For the fifth year in a row, use of most substances among teenagers in the United States remains near the low point reached in 2021. The finding comes from the Monitoring the Future survey at the University of Michigan. The survey is done every year and has had support from the National Institutes of Health for many years.
The survey asks eighth, tenth and twelfth graders about substance use in the past month and year, and about harm and availability. In 2025 most measures stayed about the same as in 2024. Investigators collected answers from many schools and made the results representative for the whole country.
Difficult words
- substance — a chemical, drug, or material people can usesubstances
- survey — a study that asks people questions
- harm — physical or mental damage or hurt
- availability — how easy something is to get
- representative — true for the larger group or population
- investigator — a person who studies facts and collects informationInvestigators
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why is it useful that the survey is done every year?
- How might collecting answers from many schools help the results?
- Do you think questions about harm and availability are important? Why or why not?
Related articles
Drug‑resistant Salmonella in children’s food and water in Karamoja
A peer‑reviewed study found drug‑resistant Salmonella in nearly half of food and water consumed by under‑fives in Karamoja. High resistance to azithromycin and other drugs raises health, economic and development concerns.
AI expands sexual and reproductive health information in Peru and Argentina
Health groups in Peru and Argentina use artificial intelligence to give sexual and reproductive health information to young and marginalised people. Projects include a Quechua chatbot and a WhatsApp platform, but experts warn of bias and access problems.
