Adolescent substance use remains a widespread public health challenge in the United States, posing a direct threat to brain development and increasing the risk of long-term dependence. To address this urgent concern, this study explores whether economic opportunity within a community can protect young people from turning to substances. Using long-term tracking data from nearly 12,000 participants in the nationwide Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, researchers will evaluate how neighborhood economic opportunities affect substance use behaviors across adolescence from ages 9 to 16. The project will also analyze whether federal community development initiatives, like the Opportunity Zone Program, yield secondary public health benefits by lowering local substance use rates. Ultimately, this research aims to identify scalable, neighborhood-focused strategies to support healthier futures for adolescents, particularly those growing up in economically marginalized households.

What we already know:

• Despite decades of decline, substance use is still highly prevalent among teenagers. Approximately half of all U.S. 12th graders and nearly 20% of 8th graders report using alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine within the past year.
• Research reveals that in communities where children born into low-income households have a higher chance of climbing the income ladder as adults, local substance use and drug overdose rates are significantly lower.
• When young people believe that upward economic mobility is achievable, they are much more likely to engage in positive, goal-oriented behaviors and less likely to engage in substance use.