Teenagers today are using fewer substances than any generation in recent history. That’s not wishful thinking — it’s straight from the latest Monitoring the Future, which is funded by the National Institute of Health, and the numbers are undeniable: teen drug and alcohol use has officially hit an all-time low.
Alcohol use among 12th graders has dropped to 42%, compared to 75% in 1997. For 10th graders, it’s down to 26% from 65%. And among eighth graders, just 13% reported drinking — a steep drop from 46% in the late ’90s.
Marijuana use has also declined significantly. In 1997, 39% of high school seniors said they used marijuana. Today, that number is just 26%.
Nicotine use has taken a hit, too — vaping among 12th graders has fallen to 21%, down from 35% in 2020.
So yes, the stereotype of the hard-partying teen doesn’t exactly hold up in 2025. This generation is on a different track.
Experts point to the pandemic, which disrupted normal social patterns, as a major contributor to this trend. With fewer in-person hangouts and more isolation, many teens simply didn’t have the same exposure or pressure to try substances for the first time. And that delay matters — researchers say that the later someone starts using, the lower their risk for developing an addiction.
But while most trends are heading in the right direction, there’s one exception: nicotine pouches. Use among 12th graders doubled from last year, jumping from 3% to 6%. The methods may be changing, but the desire for a buzz hasn’t disappeared entirely.
Still, the bigger takeaway is clear: the old assumptions about teen culture don’t hold up. Gen Z isn’t just rejecting the “work hard, play hard” mindset — they’re rethinking the party altogether.
