Drug and alcohol use among our teens has remained a constant and often tragic problem for several generations. Using science based models and a highly successful Strategic Prevention Framework, we have seen a continued decline in overall illicit drug and alcohol use among teens since 2001. Read about this downward trend in the attached INFORMATION...foundation for good policy.

"Overall, illicit drug use by American teens continues gradual decline in 2007" is the headline for the release of the 33rd national survey in the Monitoring the Future (MTF) series conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. It goes on to offer even more good news: Among the youngest students surveyed – 8th graders – cumulative declines since peak levels of drug involvement in the mid-1990s are substantial.

PERCENT REPORTING PAST MONTH'S USE
Note: In 2007, 860,000 fewer youth were using illicit drugs than in 2001.

  20012007 Change as % of 2001
Any Illicit Drug
19.4% 14.8%
-24*
Marijuana16.6%
12.4%
-25*
MDMA (Ecstacy)
2.4%
1.1%
-54*
LSD
1.5%
0.6%
-60*
Amphetamines 4.7%
3.2%
-32%
Inhalents
2.8%
2.6%
-7
Methamphetamines
 1.4%0.5%
-64%
Steroids
0.9%
0.6%
-33*
Cocaine
1.5%
1.4%
-7
Heroin
0.4%
0.4%
0
Alcohol
35.5%
30.1%
-15*
Cigarettes
20.2%
13.6%
-33*
*Denotes statistically significant change from 2001.
Note: past month use is 8th, 10th, and 12th grades combined; percentage change calculated from figures having more precision than shown.
Source: 2007 Monitoring the Future (MTF) study special tabulations for 8th, 10th, and 12th graders; December 2007.


According to the latest MTF survey, long-term trends of decreasing youth drug use have continued from 2001 to 2007:
  • Use of illicit drugs dropped 21%
  • Marijuana use decreased 25%
  • Steroid us dropped by 1/3
  • Ecstacy use is less than 1/2 of what it was in 2001 (54% decline)
  • Methamphetamine use plummeted a staggering 64%
  • Alcohol use, including binge drinking, decreased by 15%
  • Cigarette smoking decreased by 33%
The drugs most responsible for this year's decline are marijuana and various stimulant drugs, including Ritalin, amphetamines, methamphetamines, and crystal meth. The only drug showing signs of an increase in use is MDMA (Ecstasy).

In the context of continuing long-term progress, these data show that there are still challenges that remain:
  • Overall youth prescription drug abuse is the second largest category of abuse, only behind marijuana.
  • Past-year use of Oxycontin increased 30% between 2002 and 2007.
  • Atittudes towards perceived risk of Ecstacy use have softened.
Challenges remain, but Connecticut is ready for the them.

To draw meaning from these national data, Connecticut's Strategic Prevention Framework is focusing resources to collect, analyze, and report data on drug use among Connecticut's youth, including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, heroin, prescription drugs, and cocaine. This information will also be able to identify specific factors that contribute to youth drug use and find the right kinds of strategies and programs to prevent it.

For more information, please contact Dianne Harnad at 860.418.6827 or Dianne.harnad@po.state.ct.us.