Substance use patterns from late childhood to mid-adolescence:
Updates on the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports
Volume 20, September 2026
The study examined substance use among 11,880 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the U.S. By age 16, 38% of participants reported having used at least one substance during their lifetime.
Use was found to be increasing, with highest prevalence observed for alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine, respectively.
Researchers also found notable differences between boys and girls. Boys reported higher rates of substance use before age 12, and girls reported higher rates of substance use beginning around age 13.
These findings shed more light on when substance use starts during adolescence and how it may affect brain development, mental health, and other long-term health outcomes.
