Perceived Risk and Prevalence of Crack Use and Among Young People in the US

"In 2024, the prevalence of past 12-month use of crack cocaine significantly increased in 10th grade but in all three grades stood at 1% or less.

"Questions on crack cocaine were first introduced into the survey in 1986, when information gathered routinely in MTF showed some indirect evidence of the rapid spread of crack cocaine. For example, we found that the proportion of all 12th graders reporting that they had ever smoked cocaine (as well as used it in the past year) more than doubled between 1983 and 1986, from 2.4% to 5.7%. In the same period, the proportion of those who said that they had both used cocaine during the prior year and at some time had been unable to stop using it when they tried doubled (from 0.4% to 0.8%). In addition, between 1984 and 1986, the proportion of 12th graders reporting daily use of cocaine also doubled (from 0.2% to 0.4%). We think it likely that the rapid advent of crack use during this period was reflected in all of these changes, though we did not yet have a direct measure of its use.

"Because prevalence for this drug has fallen so low in recent years, in 2024 MTF asked only about past 12-month prevalence and discontinued asking about lifetime and past 30-day use. Information for trends in these reporting intervals is presented in Appendix D of the MTF 2024 annual report, which reports trends up to 2023. These questions will be reintroduced into the survey if past-12 month prevalence increases in future years."