Since 1975 the MTF survey has measured drug and alcohol use and related attitudes among adolescent students nationwide. Survey participants report their drug use behaviors across three time periods: lifetime, past year, and past month. Overall, 11,821 students from 112 public and private schools participated in this year's Monitoring the Future survey. The survey is funded by the NIDA, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and conducted by the University of Michigan.
Results from the Survey are released each fall. To get the latest information, check the links below. Note: The findings and conclusions in these reports are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the NIH.
2020 Monitoring the Future Survey
- 12/15/20 - Study: Surge of teen vaping levels off, but remains high as of early 2020 (En español)
- Nora's Blog: As 2020 Closes, Many Questions Remain about Youth Substance Use Trends
- View Infographic: Monitoring the Future 2020 Survey Results (En español)
- University of Michigan Press Releases - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- 2020 Data from In-School Surveys of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-Grade Students - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- Trends in Use and Perceptions of Nicotine Vaping Among U.S. Youth; National Estimates 2017-2020 - (JAMA Pediatrics)
Previous Monitoring the Future Surveys
- 2019 Monitoring the Future Survey
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- 12/18/19 - Vaping of marijuana on the rise among teens - NIH’s 2019 Monitoring the Future survey finds continuing declines in prescription opioid misuse, tobacco cigarettes, and alcohol
- Audiocast of the 2019 Monitoring the Future Results
- 2019 Monitoring the Future Survey Raises Worries about Teen Marijuana Vaping - (Nora's Blog)
- View Monitoring the Future 2019 Survey Results: Vaping - (Infographic)
- View Monitoring the Future 2019 Survey Results: Overall Findings - (Infographic)
- Stats & Trends in Teen Drug Use with Interactive Chart - (Use an interactive map to see trends in teen drug use)
- Lesson Plan: Analyzing Drug-Use Data from Monitoring the Future - (Activity designed to help students in grades 7-12 understand how to obtain, analyze, and interpret data, and to argue from evidence)
- University of Michigan Press Releases - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- Journal of the American Medical Association: Research Letter, by Dr. Richard Miech
- 2019 Data from In-School Surveys of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-Grade Students - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- Monitoring the Future: National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Overview of Key Findings 2019 (PDF, 5MB) - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2019: Volume I, Secondary school students (PDF, 13MB) [Monitoringthefuture.org]
- Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2019. Volume II: College students and adults ages 19-50 (PDF, 17MB) [Monitoringthefuture.org]
NIDA Deputy Director Dr. Wilson Compton describes the history of the Monitoring the Future Survey
- 12/18/19 - Vaping of marijuana on the rise among teens - NIH’s 2019 Monitoring the Future survey finds continuing declines in prescription opioid misuse, tobacco cigarettes, and alcohol
- 2018 Monitoring the Future Survey
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2018 Monitoring the Future Survey
- 12/17/18 - Teens using vaping devices in record numbers - NIH’s 2018 Monitoring the Future survey shows that opioid misuse at record lows with marijuana use remaining stable
- Audiocast of the 2018 Monitoring the Future Results
- Monitoring the Future Survey Results Show Alarming Rise in Teen Vaping - (Nora's Blog)
- View Infographic
- University of Michigan Press Releases - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- New England Journal of Medicine: Letter to the Editor by Dr. Richard Miech
- 2018 Data from In-School Surveys of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-Grade Students - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- Monitoring the Future: National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Overview of Key Findings 2018 (PDF, 5MB)
[Monitoringthefuture.org] - Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2018: Volume I, Secondary school students (PDF, 11MB) [Monitoringthefuture.org]
- Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2018. Volume II: College students and adults ages 19-50 (PDF, 11MB) [Monitoringthefuture.org]
- 12/17/18 - Teens using vaping devices in record numbers - NIH’s 2018 Monitoring the Future survey shows that opioid misuse at record lows with marijuana use remaining stable
- 2017 Monitoring the Future Survey
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- 12/14/17 - Vaping popular among teens; opioid misuse at historic lows - NIH’s 2017 Monitoring the Future survey shows both vaping and marijuana are more popular than traditional cigarettes or pain reliever misuse
- Audiocast of the 2017 Monitoring the Future Results
- Monitoring the Future Results Show Reduced Opioid Misuse but Popularity of Vaping Among Youth - (Nora's Blog)
- View Infographic
- University of Michigan Press Releases - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- 2017 Data from In-School Surveys of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-Grade Students - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- Monitoring the Future: National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Overview of Key Findings 2017 (PDF, 5MB)
[Monitoringthefuture.org] - Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2017: Volume I, Secondary school students (PDF, 6MB) [Monitoringthefuture.org]
- Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2017. Volume II: College students and adults ages 19-50 (PDF, 7MB) [Monitoringthefuture.org]
- 12/14/17 - Vaping popular among teens; opioid misuse at historic lows - NIH’s 2017 Monitoring the Future survey shows both vaping and marijuana are more popular than traditional cigarettes or pain reliever misuse
- 2016 Monitoring the Future Survey
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- 12/13/16 - Teen substance use shows promising decline - NIH's 2016 Monitoring the Future survey shows use of most illicit substances down, but past year marijuana use relatively stable
- Audiocast of the 2016 Monitoring the Future Results
- View Infographic
- University of Michigan press releases - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- 2016 Data from In-School Surveys of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-Grade Students - (University of Michigan Web Site)
- Monitoring the Future: National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Overview of Key Findings 2016 (PDF, 3MB)
[Monitoringthefuture.org] - Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2016: Volume I, Secondary school students (PDF, 8MB) [Monitoringthefuture.org]
- Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2016. Volume II: College students and adults ages 19-50 (PDF, 8MB) [Monitoringthefuture.org]
NIDA Director Summarizes Monitoring the Future Survey Highlights
The Impact of Changing Social Behaviors on Teen Drug Use
Dr. Wilson Compton on MTF and Nicotine Use
NIDA grantee Dr. Lloyd Johnston:
Through the YearsImage
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NIDA grantee Dr. Lloyd Johnston, who 42 years ago designed and began the Nation’s annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey, hangs up his hat next year as the survey’s Principal Investigator. In 1975, Johnston oversaw the first nationwide survey of about 16,000 seniors in more than 130 public and private high schools nationwide, recruiting all of the high school principals himself. The survey has now grown to more than 45,000 participants from close to 400 schools around the country. Dr. Johnston will continue to advise the new survey leadership. In this video, Dr. Johnston talks about four decades of research into teen drug use and attitudes.
NIDA Pays Tribute to Dr. Lloyd Johnston
- 12/13/16 - Teen substance use shows promising decline - NIH's 2016 Monitoring the Future survey shows use of most illicit substances down, but past year marijuana use relatively stable
- Archived Monitoring the Future Surveys
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