A small but significant Rise in Teen Heroin and Cocaine Use: What the latest Survey Really Tells Us - Any Why You Aren’t Hearing About It
Every year, the federally funded Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey tracks substance use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders across the United States. It’s one of the longest‑running and most respected youth‑behavior surveys in the country, collecting responses from tens of thousands of students annually.
This year’s results delivered a mixed message: Teen drug use overall remains at historic lows, but researchers detected a small, concerning rise in heroin and cocaine use among adolescents.
For anyone working in prevention, education, or youth wellness, this finding raises urgent questions:
How reliable is a self‑reported survey?
Why isn’t this increase dominating national headlines?
What does this rise actually mean for families, schools, and communities?
And most importantly: What is really going on with our kids?
Let’s break it down.
Teen Drug Use: The Big Picture
According to the survey, teen use of alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana remains at record lows. In fact, a majority of students across grade levels reported no substance use in the past 30 days — a trend that has been widely celebrated.
But buried inside this encouraging narrative is a warning sign: A slight but notable increase in heroin and cocaine use among teens.
Even a small rise in these particular substances is alarming because:
They are highly addictive
They carry immediate overdose risk
They often signal deeper emotional or environmental stressors
So why isn’t this being shouted from every rooftop?
Can We Trust Self‑Reported Surveys?
The MTF survey is self‑reported, meaning students voluntarily disclose their substance use. That naturally raises questions about accuracy.
Here’s what decades of research tell us:
Self‑reporting is imperfect — but still highly valuable.
When anonymity is protected and questions are standardized, self‑reported drug use is generally reliable for identifying trends over time.
Underreporting is possible — but consistent.
If teens underreport drug use, they tend to do so at similar rates year after year. That means changes in trends — like this rise — are still meaningful.
The survey is large and nationally representative.
Tens of thousands of students participate annually, making the data robust and statistically significant.
So while no survey is perfect, the MTF data is credible enough to take seriously — especially when it shows movement in the wrong direction.
Why Isn’t This All Over the News?
This is the question many parents and prevention leaders are asking.
The truth is complicated.
1. Media outlets prioritize “big swings,” not small increases.
A slight rise doesn’t grab headlines the way a dramatic spike would.
2. The overall narrative is positive — and that’s what gets amplified.
“Record lows” is an easier, more uplifting story to tell.
3. Hard‑drug use among teens challenges the preferred narrative.
It complicates the idea that “kids today are doing better.”
4. The public is desensitized to drug‑related news.
With fentanyl dominating headlines, smaller shifts get overshadowed.
5. Prevention rarely gets the spotlight.
Stories requiring nuance and long‑term thinking often lose out to more sensational topics.
But make no mistake: A rise in heroin and cocaine use among teens — even a small one — is a red flag.
So What Is Really Going On?
When you zoom out, several deeper issues emerge:
1. Teens are under unprecedented emotional strain.
Anxiety, depression, loneliness, and academic pressure are at all‑time highs.
2. Drug availability has shifted.
Post‑pandemic access has rebounded, and some teens experiment with whatever they can get.
3. Social media normalizes risk‑taking.
Platforms glamorize drug culture and “try it once” narratives.
4. Polysubstance use is rising.
Teens who vape or use THC may be more likely to experiment with other substances.
5. Prevention messaging hasn’t kept pace.
Many parents still think of heroin and cocaine as “adult drugs,” not realizing how accessible they’ve become.
6. Teens are more isolated than ever.
Disconnected kids are more vulnerable. Connection is prevention.
A Perspective From the Front Lines: What Michael DeLeon Is Seeing in Schools
While national surveys suggest that teen alcohol use, cannabis use, and vaping are at or near historic lows, Michael DeLeon’s firsthand experience tells a very different story.
Speaking to hundreds of thousands of students each year across America, he consistently hears — directly from kids — that vaping, THC products, and alcohol remain major issues among their peers.
In fact, students hand him more vapes than ever before. They describe how easy these devices are to hide, how normalized they’ve become in bathrooms and hallways, and how many of their friends are struggling to stop. Many teens also admit that cannabis use is rising in more potent, more dangerous forms — edibles, concentrates, and high‑THC vapes — even if they don’t always show up in self‑reported surveys.
This on‑the‑ground reality matters. It reminds us that data can miss what kids are afraid to say out loud, and that the pressures, access, and social dynamics teens face today are evolving faster than our measurement tools. Michael’s insight reinforces the urgency of prevention, connection, and honest conversations at home and in schools.
Behind every statistic are real kids navigating real challenges — and they need adults paying attention.
What This Means for Parents, Schools, and Communities
This rise — however small — is a warning shot.
It tells us that:
We cannot relax.
We cannot assume “record lows” mean “no risk.”
We must stay engaged, informed, and proactive.
The data is clear: When teens feel connected, supported, and emotionally safe, their risk for substance use drops dramatically.
This is the moment to double down on:
Honest conversations
Strong family relationships
School‑community partnerships
Early intervention
Prevention education
Mental health support
Because even a small rise in heroin and cocaine use is unacceptable when we’re talking about kids.
Final Thoughts
The survey’s findings are not a cause for panic — but they are a call to action.
We can trust the data enough to take it seriously. We can acknowledge the media’s blind spots. And we can recognize that beneath the surface of “record lows,” some teens are struggling in ways that require our attention.
The real story isn’t just about drugs. It’s about connection, stress, resilience, and the world our kids are growing up in — and what we choose to do next.
For more information, help, and resources, please visit www.steeredstraight.org or call (856) 691-6676
Our mission is to steer youth straight toward making sound, rational decisions through a learning experience that provides a message of reality to help them make positive, informed choices.
