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The proportion of young and middle-aged adults utilizing nicotine pouches saw a notable rise last year, while cannabis utilization, vaping, and psychedelic drug consumption are at or close to unprecedented levels, as per the latest findings from the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future Panel survey.
“Alcohol remains the most frequently consumed substance across different age demographics, followed by cannabis and nicotine,” stated Megan Patrick, research professor at the Institute for Social Research and lead investigator of the MTF Panel Study. “The trends in substance utilization are evolving, with increases in cannabis use, vaping of both nicotine and cannabis, along with psychedelic drug consumption across various age brackets. This year also reflected a growth in the adoption of nicotine pouches among all age segments.”
Data gathered for the 2024 panel study, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse from the National Institutes of Health (R01DA016575), were collected through online and paper formats from April 2024 through October 2024. Key results are highlighted below:
Nicotine pouch usage (12-month prior use) rose significantly from 2023 to 2024 among every age group (ages 19 to 30, 35 to 50, and 55 to 65). Introduced in 2023, nicotine pouch use has doubled within a single year, with 9.5% of individuals aged 19 to 30 reporting usage over the past year in 2024.
Cannabis consumption (12-month, 30-day, and daily use) in 2024 remained at or near peak levels ever recorded among adults aged 19 to 30, with substantial increases over the past five and ten years. Among individuals aged 35 to 50, the prevalence of cannabis use (12-month, 30-day, and daily) has doubled or almost doubled (and seen significant growth) over the last five and ten years. Moreover, cannabis use disorder has surged among adults aged 40 to 50 over the previous five years.
Vaping of cannabis (12-month and 30-day use) reached unprecedented levels in 2024. In the 19 to 30 age group, prevalence over the past year has doubled since introduction in 2017, with a substantial increase observed over five years. Vaping of cannabis has seen a significant rise among adults aged 35 to 50 (12-month use) and adults aged 55 to 65 (both 12-month and 30-day use), also achieving new heights in 2024.
Nicotine vaping (12-month and 30-day usage) attained the highest levels recorded in 2024. For instance, among those aged 19 to 30, prevalence in the last month has tripled since this metric was first incorporated into the survey in 2017. Nicotine vaping (12-month and 30-day) has significantly surged over the last five years among ages 19 to 30 and 35 to 50, reaching new historical highs in 2024.
Consumption of psychedelic substances/hallucinogens (12-month use) has persisted in its ascent, achieving the highest levels ever noted in 2024 among adults aged 19 to 30 and 35 to 50, following significant rises over the previous five and ten years within these categories. Additionally, there have been substantial increases in stimulant drug usage (amphetamines and cocaine, 12-month use) over the past decade among adults aged 35 to 50.
Since 1975, the Monitoring the Future initiative has annually assessed substance use trends and attitudes within a nationally representative sample of adolescents.
A longitudinal component of Monitoring the Future conducts follow-up assessments on a subsection of these participants (approximately 20,000 individuals per annum), gathering data from these individuals every other year between ages 19 to 30 and every five years thereafter to track substance use throughout adulthood. Participants self-report their drug consumption behaviors over various intervals, including lifetime, prior year (12 months), prior month (30 days), and other frequencies influenced by the substance type.
“The strength of surveys such as Monitoring the Future lies in their capacity to document the progression of substance use within the population over time,” indicated Patrick. “As more initial cohorts—recruited as teenagers—enter into later adulthood, we also have the opportunity to analyze the effects of drug utilization throughout the lifespan on health and well-being decades later.”
“Public behaviors and perceptions regarding substance use can swiftly change based on availability and various other factors. It is essential to monitor this so that public health officials and communities can effectively respond. Gathering data to capture these population-level trends is vital for shaping our nation’s public health considerations.”
More details can be found in the report, encompassing information on substance use among young adults in college and those who have not pursued higher education.
Findings from the connected 2024 Monitoring the Future study on substance use behaviors and related attitudes among teenagers in the United States were disclosed in December 2023, with 2024 findings anticipated in December 2025.
The Monitoring the Future study is executed by researchers at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and may not represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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