Consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs among American teens has slipped to lowest levels since the peak of the drug war in the 1990s, a new federal survey revealed.

The Monitoring the Future Survey of nearly 50,000 high school students suggested that significantly fewer teenagers used any illicit drug other than marijuana in the previous period of twelve months than at any time since 1991. In grades 8th, 10th and 12th, 5 per cent, 10 per cent and 14 per cent fewer students reported use of illicit drugs.

Use of alcohol and cigarette among teens was also found to be at historic lows. Among all teens surveyed in 2016, merely 36 per cent reported drinking alcohol in the prior 12 months. The figure represents a decline of nearly 50 per cent from the high in 1991, when 67 per cent of teens had admitted that they consumed alcohol.

Among all students surveyed last year, use of marijuana slipped for the third consecutive. The trend surprised many researchers and experts who had predicted that marijuana legalization would lead to greater acceptance of the drug among teenagers.

Dr. Nora Volkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse said, “I don’t have an explanation. This is somewhat surprising. We had predicted based on the changes in legalization, culture in the U.S. as well as decreasing perceptions among teenagers that marijuana was harmful that accessibility and use would go up. But it hasn’t gone up.”

Supporters of marijuana legalization have welcomed the finding, saying the survey report has proved that legalizing of the recreational drug for adults won’t hurt kids.