Nicotine Pouches, Cannabis, Vaping, and Hallucinogen Use Reaching Record Highs Among Young and Midlife Adults
- Addiction Policy Forum
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
According to the latest Monitoring the Future (MTF) Panel Study from the University of Michigan, young and midlife adults are reporting sharp increases in several emerging substance use behaviors, including nicotine pouches, cannabis, vaping, and psychedelics.Â
For 50 years, MTF surveys nationally representative samples of 8th, 10th, and 12th-graders, tracking trends in youth substance use and following a subset of 12th-grade participants into adulthood. Today, the MTF Panel Study includes about 120,000 individuals, providing data from ages 18 through 65. Around 20,000 participants are surveyed each year, spanning young adulthood (19–30), early midlife (35–50), and late midlife (55–65), offering one of the most comprehensive views of substance use behaviors, attitudes, and related health outcomes across generations.
The 2024 report highlights recent trends among young adults (ages 19–30) across the most common substances: cannabis, alcohol, cigarettes, vaping, nicotine products, and other drugs.Â
Key findings include:
Nicotine Pouches: Past 12-month use significantly increased from 2023 to 2024 across all age groups (19-30, 35-50, and 55-65).
Cannabis Use:Â Among young adults (19-30), past-year, past-month, and daily cannabis use remained at or near record highs, with significant increases over the past 5 and 10 years. Among midlife adults (35-50), cannabis use has doubled or nearly doubled over the past decade. Cannabis use disorder has also increased over the past five years among adults aged 40-50.
Vaping Cannabis: In 2024, past-year and past-month use reached the highest levels ever recorded. Among young adults, vaping doubled since first measured in 2017 and rose significantly over the past five years. Significant increases were also observed among ages 35-50 (past-year use) and 55–65 (past-year and past-month use), all reaching new highs in 2024.
Vaping Nicotine: Past-year and past-month use hit historic highs in 2024. Among adults 19–30, past-month vaping tripled since it was first measured in 2017. Significant increases over the past five years among ages 19–30 and 35–50.
Hallucinogens and Stimulants:Â Past-year hallucinogen use continued to rise, reaching record highs among adults 19-30 and 35-50. Stimulant use (methamphetamines and cocaine) significantly increased over the past decade among adults aged 35-50.