Drug Use Statistics Improving

For those who have been fighting the war against drugs, here are some statistics that show we are making a change.

According to the Office of National Drug Policy in a September 2005 report, between 2002 and 2004 there has been a 9% decrease in illicit drug use in American youth aged 12-17. The findings come from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which found that among youth aged 12 to 17, the rate of illicit drug use declined between 2002 and 2004: 11.6 percent in 2002, 11.2 percent in 2003, and 10.6 percent in 2004. This represents 250,000 fewer Americans in that age group using illicit drugs.

Marijuana use also declined by 7% among young adults. Heroin use dropped by 16% - LSD use declined by 41%, Ecstasy use dropped by 40%, use of Cocaine among 12 to 17 yr olds fell 8%.

Additionally, according to a 2005 survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the rate of illicit drug use in the United States among older teens has continued to decline. The study’s principal investigator stated “what is significant is that the use of these substances has declined significantly since the recent peak levels reached in the mid-1990s.” The use of any illicit drug in the 12 months prior to the survey, released in December 2005, is down by more than a third among 8th graders since 1996. There are also significant declines among 12th and 10th graders.

For more information, see The Truth About Drugs website.