Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
U.S. adults reported using cannabis at or near record-high levels in 2025, continuing a trend of increased use, according to the Monitoring the Future Longitudinal Panel Study. The annual study, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and conducted by the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, assesses self-reported drug use among adults ages 19 to 65.
Cannabis use remained elevated across all adult age groups, with adults aged 35 to 50 experiencing a notable rise in daily use from 6.6% in 2024 to 8.5% in 2025. Nicotine vaping also stayed near record highs, as past 30-day nicotine vaping among young adults has tripled since 2017, and past 12-month use nearly doubled in that group over the same period.
Nicotine pouch use more than doubled since data collection began in 2023. Cigarette smoking persisted at comparatively low levels, with 8.3% of young adults and 10.6% of adults ages 55 to 65 reporting cigarette use in the past 30 days.
Alcohol consumption among young adults declined, with drops in past 12-month, past 30-day, and high-intensity drinking (defined as consuming 10 or more drinks in a row). However, there was a small increase in self-reported heroin use among adults ages 19 to 30, marking the first significant rise and highest level in about ten years.
Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse, stated that while it is positive that smoking and alcohol use remain low, increasing cannabis and nicotine use warrants attention. She emphasized the need for continued monitoring to understand shifts in drug use and to guide public health efforts.