Although illegal drug use by teens is continuing to decrease, abuse of prescription opioids and over-the-counter medications remain at high levels, according to the latest Monitoring the Future survey of eighth, 10th and 12th grade students by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Led by a decline in marijuana use, illicit drug use has dropped from 19.4 percent in 2001 to only 14.9 percent in 2006.

But the survey showed an increase in teen use of prescription drugs Vicodin and OxyContin and an alarming use, especially by the younger students surveyed, of over-the-counter cold or cough medicine containing dextromethorphan (DXM). The survey showed 4.2 percent of eighth-graders, 5.3 percent of 10th graders, and 6.9 percent of 12th graders reported taking cold or cough medicines with dextromethorphan (DXM) during the past year to get high.

Since 2001, past-month use of marijuana for all three grades decreased by almost 25 percent, from 16.6 percent in 2001 to 12.5 percent in 2006. Cigarette smoking is at an all-time low for all three grades, and past-month alcohol use continued to decline, the report said.

More to Be Done

"We should all take pride in seeing a drop in the percentage of teenagers who abuse drugs, a key goal in the President's National Drug Control Strategy," said HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt in a news release. "But we must not ease up, as there is more to be done. We must seize the opportunity to build on this success by renewing our commitment to help young people avoid drug use, or to stop using drugs if they have started."

"The survey results indicate that the messages we are sending to students about addiction and drug abuse are having an overall positive effect," said NIH Director Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni. "But the rise in prescription drug abuse among the younger grades and the intentional abuse of over-the-counter medications are very disturbing. These findings point to the continuing need to educate our young people about the potential for harm when drugs are taken without a physician's supervision."

"Past-year use of marijuana has fallen by 36 percent among eighth graders, 28 percent among 10th graders, and 18 percent among 12th graders since the peak abuse years in the 1990s," says NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow. "This is great news. However, past-year use of OxyContin has almost doubled among eighth graders since 2002, and Vicodin abuse remains stubbornly high among 12th graders. We know that the job is not yet done."

More Survey Findings

Other highlights from the Monitoring the Future survey show that between 2005 and 2006:

• Past-year and past-month methamphetamine use decreased among 10th graders, with past-year falling from 2.9 percent to 1.8 percent, and past-month decreasing from 1.1 percent to 0.7 percent.

• There was an increase in perceived harmfulness among 12th graders of heroin, ice, sedatives and/or barbiturates, and steroids.

• There was a decrease in perceived harmfulness and disapproval of MDMA (or ecstasy) among eighth graders.

• Use of inhalants leveled off in 2006.

Getting the Message

"There has been a substance abuse sea change among American teens," said John P. Walters, director of National Drug Control Policy. "They are getting the message that dangerous drugs damage their lives and limit their futures. We know that if people don't start using drugs during their teen years, they are very unlikely to go on to develop drug problems later in life. That's why this sharp decline in teen drug use is such important news: It means that there will be less addiction, less suffering, less crime, lower health costs, and higher achievement for this upcoming generation of Americans."

More Information:

• Monitoring the Future Survey
  
• Marijuana - FAQs for Teens
  
• Basic Facts About OxyContin

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