Washington, D.C. – The annual Monitoring the Future survey (MTF), conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), shows that overall substance use self-reported by teens in 2024 remains low and below pre-pandemic levels, and, specifically, intentional misuse/abuse (“nonmedical use”) of over-the-counter (OTC) cough/cold medication has also remained low.
The nationally representative cross-sectional survey, which began in 1975, is an online survey fielded each year among 24,000 students at public and private schools in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. MTF is the most current assessment of self-reported teen substance use in the U.S. Questions about nonmedical use of OTC medicines were first added to the survey in 2006. Past-year rates for nonmedical use of OTC cough/cold medications for all teen groups include:
- 4.4% of 8th graders; less than, but close, to the high of 4.6% recorded in 2020.
- 4.0% of 10th graders; remains lower than the 6% high recorded in 2009.
- 2.8% of 12th graders; remains significantly lower than the 6.9% high recorded in 2006.
Researchers noted in a webinar that they “did not see any significant changes from last year” in the OTC data, however the rate for 8th graders (4.4%) does continue to be the highest among the three age groups surveyed. And, when comparing the 2024 rate for 10th graders (4.0%) with the pre-pandemic low in 2019 (2.6%), the increase for that age group is a statistically significant trend to watch.
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) works alongside manufacturers, retailers, lawmakers, and educational partners including Partnership to End Addiction and the CADCA, to help prevent teen misuse and abuse of OTC cough and cold medicines that contain the ingredient dextromethorphan (DXM). The 2024 MTF survey results remind us that our prevention work must continue.
Over the past 15 years, CHPA’s “Stop Medicine Abuse” campaign has educated parents about medicine misuse, abuse, and prevention; informed and warned at-risk teens; and, advocated for age-restriction laws to prevent sales of DXM to minors. These laws are now effective in 21 states. In addition, OTC manufacturers have voluntarily added package labeling on cough medicines containing DXM ("PARENTS: Learn About Teen Medicine Abuse"), directing parents to www.StopMedicineAbuse.org, with information and resources to inform and empower parents.
