HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The Monitoring the Future (MTF) in-school student survey is conducted annually by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, under grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institutes of Health. The MTF survey measures drug, alcohol, and nicotine use among U.S. adolescents in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades.
The results of the 2023 MTF survey show that adolescent drug use levels, for the most common substances, continued at the lowered levels observed after the COVID-19 pandemic onset:
- Since the significant decline in 2021, cannabis levels for past 12-month use changed little in any of the three grades.
- Levels of alcohol use in the past 12 months for 12th graders were slightly lower in 2023 versus 2021, after a fleeting rebound in 2022. Among 8th graders, levels of use were also slightly lower in 2023 versus 2021; while 10th graders’ 2023 level of use was slightly higher than 2021, although substantially below the pre-pandemic level.
- Nicotine vaping in the past 12 months continued to drop after 2021 in all three grades, with significant declines in 2023 in both 12th and 10th grade.
For the first time in 2023, the MTF survey asked 12th graders about their use of delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol. Delta-8-THC is a variant of delta-9-THC, which is the main psychoactive compound of cannabis (marijuana). Delta-8 and delta-9 have similar intoxicating effects, yet different legal contexts. Delta-8-THC is federally legal. It is synthesized from the hemp plant, which was legalized in the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act. Since the passage of this legislation, delta-8-THC products are increasingly available, including at convenience stores and gas stations in many states within the U.S. Potential health effects of delta-8-THC, including dependence, are currently unknown.
The results of the 2023 MTF survey show a delta-8-THC prevalence of 11 percent for past 12-month use among 12th graders. Thus, the 2024 MTF survey will expand the number of questions regarding delta-8-THC in all three grades to better track its trends in use going forward.
Research also shows that the earlier a person begins to use drugs, the more likely he or she is to develop serious problems. The regions of the brain that control decision-making and judgment do not fully develop until people are in their early- or mid-20s. This limits a teen’s ability to accurately assess the risks of drug experimentation and makes young people more vulnerable to peer pressure.
Because the brain is still developing, using drugs at this age has more potential to disrupt brain function in areas critical to behavior control, memory, learning, motivation, and judgment. Thus, it is not surprising that teens, who use drugs and alcohol, often have family and social problems, poor academic performance, health-related problems to include mental health conditions, and involvement with the juvenile justice system.
Fortunately, research has proven that parents play a vital role in preventing their children from starting to use drugs. Thus, parents should discuss the dangers of drug use with their children.
Parents may consider the following positive parenting tips, which are offered by the National Institutes of Health, to further strengthen resilience, self-confidence, self-discipline, communication skills, and responsible decision-making in their children:
• Communication: It helps parents catch problems early, support positive behavior, and stay aware of what is happening in their children's lives.
• Encouragement: It builds confidence and a strong sense of self, and it helps parents promote cooperation and reduce conflict.
• Negotiate solutions: It offers parents a way to work together to solve problems, make changes, promote and improve cooperation. Also, it teaches youth how to focus on solutions rather than problems, think through possible outcomes of behavior, and develop communication skills.
• Set limits: It helps parents teach self-control and responsibility, show caring, and provide safe boundaries. It also provides youth with guidelines and teaches them the importance of following rules.
• Supervision: It helps parents recognize developing problems, promote safety, and stay involved.
• Know your child's friends: It helps parents improve communication, reduce conflict, and teach responsibility.
For more information, contact the Hurlburt Field Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) Program at (850) 881-4237. The ADAPT Program provides a wide range of prevention education, outreach, evaluation, counseling and treatment services to active duty military members. The ADAPT Program is located at 130 LeTourneau Circle, building # 90311 (i.e., positioned directly behind the Hurlburt Youth Center).
Family members of active duty military personnel should contact TriCare-Humana East at (800) 444-5445 for information and assistance in obtaining substance use evaluation, counseling and treatment services.