What age group does the NSDUH survey cover for measuring drug use?

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) encompasses individuals aged 12 years and older. This broad age range is intended to capture a comprehensive understanding of drug use patterns among the general population, starting from early adolescence. By including those as young as 12, the survey can identify trends in drug use that might emerge during adolescence, a critical developmental period where substance use often begins.

Recognizing the behaviors and attitudes towards drug use in this age group is crucial for implementing early prevention and intervention strategies. The inclusion of older age groups, up to and beyond 30, allows for insights into how patterns of drug use change over time, but the foundational starting point in the survey is at age 12. This provides a vital perspective on how substance use evolves through different life stages.

In contrast, the other options narrow the focus to specific segments of the population, which would not provide the comprehensive overview intended by the NSDUH. The specificity of the high school population or a restricted age range would fail to capture the broader trends in drug use that the survey seeks to analyze.