Teen survey: Substance use down, mental health concerns continue Despite stress and anxiety increasing, substance abuse had been declining and dropped even more dramatically during the pandemic. Alcohol use declined from roughly 35 percent in 2014 to about 23 percent in 2019, dropping to 13 percent since the pandemic. Students who reported vaping rose from less than 15 to over 30 percent between 2016 and 2019, but dropped as low as 11 percent from 2019 to today. Screenshot One of the big takeaways from the Communities That Care Coalition Teen Health Survey results is that students are reporting high rates of depression, anxiety and loneliness. Symptoms of depression and anxiety have increased from 32 and 33 percent in 2019 to 42 and 43 percent, respectively, among local teens today. Screenshot