The Intensity of Adolescent Substance Use Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Adolescent cannabis and alcohol use declined substantially following the COVID-19 pandemic onset in 2020. This study tests whether substance use "hardened," defined as an increased proportion of heavy users resulting from overall prevalence declines driven mainly by reductions in light and moderate use.

Methods

Data come from Monitoring the Future, which annually surveys nationally representative, cross-sectional samples of U.S. adolescents in 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th grades. The analysis includes 252,810 respondents surveyed between 2017-2024, with response rates of 86% in 8^th grade, 85% in 10^th grade, and 76% in 12^th grade. The main outcome is lifetime intensity of cannabis and alcohol use, measured

SUBMITTER: Miech R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12616519 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature