New statewide survey data show Maryland teenagers are vaping and using cannabis less often than in past years, though a substantial share of middle and high schoolers continue to report persistent sadness or hopelessness, according to the 2024-2025 Maryland Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Youth Tobacco Survey released by the Maryland Department of Health.
High school e-cigarette use has dropped nearly 45% since 2018, a decline state officials attributed to targeted programs including the Vape Experiment education campaign and the Maryland Responsible Tobacco Retailer Program’s “21 or None” effort. Cannabis use among Maryland middle and high schoolers also declined, though the department noted a notable share of students remain unaware of the health risks associated with cannabis use, prompting continued outreach through the state’s Be Cannabis Smart campaign. The department said it is working with the Maryland Cannabis Administration on a new teen-focused prevention campaign set to launch this fall. Even as those trends improved, the survey found a slight uptick in smokeless tobacco use among middle and high schoolers, along with emerging concern about nicotine pouch use — a category state officials said prevention programs will need to adapt to address.
“The 2024-2025 YRBS/YTS data illustrate that Maryland’s focus on mental health awareness, substance use prevention, and addressing adverse childhood experiences is making an impact, but more work is needed,” Maryland Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani said in a statement. “Viewing the data as a narrative of progress and a roadmap for future action, the state remains dedicated to providing the health services our youth need to thrive in an increasingly complex world.”
On mental health, the survey found a positive trend in student resilience since the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, though the underlying numbers remain elevated: 31.7% of high schoolers and 31.9% of middle schoolers reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, down from 39.2% and 36.8%, respectively, in the 2021-2022 survey. State officials said the improvement is encouraging but underscores that a substantial share of Maryland students still need better access to mental health support and prevention resources.
For the first time, the 2024-2025 survey asked students about social media use, finding that most Maryland middle and high schoolers engage with social media multiple times a day. State officials cited a 2023 U.S. Surgeon General advisory warning that children and adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face roughly double the risk of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression symptoms. Maryland’s Youth Digital Wellness Initiative, the department said, is intended to give young people practical tools to navigate their digital lives while also supporting parents and educators in fostering healthier habits around technology use.
The survey also flagged rising reports of bullying and dating violence, with particularly pronounced impacts among LGBTQ+ youth, a finding state officials said points to the continued need for targeted intervention through programs like Maryland’s Behavior Intervention Series alongside existing anti-bullying efforts.
Southern Maryland has been part of the state’s broader push to expand youth mental health resources in recent years. Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s county organizations received nearly $9 million combined in state behavioral health grants last year, funding programs ranging from crisis stabilization and vaping education at Calvert County Behavioral Health to dialectical behavioral therapy and substance use treatment for high-need youth through Charles County’s Center for Children Inc. All three Southern Maryland counties also operate local behavioral health divisions offering youth-focused counseling, substance use treatment and crisis response, alongside regional mobile crisis teams that can respond directly to a young person in crisis.
State health officials said schools, local health departments, researchers and community organizations use the annual survey data to guide policy, programming and resource allocation, and encouraged families and educators to use the findings to inform conversations with young people about substance use, mental health and online safety. More information on the survey results is available through the Maryland Department of Health’s website and its Maryland Data and Analytics Tool.
This story discusses topics including substance use, bullying and persistent sadness among youth, which can be sensitive subjects for some readers. Maryland residents can reach the Maryland 988 Lifeline by calling, texting or chatting 988; the Maryland Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW; Safe Schools Maryland at 1-833-632-7233 to report a safety or mental health concern; and the Trevor Project’s LGBTQ youth crisis line at 1-866-488-7386 or by texting START to 678678.
