined among 10th graders. Crystal methamphetamine (i.e., Ice) use continues to decline past-year use fell among 12th graders, from 1.6% to 1.1%. Also, past-year crack cocaine use declined from 2007 to 2008 among 12th graders, from 1.9% to 1.6%.

The use of alcohol in all prevalence periods measured among 10th graders decreased. For example, past year alcohol use by 10th graders declined from 56.3% in 2007 to 52.5% in 2008.

Marijuana use across the three grades has shown a consistent decline since the mid-1990s, but appears to have levelled off. Past-year use was reported by 10.9% of 8th graders, 23.9% of 10th graders, and 32.4% of 12th graders.

In 2008, 15.4% of 12th graders reported using a prescription drug non-medically within the past year. Vicodin continues to be abused at unacceptably high levels. Many of the drugs used by 12th graders are prescription drugs or, in the case of cough medicine, are available over the counter.

Attitudes toward substance abuse, often seen as harbingers of change in use rates, were mostly stable. However, among 12th graders, perceived risk of harm associated with LSD continues to decrease. Additionally, perceived harmfulness and disapproval of marijuana and inhalant use softened among 8th graders this year.

Published by Addiction Advisor on 27/12/2008.

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