Monitoring the Future (MTF) is an ongoing research program conducted at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research under a series of investigator-initiated, competing research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse beginning in 1975. The integrated MTF study includes annual surveys of nationally representative samples of 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students, as well as a subset of 12th grade students followed into adulthood from each graduating class. Repeating these annual crosssectional surveys over time provides data to examine behavior change across history in consistent age segments of the adult population, as well as among key subgroups.

The multiple cohort sequential design of MTF provides a useful snapshot of each age group in a given year. In chapter one, we present the most recent prevalence of substance use among young adults (ages 19 to 30) and describe recent historical trends comparing these estimates to young adults in previous years. The data are presented in a series of figures and tables ordered by substance and timeframe of use (e.g., past 12 months, past 30 days). In the figures, estimates for ages 19 to 30 are combined, and the statistical significance levels of 1-year change and linear trend estimates across 5 and 10 years are provided. In the tables, estimates for young adults are provided in 2-year age groupings (e.g., modal ages 19 and 20) and, for comparison, with estimates from adolescents at age 18 (described in detail in the report on secondary school students2) and adults ages 35 to 60 (discussed in the next chapter). Longitudinal panel studies that track the same individuals across several years are also extremely valuable for examining developmental changes with age and long term connections across the life course.

Marijuana
The legal status of marijuana at the state level, as well as how it is talked about in the literature and society at large, is changing. The term “marijuana” is increasingly being replaced with the term “cannabis.” However, in our surveys and this publication we predominantly continue to use the term marijuana.3 We continue to update our surveys about modes of use; the estimates here include use of marijuana in any form, unless noted otherwise.
12 month. Marijuana use in the past 12 months was reported by 43.6% of young adults in 2022 (Table/Figure 3), with the highest prevalence at ages 27–28 (46.6%; Table/Figure 4).
30 day. Marijuana use in the past 30 days was reported by 28.8% of young adults in 2022 (Table/Figure 5), with the highest levels for ages 23–24 at 32.9% (Table/Figure 6).
Daily. Daily marijuana use (defined as using on 20 or more occasions in the past 30 days) was reported by 11.3% of young adults in 2022 (Table/Figure 7), with the highest levels at ages 23–24 at 13.8% (Table/Figure 8).....

Alcohol
12 month. Alcohol use in the past 12 months was reported by 83.5% of young adults in 2022 (Table/Figure 13); it rose sharply with age, reaching 87.4% at age 29–30 (Table/Figure 14). 
30 day. More than two-thirds (67.5%) of young adults reported drinking in the past 30 days in 2022 (Table/Figure 15); peaking at 75.0% at ages 29–30 (Table/Figure 16).
Daily. Daily drinking (defined as 20 or more occasions in the past 30 days) was reported by 4.6% of young adults in 2022 (Table/Figure 17). It increased across the age strata until ages 23–24 at 5.9% and was relatively stable
through ages 29–30 (Table/Figure 18).
Binge drinking (i.e., having 5+ drinks in a row) in the past 2 weeks was reported by 30.5% of young adults in 2022 (Table/Figure 19). Prevalence was 19.0% at ages 19–20 and 28.6–34.0% at ages 21–30 (Table/Figure 20), reflecting a recent shift upward in the peak age...

Cigarettes
12 month. Cigarette use in the past 12 months was reported by 17.8% of young adults in 2022 (Table/Figure 23), with a peak at ages 23–24 of 20.9% (Table/Figure 24).
30 day. Cigarette use in the past 30 days was reported by 8.5% of young adults in 2022 (Table/Figure 25), with the highest level of 11.2% at ages 23–24 (Table/Figure 26).
Daily. Daily smoking was reported by 4.2% of young adults in 2022 (Table/Figure 27), increasing from 1.3% at ages 19–20 to 5.4% at ages 29–30 (Table/Figure 28). Smoking a half pack or more per day was reported by 2.1% of young adults (Table/Figure 29)...

Other Substances: Prevalence & Trends
MTF includes specific questions about many individual substances. Included are prevalence levels and trends for use in the past 12 months among young adults for non-medical use of hallucinogens, narcotics (opioids), sedatives/tranquilizers, stimulants, and tobacco in other forms. Additional data are also available.