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Show There were an estimated 730,000 new cocaine users in 1997. The rate of new use among youths did not change between 1996 (11.1) and 1997 (10.8). However, there was a statistically significant increase in the rate from 1991 (4.1) to 1997. The 1997 rate for youths is similar to the high initiation rates of the early 1980s.36 There were an estimated 1.1 million new hallucinogen users in 1997. The rate of initiation among youths age 12-17 increased between 1991 and 1995, from 11.1 to 25.0 per thousand potential new users, and was constant from 1995 to 1997 (23.9).37 An estimated 2.1 million people began smoking cigarettes daily in 1997. More than half of these new smokers were younger than age 18, which translates to more than 3,000 new youth smokers per day.38 Age Rates of drug use show substantial variation by age. Among youth age 12-13, 2.9 percent were current illicit drug users. The highest rates were found among young people ages 16-17 (16.4 percent), age 18-20 (19.9 percent), and age 21-25 (13.5 percent). The rates of use generally decline in each successively older age group, with only 0.7 percent of persons age 50 and older reporting current illicit use.39 Nearly half of young adults age 21-29 had tried illicit drugs at least once in their lifetime, and 10.6 percent were current users. More than half of adults age 30-44 had tried illicit drugs, but rate of current use was only 6.8 percent for those age 30-44.40 In 1998, about a third (32.3 percent) of illicit drug users were age 35 and older. This has not changed much since 1991, when 29.4 percent of illicit drug users were age 35 and older. In 1979, the peak year for drug use prevalence, only 10.3 percent of drug users were age 35 and older41 Gender As in prior years, men continued to have a higher rate of current illicit drug use than women (8.1 percent vs. 4.5 percent) in 1998.42 Education Illicit drug use rates remain highly correlated with educational status. Among young adults age 26-34 years old in 1998, those who had not completed high school had the highest rate of current use (9.8 percent), while college graduates had the lowest rate of use (4.8 percent). This is despite the fact that young adults at different educational levels are equally as likely to have tried illicit drugs in their lifetime (49.4 percent of those not completing high school and 47.0 percent of college graduates age 26-34 years.43 Employment Current employment status is also highly correlated with rates of illicit drug use. An estimated 18.2 percent of unemployed adults (age 18 and older) were current illicit drug users in 1998, compared with 6.4 percent of full-time employed adults.44 Although the rate of drug use is higher among the unemployed, most drug users are employed. Of the 11.4 million adult illicit drug users, 8.3 million (73 percent) were employed either full time or part time.45 36 Ibid. 37 Ibid. 38 Ibid. 39 Ibid., p. 11. 40 Ibid. 41 Ibid. 42 Ibid, p. 13. 43 Ibid, p. 14. 44 Ibid. 45 Ibid 103 |
