 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
THURSDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Cocaine and methamphetamine use among young adults in the United States fell significantly in 2007, while abuse of prescription drugs increased fairly dramatically, according to a new U.S. survey.
The 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included about 67,500 Americans, was released Thursday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Text Continues Below
From 2006 to 2007, cocaine use among adults ages 18-25 decreased 23 percent to 1.7 percent, the annual report found, and methamphetamine use fell by a third to 0.4 percent.
However, the abuse of prescription pain relievers by young adults rose 12 percent to 4.6 percent, according to the survey.
The poll also found a significant decline in overall past-month illicit drug use among youth ages 12-17 -- dropping from 11.6 percent in 2002 to 9.5 percent in 2007. There were reductions in the use of almost every type of illicit drug, including marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, LSD, Ecstasy and methamphetamine, and in the abuse of such prescription drugs as pain relievers.
Alcohol use in this age group decreased from 17.6 percent in 2002 to 15.9 percent in 2007 and cigarette use declined from 13.0 percent in 2002 to 9.8 percent in 2007, according to the report, released at the start of the 19th annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.
The reductions in cocaine and methamphetamine use among adults ages 18-25 coincide with reductions in their use among American workers.
Since 2005, there has been a 50 percent reduction in the level of workplace positive drug tests for methamphetamine. Pricing and quality for "meth" also underwent changes: according to the report, in 2007 there was an 84 percent increase in average price per pure gram and a 26 percent decrease in methamphetamine purity.
Page: 1 | 2 | Next >>
-- Robert Preidt
|
