Indiana Youth Survey finds record lows in substance use among teens

Substance use among Indiana youth has reached its lowest levels in over 30 years, according to a recurring survey.

The 2024 Indiana Youth Survey is conducted by Prevention Insights, part of the Department of Applied Health Science at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. This year, the survey reveals significant decreases in substance use over the past two years.

“The results of this survey are both encouraging and reflective of the hard work being done across the state to promote healthier lifestyles among our youth,” Prevention Insights Executive Director Ruth Gassman said. “Seeing these historic lows in substance use among Indiana’s young people is a testament to the effectiveness of our prevention strategies and the commitment of our communities.”

The 2024 survey, which gathered responses from over 60,000 Hoosier students from 223 schools across the state, shows a marked decline in substance use compared to 2022—a year that also recorded historic lows. These findings represent some of the most substantial decreases since the survey’s inception in 1991, aligning with similar trends observed nationwide.

Among the substances with the lowest prevalence rates in three decades were cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana. Alcohol use among 12th-graders in the 30 days prior to taking the survey dropped by 44.1 percentage points since 1991, when it peaked at 59.7%.

Similarly, cigarette use among 11th-graders decreased by 37.9 percentage points from its 1996 high of 40.1%, while marijuana use among 10th-graders fell by 18.5 percentage points from a 1996 high of 24.9%. Vaping, tracked since 2015, also reached its lowest prevalence rates.

“The data is clear: Our youth are making healthier choices,” Gassman said. “This decline in substance use is significant. It suggests that our efforts to educate and support these young people are paying off.”

Key findings include:

• Alcohol: Although it remains the most common substance used by Indiana youth, the percentage of 12th-graders who reported drinking alcohol in the 30 days prior to the survey decreased from 19.9% in 2022 to 15.6% in 2024.
• Vaping: Electronic vapor products, the second-most-used substance among Indiana teens, saw a decrease among 12th-graders from 14.8% in 2022 to 9.6% in 2024.
• Broader trends: Students in Grades 7 to 12 reported decreased use of alcohol, cigarettes, vaping products, marijuana and non-prescribed prescription drugs compared to 2022.
• Younger students: Cigarette, alcohol and marijuana use during the past month also declined among sixth graders compared to 2022.

The survey sheds light on mental health trends among Indiana youth, as well. Students across all grade levels were less likely to report feelings of depression and other negative mental health indicators compared to 2022. For instance, the percentage of 10th-graders who reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more dropped from 37.8% in 2022 to 30.2% in 2024.

“This drop in reported mental health challenges is promising,” Gassman said. “While there’s still work to be done, it is encouraging to see these positive shifts in both substance use and mental health among our youth.”

For the first time, the 2024 survey reported results based on whether a county is rural or urban. Notably, there were no instances where youth in urban counties reported higher rates of past-month substance use, including binge drinking, compared to their rural counterparts.

However, students in rural counties were more likely to report higher prevalence rates for various substances. For example, use of cigarettes and electronic vapor product was higher among sixth-, seventh-, ninth- and 10th-grade students, while binge drinking was more prevalent among eighth- through 11th-grade students in rural counties than in urban areas.

“Understanding differences in substance use patterns across rural and urban areas can help identify what kinds of student support might be needed, and where,” said Jon Agley, an associate professor at the School of Public Health-Bloomington and director of research at Prevention Insights. “The data will help Hoosiers better address the unique challenges faced by different communities.”