National Survey Results On Drug Use From The Monitoring The Future Study

To better understand the risk for U.S. youth substance abuse, the results of all the follow-up surveys of the graduating high school classes of 1976 through 1994--taken from the Monitoring the Future study of young adults, ages 19-32 years old--is presented here. The report serves a social monitoring function, in which levels and trends in certain behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and conditions in this population are accurately assessed. It includes trend data for the high school senior population, as well as for college students--an important subset of the young adult population for which very little nationally representative data exists. After outlining study design and procedures, the findings are presented in six chapters: (1) "Prevalence of Drug Use among Young Adults," (2)"Trends in Drug Use among Young Adults," (3) "Attitudes and Beliefs about Drugs among Young Adults," (4) "The Social Milieu for Young Adults," (5) "Prevalence of Drug Use among College Students," and (6) "Trends in Drug Use among College Students." Overall, it was found that there were appreciable declines in the use of a number of the illicit drugs among high school seniors, with the largest declines evident among American college students and young adults. (RJM)

Data from the "Monitoring the Future" study follow-up studies on drug use of young adults post-high school are presented. An introduction, overview of key findings, and study design and procedures (including discussions of validity and representativeness) are provided. Follow-up procedures and sampling issues are discussed. This report is focused on college students defined as "high school graduates one to four years past high school who are enrolled in a two-year or four-year college," and young adults "in the class cohorts one to fourteen years beyond high school (modal ages 19 to 32)." Lifetime prevalence estimates are presented and discussed. Trends in drug use among young adults are reported with comparisons of subgroups for gender, regional differences and population density. "Attitudes and beliefs about drug use" and "the social milieu for young adults" are discussed in relation to trend data. Prevalence data for 1997 is presented and gender subgroups are compared; trends among college students are summarized. Data is provided in statistical tables and figures. This volume stands alone as data from Volume 1 necessary for interpretation is repeated. (EMK)