2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse Results Published 9/6/02

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This week, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the US Dept. of Health and Human Services released results from the 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. The NHSDA like all such surveys is fraught with uncertainties, making its accuracy and value unclear. Nevertheless the results may be interesting. DRCNet will publish an article next week discussing the survey and its latest findings with experts. In the meantime, we present some "highlights" from the 2001 findings, extracted by Richard Glen Boire of the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics (http://www.alchemind.org):

  • In 2001 15.9 million Americans age 12 and older used an illicit drug in the month immediately prior to the survey interview. This represents an estimated 7.1 percent of the population in 2001, compared to an estimated 6.3 percent the previous year.
  • 1.9 million persons used Ecstasy (MDMA) for the first time last year, and an estimated 8.1 million persons have tried MDMA at least once in their lifetime.
  • 1.3 million (0.6 percent) of the population aged 12 or older were current users of "hallucinogens," meaning that they had used LSD, PCP, peyote, mescaline, mushrooms or MDMA (Ecstasy) during the month prior to the interview.
  • Marijuana remains the most commonly used illicit drug.
  • Most drug users were employed. Of the 13.4 million illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2001, 10.2 million (76.4 percent) were employed either full or part time.
  • An estimated 66.5 million Americans 12 years or older reported current use of a tobacco product in 2001. This number represents 29.5 percent of the population.
  • Almost half of Americans aged 12 or older reported being current drinkers of alcohol in the 2001 survey (48.3 percent). This translates to an estimated 109 million people.
Read more about current and past NHSDA findings at http://www.samhsa.gov/oas/nhsda.htm#NHSDAinfo online.

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Issue #253, 9/6/02 Editorial: Federal Evildoers | DEA Turning Its Sights on Patients, Small Growers in Escalating California Medical Marijuana Conflict | Canadian Senate Panel Calls for Marijuana Legalization -- Urges Regulation and Control, Rejects US Pressure | You Are Now Leaving the EU: Christiania Gets Raided | Ducheneaux Guilty in Medical Marijuana Case as South Dakota Attorney General Candidates Unite Against Jury Rights Amendment | Massachusetts Local Ballots to Include Marijuana Decriminalization, Medical Marijuana, Hemp Questions | Medical Marijuana Polling: Yet More Info on MarijuanaInfo.org | 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse Results Published | Stossel Tapes Still Available -- Support DRCNet and Reserve Your Copy of This Important ABC News Report Today! | Newsbrief: Board of Canvassers Rejects Michigan Initiative, Appeals Court Next | Newsbrief: California Legislature Passes Bill to Make Prop. 36 Clients Eligible for Food Stamps, Awaits Governor's Signature | Newsbrief: Nevada Marijuana Initiative Loses Support in Latest Poll | Newsbrief: Rainbow Farm to Be Auctioned | Newsbrief: Chills Owner Gets 14 Months on Federal Paraphernalia Rap | Newsbrief: DEA Busting Pipe-Sellers Again, This Time They Hit Illinois | Newsbrief: Tennessee Towns Fire Police Forces, Cite Too Much Attention to Meth Labs | Newsbrief: World of Competitive Bridge Fends Off Drug Menace, US Player Loses Medal for Refusing Drug Test | Newsbrief: DEA Brokers Thai-Lao Border Drug Cooperation Deal | Media Scan: Shawn Heller, Dan Forbes, Dan Gardner, Nando Times, Canadian Editorial Cartoons, DrugSense Drug Policy Links | Third Annual Fortune Society Prisoner Art Contest | Legislative Alerts: Rave Bill, Medical Marijuana, Higher Education Act Drug Provision | The Reformer's Calendar

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