Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Sixpence on September 09, 2004, 04:17:49 PM
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Are drug companies taking up the slack?
By Siobhan Mcdonough, Associated Press | September 9, 2004
WASHINGTON -- Fewer American youths are using marijuana, LSD and Ecstasy, but more are abusing prescription drugs, the government reported Thursday.
The 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health also found that youths and young adults are more aware of the risks of using pot.
The study did find a 5 percent decline in the number of 12- to 17-year-olds who say they ever have used marijuana. Among 12- and 13-year olds, current marijuana smokers -- those who said they used it within a month of the survey -- declined nearly 30 percent.
"It is encouraging news that more American youths are getting the message that drugs are dangerous, including marijuana," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said.
The survey was based on in-home interviews with 67,784 respondents age 12 and older. The margin of error for the survey is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
For youths 12 to 17, use of Ecstasy and LSD in the year leading up to the survey dropped significantly -- 41 percent for Ecstasy and 54 percent for LSD. The study, which also included adults, found that overall nearly 20 million people 12 and older use illegal drugs.
But there was a 20 percent decline between 2002 and 2003 in the number of youths described as "heavy users" of pot -- meaning they smoke daily or at least 20 days each month.
Rates of tobacco use, however, remained fairly constant among all age groups. Almost 30 percent of people 12 and older reported that they had used it in the past month, compared with 30.4 percent in 2002.
People 18 to 25 continued to have the highest rate of current use of cigarettes -- 40.2 percent, compared with 40.8 percent in 2002.
Among boys age 12 to 17, 11.9 percent reported current cigarette use, down from 12.3 percent in 2002. There was a bigger dip among girls in that age group. Some 12.5 percent reported they had smoked cigarettes in the past month, compared with 13.6 in 2003.
Survey results on alcohol use showed little change in the number of binge and heavy drinkers. About 54 million people 12 and older binged -- five or more alcoholic drinks -- at least once a month. Also, 16.1 million people were termed heavy drinkers, described as consuming five or more drinks on at least five separate occasions in a month.
People 18 to 25 showed the highest prevalence of binge and heavy drinking.
"Obviously, we have a long way to go when it comes to smoking and even more so when for underage drinking," said Charles G. Curie, administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. "It remains a stubborn and destructive problem."
The study also found that more people had tried prescription pain relievers who did not need them for medical reasons. The most striking increase was a 15 percent rise in prescription drug abuse by people 18 to 25. In the broader population of 12 and over, 5 percent more people took those drugs recreationally.
The study found that young people who were exposed to anti-drug messages outside school took notice, with rates of current pot use 25 percent lower than those who did not get those messages.
And youths who believed their parents would strongly disapprove of marijuana used it 80 percent less than others.
Among the other findings were these:
--Drunken driving declined from 2002, but drugged driving held steady.
--Smoking rates remained largely unchanged overall, with 71 million people who had used tobacco in the previous month. But fewer youths reported smoking in the previous year or ever.
--About 2.3 million people had used cocaine in the previous month, 1 million had used hallucinogens and 119,000 had used heroin.
--Of the nearly 17 million adult users of illegal drugs last year, nearly three-fourths had jobs.
--Marijuana continues to be the most commonly used illegal drug, with 14.6 million using it at least once a month, according to the survey. About two-thirds of new users surveyed were under 18.
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Either marijuana use is down or more kids lied. One or the other.
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Originally posted by rpm371
Either marijuana use is down or more kids lied. One or the other.
Same thing I was thinking except I know which it is.
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The survey read "Do you smoke grass?". The ones taking the survey saw "Do you stick ass?".
Honest mistake.
-SW
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Seems like too big of a drop in just one year? Maybe the TV-campaign is working? I hope it's true.
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It is, not as many people at me school are talkin about mary jane. BUT he is right, they are talking more about prescription drug. Stuff like codine, mostly pain killers. Just thought u should know from a teens point of view:aok
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as for bing alcohol drinking, the only reason why it doesnt read in the 90%+ range is because there are a few people who realize that teachers can tell who wrote what.
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It seems to have gone down slightly at my school. And yes, I've heard of codeine and CCC abuse picking up. Seems spot on.-
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they don't even mention speed/crank? maybe it is a west thing but out here speed is king. bet half the crime here is because of speed.
lazs
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what about the shrooms what about the shrooms :lol:lol:lol
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...and X?
I thought raves were all the rage with the kidos these days.
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kids cut back as by some of the posts on this board the parents are consuming them ...
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Where's the collegiate poll? Poll UW Madison alone ;)
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Acid use is low because it is hard to find these days in the states. LMAO!:rofl
Most of the ol' guys that knew how to make it are in jail or dead.
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Originally posted by zmeg
Same thing I was thinking except I know which it is.
lol exactly!
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Originally posted by Regular
Acid use is low because it is hard to find these days in the states. LMAO!:rofl
Most of the ol' guys that knew how to make it are in jail or dead.
hehe permagrin! I myself have not been searching.. but your prolly on to something with that..
I dont imagine the Kutz use is down at all though.