MFPCC

FACTS AND FIGURES
Learn about statistics, trends, and other relevant insights for behavioral health practitioners working to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes for people in underserved communities.

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week^® (NDAFW)
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse Monitoring the Future survey, reported rates of nicotine vaping, cannabis use, alcohol use among adolescents (8th, 10th, and 12th graders) remained stable in 2022 after significantly declining in 2021. Although the rates of illicit drug use (e.g., cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, and nonmedical use of prescription drugs) remained stable or declined among this group, there was a slight increase in the use of narcotics (e.g., Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet, etc.). Furthermore, there was a dramatic rise in overdose deaths among adolescents ages 14-18, linked to counterfeit fentanyl, a potent synthetic drug made to resemble prescription medications like benzodiazepines, opioids, and other medications.¹ Fentanyl overdose deaths among adolescents increased from 253 (1.21 per 100 000) in 2019 to 680 (3.26 per 100 000) in 2020 and to 884 (4.23 per 100 000) in 2021. In 2021, fentanyl was identified in 77.14% of adolescent overdose deaths, as compared with other drugs (benzodiazepines (13.26%), methamphetamines (9.77%), cocaine (7.33%), prescription opioids (5.76%), and heroin (2.27%)). In 2021, the highest adolescent overdoes rates were among American Indian and Alaska Native (n = 24; 11.79 per 100 000), followed by Latinx (n = 354; 6.98 per 100 000) (Figure B).² Targeted efforts are needed to educate adolescents and their parents/caregivers on the harms of fentanyl.