CDC report details differences in substance use among high school students

Oct 13, 2026 - 02:53 PM
three youngsters sitting at a desk

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report highlights differences in substance use among U.S. high school students. The report, which combined data from the CDC’s 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey with school data, found that the most commonly reported substance use behaviors in 2025 were lifetime use of electronic vapor products (30.2%) and marijuana (25.5%), and current use of alcohol (20.3%) and electronic vapor products (16%). The report defined lifetime use as using a substance at least once, while current use applied to using a substance within the past 30 days. The report found that students in rural public schools had a higher prevalence of current smokeless tobacco and electronic vapor product use, as well as lifetime electronic vapor product use, than students in city schools and suburb or town public schools. Rural students also had a higher prevalence of current cigarette and cigar use than those in suburb or town public schools. 

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