Authorities in Pennsylvania arrested 14 people connected to an alleged drug operation that distributed cocaine to students at Penn State University during 2023 and 2024. The case, detailed by Pennsylvania Attorney General David Sunday at a press conference, involved large-scale criminal activity centered at fraternity houses where the drug was allegedly packaged and distributed among students.
While the case has generated significant media attention due to the seriousness of cocaine-related health risks, data indicates that cocaine use is not rising among young adults. Researchers at the University of Michigan found cocaine use among young adults fell to about 5% in the past 12 months, representing a decrease over the previous five years. A federal report from the Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration documented cocaine use among people ages 18 to 25 declining from 3.7% in 2021 to 2.6% in the most recent year measured.
Alcohol consumption presents a more widespread concern on college campuses than cocaine. Research shows roughly half of young adults report regular drinking, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented that roughly 4,000 people under age 21 die annually from excessive alcohol use in the United States. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism concluded that as many as 1,500 college students die each year from alcohol-related causes.
Cannabis use among college-age Americans also remains elevated, with roughly 1-in-4 reporting regular use in 2025, the highest rate for any age demographic. However, monthly marijuana use among young adults peaked in 2022 and has been declining since. Overall, fatal drug overdoses among young adults have fallen by roughly 50% from the peak in 2021, indicating a broader reduction in high-risk substance use patterns among younger Americans.
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