Trends in the Prevalence of Marijuana, Cocaine, and Other Illegal Drug Use National YRBS: 1991—2019
The national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) monitors health behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. The national YRBS is conducted every two years during the spring semester and provides data representative of 9th through 12th grade students in public and private schools throughout the United States.
| Percentages | Trend from 1991–20191 | Change from 2017–20192 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | ||
| Ever used marijuana (also called pot, weed, or cannabis, one or more times during their life) |
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| 31.3 | 32.8 | 42.4 | 47.1 | 47.2 | 42.4 | 40.2 | 38.4 | 38.1 | 36.8 | 39.9 | 40.7 | 38.6 | 35.6 | 36.8 | Increased 1991—1997 Decreased 1997—2019 |
No change |
| Tried marijuana before age 13 years | ||||||||||||||||
| 7.4 | 6.9 | 7.6 | 9.7 | 11.3 | 10.2 | 9.9 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 7.5 | 6.8 | 5.6 | Decreased 1991—2019 Increased 1991—1999 Decreased 1999—2019 |
No change |
| Current marijuana use (one or more times during the 30 days before the survey) |
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| 14.7 | 17.7 | 25.3 | 26.2 | 26.7 | 23.9 | 22.4 | 20.2 | 19.7 | 20.8 | 23.1 | 23.4 | 21.7 | 19.8 | 21.7 | Increased 1991—1995 Decreased 1995—2019 |
No change |
| Ever used cocaine (any form of cocaine, such as powder, crack, or freebase, one or more times during their life) |
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| 5.9 | 4.9 | 7.0 | 8.2 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 8.7 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 4.8 | 3.9 | Decreased 1991—2019 Increased 1991— 2001 Decreased 2001—2019 |
No change |
| Ever used hallucinogenic drugs (such as LSD, acid, PCP, angel dust, mescaline, or mushrooms, one or more times during their life) |
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| —3 | — | — | — | — | 13.3 | 10.6 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 8.7 | 7.1 | 6.4 | 6.6 | 7.0 | Decreased 2001—2019 Decreased 2001—2005 Decreased 2005—2019 |
No change |
| Ever used inhalants (sniffed glue, breathed the contents of aerosol spray cans, or inhaled any paints or sprays to get high, one or more times during their life) |
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| — | — | 20.3 | 16.0 | 14.6 | 14.7 | 12.1 | 12.4 | 13.3 | 11.7 | 11.4 | 8.9 | 7.0 | 6.2 | 6.4 | Decreased 1995—2019 Decreased 1995—2011 Decreased 2011—2019 |
No change |
| Ever used ecstasy (also called “MDMA”, one or more times during their life) |
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| — | — | — | — | — | 11.1 | 11.1 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 6.7 | 8.2 | 6.6 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 | Decreased 2001—2019 | No change |
| Ever used heroin (also called “smack,” “junk,” or “China white,” one or more times during their life) |
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| — | — | — | — | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.8 | Decreased 1999—2019 No change 1999—2011 Decreased 2011—2019 |
No change |
| Ever used methamphetamines (also called “speed,” “crystal,” “crank,” or “ice,” one or more times during their life) |
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| — | — | — | — | 9.1 | 9.8 | 7.6 | 6.2 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.1 | Decreased 1999—2019 | No change |
| Ever took steroids without a doctor’s prescription (pills or shots, one or more times during their life) |
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| 2.7 | 2.2 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 5.0 | 6.1 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 1.9 | Decreased 1999—2019 Increased 1991—2001 Decreased 2001—2019 |
Decreased |
| Ever injected any illegal drug (used a needle to inject any illegal drug into their body one or more times during their life) |
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| — | — | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.6 | Decreased 1995—2019 No change 1995—2011 Decreased 2011—2019 |
No change |
| Ever used select illicit drugs (counting cocaine, inhalants, heroin, methamphetamines, ecstasy, or hallucinogens, one or more times during their life) |
||||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | — | 28.8 | 27.7 | 23.0 | 22.6 | 22.0 | 22.5 | 17.3 | 15.4 | 14.0 | 14.8 | Decreased 2001—2019 | No change |
- Based on linear and quadratic trend analyses using logistic regression models controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, and grade, p < 0.05. Significant linear trends (if present) across all available years are described first followed by linear changes in each segment of significant quadratic trends (if present).
- Based on t-test analysis, p < 0.05.
- Not available.
Page last reviewed: August 20, 2020