Latest Government Drug Survey Shows Drug Use Up Among 50+ Group, Marijuana is Drug of Choice

A new government survey shows that marijuana is the most popular drug among both teenage and adult users. It also showed that rates of teenage and young adult drug use remained steady, while use in the 50+ crowd went up.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) surveyed 70,000 Americans, ages 12 and up, about their drug use in 2012. Rates of marijuana and heroin use increased from past surveys, according to the report.

“These statistics represent real people, families and communities dealing with the devastating consequences of abuse and addiction,” SAMHSA administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in a statement. “We must strive to prevent further abuse and provide the hope of treatment and recovery to all people needing help.”

However, the demographics of drug use proved interesting. Drug use rates among teenagers and young adults declined from 11.6 % a decade earlier, to 9.5 % earlier last year. Interestingly, over the past decade, drug use among people ages 50 and older increased, especially among the 50 to 59 age group. People between the ages of 50 and 54 reportedly doubled their drug use, to 7.2 %. Among people 50 to 59, drug use tripled in the last year to 6.6 %.

Among children ages 12 to 17, drug use remained steady over the last decade at 10.1 %. Drug use, especially marijuana use, remained steady in the 18 to 25 age group, as well.

“These findings show that while we have made progress in preventing some aspects of substance abuse we must redouble our efforts to reduce and eliminate all forms of it throughout our nation,” Hyde said. She added, “There’s no question that marijuana is harmful to the developing brains of adolescents,” and that marijuana use has been linked to “significant I.Q. declines.” A study from January of this year, however, challenges that link.

Marijuana was the most popular drug among all age groups, according to the report. However, heroin use is up, as well. Reportedly, 669,000 people used heroin in 2012, compared to 620,000 in 2011 and 373,000 users reported in 2007. Rates of heroin use are rising most drastically among affluent, middle class teenagers, and heroin use and abuse has also been linked to addiction to other opioid drugs. The drug might be cheaper than prescription pain killers, according to the report.

Rates of Americans doing drugs for the first time showed that the the largest number of recent drug initiates were for marijuana (2.4 million people), nonmedical use of prescription painkillers (1.9 million), nonmedical use of tranquilizers (1.4 million), Ecstasy, or MDMA (0.9 million), followed by stimulants, cocaine and inhalants (between 0.6 million and 0.7 million).

Overall, illicit drug use remained stable from the 2011 survey results: About 24 million Americans older than 12 said they were current drug users in 2012, about 9.2. percent of the U.S. teen and adult population.

The report was released to kick-start National Recovery Month, which occurs in September.

“Recovery Month reminds us that the work we do to promote and support recovery has lasting, positive impact on so many individuals, families and communities,” said H. Westley Clark, the director of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. “It also reminds us that while we have made great strides, there is still much for us to do.”

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Drug Use Charges, From Misdemeanor Marijuana to Felony Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse

The drug use charges lawyers at the Strom Law Firm, LLC are dedicated to protecting the rights of our clients, providing aggressive representation grounded in our years of experience building and interpreting the laws of South Carolina.  Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case. 803.252.4800