The campaign, called Free Mind, provides educational material about the relationship between substance use and mental health, and resources for youth who are struggling. According to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,About 1 in 5 adolescents experience “moderate or severe symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.” According to the CDC, poor mental health is rising in teens, and illegal fentanyl was responsible for three quarters of overdose deaths in those aged 10-19 from 2020-2024.
The CDC hopes Free Mind will protect adolescents and provide them and their parents and caregivers with the tools they need to recover.
