Illicit-drug use among middle- and high-school students has declined by almost 17 percent over a three-year period, according to a survey released by the National Institute of Drug Abuse.
The report also found cigarette smoking has continued to decrease for the eighth straight year among teens in the study group.
The annual survey, conducted by Monitoring the Future, a University of Michigan-based research organization, showed a 17 percent decrease in cumulative drug use and an 18 percent dip in marijuana use. The study culled responses from 49,474 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 between the 2001 and 2004 school years.