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Teens who value religion are less likely to drink, vape, or use drugs, according to new SAMHSA data. The 2022–2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found consistently lower substance use among adolescents who said religious beliefs were important in their lives — across genders and income levels. Experts caution this is an association, not proof of causation, but say faith communities may play a meaningful role in prevention.
New data from SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reveals a consistent inverse relationship between religious beliefs and substance use among U.S. teens. Adolescents aged 12–17 who said religion was important to them were less likely to use alcohol, illicit drugs, or nicotine vaping — and this pattern held across boys, girls, and different economic backgrounds.
Researchers are careful to note that the findings don't prove religion causes lower substance use — the relationship could run in either direction, or reflect other shared factors. Still, experts say faith communities represent an underutilized resource in drug prevention efforts, offering frontline spiritual care and meaningful social connection for young people.
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Why it matters: With youth substance use remaining a major public health concern, these findings highlight faith communities as a potential frontline partner in prevention — one that reaches teens across demographic lines.
