Survey Shows Shifts in Drug, Alcohol Use, and Mental Health

Mexico’s latest national survey on addictions shows diverging trends across age groups, with drug and alcohol use declining among adolescents while increasing among adults, alongside persistent concerns over mental health indicators, according to data released by the Ministry of Health.

During the government’s morning briefing on Dec. 23, David Kershenobich, Minister of Health, presented the results of the National Survey on Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption (ENCODAT) 2025. These results outline changes in consumption patterns since 2016, highlighting areas that will shape future public health policy. “The survey allows us to understand not only consumption, but also dependence, risk perception and the links with mental health and social determinants,”  said Kershenobich during the presentation.

The survey, conducted by the National Institute of Public Health under the Ministry of Health, is based on a representative sample of 19,200 people between the ages of 12 and 65. The sample includes 3,847 adolescents aged 12 to 17 and 15,353 adults aged 18 to 65. Authorities use ENCODAT as a key reference for designing prevention, treatment, and regulatory strategies related to substance use.

Among adults, the survey shows a sustained increase in the experimental use of illegal drugs over the past decade. In 2016, 10.6% of adults reported having tried an illegal drug at least once. By 2025, that figure had risen to 14.6%. The increase spans several substances, including cannabis, hallucinogens, and amphetamine-type stimulants. Cannabis remains the most commonly used illegal drug in the country, according to the survey.

Opioid use among adults also rose during the period. ENCODAT data indicate that reported opioid consumption increased from 0.1% in 2016 to 1.4% in 2025. Kershenobich says this trend may be linked to the nonmedical use of tramadol, a pain medication that until now could be purchased without a prescription in Mexico. He says the government has decided that tramadol will now require a medical prescription and that authorities will review trends related to hallucinogen use as well.

In contrast, the survey shows a decline in drug and alcohol consumption among adolescents. Reported cannabis use in this group fell from 5.3% to 3.7% between 2016 and 2025. Use of amphetamine-type stimulants declined slightly from 0.6% to 0.5%. Hallucinogen use increased marginally, from 0.3% to 0.4%, remaining comparatively low.

Alcohol consumption among adolescents also declined over the period, dropping from 28% to 17.8%. Officials attributed part of this reduction to sustained prevention efforts targeting younger populations. However, alcohol consumption among women overall increased, rising from 62.6% in 2016 to 69.3% in 2025, reflecting broader shifts in drinking patterns among adults.

Tobacco and nicotine use showed mixed results. The use of electronic cigarettes increased from 1.1% in 2016 to 2.6% in 2025, while the prevalence of smoked tobacco declined from 17.6% to 15.1% over the same period. 

Beyond substance use, ENCODAT 2025 highlights mental health risks, particularly among adolescents. The survey found higher levels of psychological distress, suicidal behavior, exposure to violence, participation in gambling, and intensive use of video games among adolescents compared with adults. Nationally, the prevalence of psychological distress across the population aged 12 to 65 is 8.1%. Among adolescents, the rate reaches 13.2% for females and 6.9% for males. In the adult population, psychological distress affects 10.2% of women and 5.1% of men.

Suicidal ideation in the past 12 months was reported by 3.3% of adolescents, compared with 1.3% of adults. Reported planning of suicide stood at 1.9% among adolescents and 1.0% among adults, while suicide attempts were reported by 1.5% of adolescents and 0.5% of adults. Officials say these findings reinforce the need to integrate mental health services into broader addiction prevention and treatment strategies.

The survey also documented exposure to violence. Overall, 12.3% of respondents reported experiencing physical, emotional, or sexual violence in the past year. Among adolescents, the figure rose to 18.1%. Women reported higher exposure than men across age groups, with 18.8% of adolescent girls and 13.1% of adult women reporting violence, compared with 17.4% of adolescent boys and 9.5% of adult men.

President Claudia Sheinbaum says the results demonstrate the impact of the federal government’s prevention campaign against fentanyl, titled “Stay Away From Drugs. Fentanyl Kills.” According to ENCODAT, fentanyl consumption declined from 0.2% to 0.1%, and experimental use of illegal drugs among adolescents fell from 6.2% to 4.1%. Sheinbaum says the campaign combines mass media messaging with school-based information efforts involving teachers and parents.

Looking ahead, Sheinbaum says the government plans to launch a new prevention campaign focused on methamphetamines, citing rising consumption trends, particularly in relation to opioids. Health authorities said the full results of ENCODAT 2025 will be available on the National Institute of Public Health’s website and will be published for further analysis in the Journal of Public Health of Mexico, providing a basis for ongoing policy evaluation and public health planning.