Cassidy Culley, Author at The Pathway Program

As a substance abuse treatment program specializing in working with teens and young adults who struggle with substance use disorders, we are often asked questions about commonly used drugs. Though the data is clear that marijuana is the number one drug used by teens, in this article we’ll discuss the other most popular drugs that teens are using.

The data used in this article was gathered from 281 drug treatment charts between 2020 and 2022 that outline the top five drugs used by teens, and make observations regarding the data that will help with understanding these trends.

Out of the 281 charts from young people admitted into our Arizona Substance Abuse Program, we found that the top 5 drugs that were used overall between 2020-2022 were:

Cannabis – 100%
Alcohol – 90%
LSD – 63%
Xanax – 59%
Cocaine – 44%

Many of the young people were also using other drugs among these top five, but these were the most common.

What are the Top 5 Drugs Used by Teens

Below is a graph of the top 5 drugs that were commonly used by teens. Among the top five were some unsurprising results, but there were also some unexpected appearances mixed in with the usual suspects.

#1: Cannabis

Cannabis ranks as the number one drug used by teens. Out of the 281 people admitted into the program, 100% of the teens we worked with used cannabis.

Though the number isn’t a surprise, we found it interesting that the number was a clean 100%. Additionally, almost every teen we worked with (74%) used cannabis first before they tried any other drugs.

This makes sense as most of the teens we work with report that cannabis is easier for them to obtain than alcohol, and the perception of risk for cannabis use has dropped significantly among teenagers.

#2: Alcohol

Alcohol is the second most widely used substance among teens and young adults. Between 2020 and 2022, 90% of teens admitted into the program were using alcohol.

We also noticed a drop in alcohol use year-to-year. In 2020, 92% of young people admitted were using alcohol; compared to 85% in 2022.

As a substance abuse counselor, I have made a few thoughts as to why this may have occurred:

As more teens label THC as their drug of choice, fewer people have claimed alcohol to be.
As Cannabis becomes more accessible and more potent, decreases in other substances such as alcohol occur, as those substances are less accessible, despite the potency of other substances.

#3: LSD

The third most common drug used by teens currently is LSD, edging out Xanax as the teens’ most preferred drug aside from alcohol and THC.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen teens’ interest in hallucinogens rise; the most common hallucinogen used by teens currently is LSD.

LSD is a hallucinogenic drug that comes in the form of paper tabs, gels, or liquids and has major effects on the function of the teen brain. LSD was one of the most widely used substances in the 60’s and 70’s, as a result of the counterculture hippie movement.

#4: Xanax

Benzodiazepines are a type of prescription drug and the most common of these is Xanax. Xanax is a depressant that suppresses central nervous system activity and helps users to calm down. Individuals who abuse Xanax will often feel a high similar to being drunk.

Between 2020 and 2022, 59% of teens we worked with had used Xanax.

We did note that Xanax abuse dropped from 2020-2022 by 9%.

In our experience, out of all the top five drugs used by teens, Xanax is most widely paired with cannabis. However, it is commonly also paired with Alcohol, a particularly dangerous combination that is infamous for leading to overdoses.

Also, it is important to note that the withdrawal from Xanax is also very similar to the withdrawal from alcohol. It is one of the only drugs of abuse that can lead to seizures and death upon withdrawal.

#5: Cocaine

One drug that has made a comeback in recent years is cocaine. According to our data, cocaine use amongst teens and young adults ranks fifth on the list with 43% having used cocaine.

Teenagers are drawn to cocaine’s ability to provide a euphoric high and increase energy and confidence. Its popularity among this age group is a cause for concern due to its addictive nature and detrimental effects on physical and mental health.

Teen drug abuse overview

The top five commonly used illegal drugs among teenage and young adult populations include marijuana, alcohol, LSD, Xanax, and cocaine.

Runner-ups included cough syrups, synthetic marijuana, psylocybin (mushrooms), and the ever-popular stimulant adderall.

We will continue to update this post year-to-year as new data becomes available to us.

As substance abuse counselors who specialize in working with teens, we get a lot of questions about trends in teen drug use. In this article, we’ll dive into the actual drugs that teens are using based on data we have gathered from 281 patient charts between 2020 and 2022.

We gathered data from all the charts from our Arizona substance abuse program over the last three years (2020-2022), representing 281 individuals who have received substance abuse treatment in our program. We found that the number one drug used by teens is marijuana. Most of these young people were also using other drugs at the time of admission, but not all.

So, what is the number one drug used by teens?

Below, is a chart of the top 5 drugs used by teens. Among the top drugs are some of the usual suspects, marijuana, alcohol, xanax, etc. However, we found that 100% of the young people we worked with were using marijuana:

Most common drugs used by teens between 2020 and 2022:

Substance	2020	2021	2022	Average
Marijuana	100%	100%	100%	100%
Alcohol	92%	93%	83%	90%
LSD	64%	65%	57%	63%
Xanax	63%	58%	54%	59%
Cocaine	44%	45%	38%	43%

Shown another way:

What drugs cause the most problems (substance use disorders) for teens?

Astute readers may observe that the number of teens who have used marijuana being 100% doesn’t necessarily mean that 100% of the young people in our program had a specific problem with marijuana. We felt the same way, so we took a look at the specific substance use disorders treated.

We took a secondary look at the charts from our California substance abuse program to determine what percentage of each drug was responsible for specific substance use disorder diagnoses, and here’s what we found:

Top substance use disorders in teens between 2020 and 2022:

Substance Use Disorder	Percentage
Cannabis	100%
Alcohol	65%
Cocaine	16%
Benzodiazepines	16%
DXM	9%

Note that many of the individuals were admitted for more than one substance use disorder. Only 14% of the individuals were treated for cannabis use alone.

In graphic form:

At least in the case of our programs, it appears conclusive that marijuana is the top drug of choice among young people, and it’s also the drug that is responsible for the most substance use disorders, by a long shot.

Alcohol came in second, and we noted that 58% of the young people we treated had both a cannabis use disorder AND an alcohol use disorder.

Though other illicit substances, like prescription pain medications and opiates, are responsible for many of the tragic deaths, their frequency of use didn’t even crack the top five!

The top prescription drug used was benzodiazepines (most frequently Xanax).

What drugs do teens try first?

While the data above seems to be painting a picture, we also gathered the data from our California program on which drugs the teens used first. Taken from the same data set:

Drugs that teens tried first:

	Percentage
Cannabis Alone	37%
Cannabis & Alcohol	35%
Alcohol Alone	26%
All Other Illicit Drugs	0%

The most common answer to the question was cannabis (37%), followed by alcohol and cannabis (35%). Not a single drug other than cannabis or alcohol was mentioned as a “first drug” by any young person entering our program.

Though the “gateway effect” of marijuana is under constant debate, it seems clear at least that marijuana is the drug that teens most commonly try first.

What about alcohol?

In years past, it wasn’t uncommon for every young person we met to be using alcohol as well as marijuana.

In recent years, this number has declined. Most notably, the number of teens who used alcohol between 2021 and 2022 dropped from 93% to 83%.

In future updates of this article, we will continue to monitor this number to see if the trend continues.

Potential limitations of the data

One thing we want to acknowledge is that this data was collected from young people who entered our substance abuse program. It is, of course, possible that the data would be different if we looked at data for teens who did not require a drug abuse program, then the numbers could look different.

Why is Marijuana so Prevalent Among Teens?

There are several factors that make Marijuana so popular among adolescents, but there are 3 main reasons that stick out among the others:

1. The Perception of Marijuana

The most recent Arizona Youth Survey (2022) data points out that around 49.1% of students between grades 8-12 do not believe that smoking marijuana regularly poses a significant risk.

Marijuana is one of those substances that are often perceived as harmless, and according to an article by the NY Post, about 57% of Americans believe that Marijuana is harmless. Pro-marijuana messaging is everywhere. It can be seen on billboards, on our favorite shows, glorified in music, and it’s all over popular media.

Society, social media, and the Marijuana industry are asserting that marijuana use is safe.

2. Accessibility

Marijuana has become one of the most accessible substances on the market for teens since the rise in concentrated or synthetic marijuana also known as wax pens, carts, and THC vapes.

The legalization of recreational marijuana in many states has caused a rise in accessibility, and teens may find it easier to purchase than alcohol. However, even in states where marijuana is still illegal, teenagers can purchase it through their friends, dealers, and even through social media.

The rise of online sales has also opened up avenues for teens to purchase through social media, without much difficulty. With its social acceptance and easy accessibility, it is concerning how easily teens can obtain marijuana without any safety measures in place and the effect that it may be having on teen drug abuse.

3. Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is one of the biggest factors that contribute to the popularity of drug and alcohol use among teens and young adults. Many young people feel the need to fit in with their peers and may use THC or other illicit substances as a way to do so. Being part of a group that abuses drugs, especially marijuana can give teens a sense of belonging and can help them to feel accepted.

This kind of pressure can also be harmful, as it can lead to drug use becoming a regular part of their lives, even if they know it is not good for them.

Summary

Our data shows that marijuana is the most commonly used drug among teenagers in the United States. The prevalence of marijuana use among teenagers has been on the rise in recent years.

It is important to address substance use among teens through education, prevention, and early intervention programs. Parents, educators, and healthcare providers play key roles in helping teens make informed decisions about drug use and seeking treatment if necessary.

Posts by Cassidy Culley

Top 5 Most Common Drugs Used by Teens: Real world data