Who is using?
Last week I addressed the appeal of meth and why people use it but also undressed the ugly truth to what is in meth along with the emotional and physical effects of using. So knowing all of that, who actually uses meth? Here are some striking statistics to look over
Take From: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/methamphetamine/index.html
according to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 5.77% of the U.S. population aged 12 or older used methamphetamine at least once in their lifetimes for nonmedical purposes. Further data indicate that past year methamphetamine use was higher in the West (1.6%) than in the Northeast (0.3%), Midwest (0.5%) or South (0.7%) in 2006. The rates of past year use in 2006 were similar to those in 2002 in each respective region.3
In 2006 there were an estimated 731,000 current users of methamphetamine, aged 12 or older, representing 0.3% of the population. Among persons aged 12 or older, there were 259,000 recent, new users of methamphetamine taken for nonmedical purposes during 2006. These estimates do not differ significantly from estimates for 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005.4
Results of the 2007 Monitoring the Future survey indicate that 1.8% of eighth graders, 2.8% of tenth graders, and 3.0% of twelfth graders reported lifetime use of methamphetamine. In 2006, these percentages were 2.7%, 3.2%, and 4.4%, respectively.5
Percent of Students Reporting Methamphetamine Use, 2006–20076
|
|
8th Grade |
10th Grade |
12th Grade |
|||
|
2006 |
2007 |
2006 |
2007 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
| Past month |
0.6% |
0.6% |
0.7% |
0.4% |
0.9% |
0.6% |
| Past year |
1.8 |
1.1 |
1.8 |
1.6 |
2.5 |
1.7 |
| Lifetime |
2.7 |
1.8 |
3.2 |
2.8 |
4.4 |
3.0 |
The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveys high school students on several risk factors including drug and alcohol use. Results of the 2005 survey indicate that 6.2% of high school students reported using methamphetamine at some point in their lifetimes. This is down from 7.6% in 2003 and 9.8% in 2001.7
Percent of Students Reporting Lifetime Meth Use, 2001–2005
|
|
2001 |
2003 |
2005 |
|
9th grade |
8.1% |
6.7% |
5.7% |
|
10th grade |
9.7 |
7.5 |
5.9 |
|
11th grade |
9.2 |
8.0 |
6.7 |
|
12th grade |
12.8 |
8.0 |
6.4 |
|
Total |
9.8 |
7.6 |
6.2 |
Approximately 2.9% of college students and 7.3% of young adults (ages 19-28) surveyed in 2006 reported lifetime use of methamphetamine.8
Percent of College Students/Young Adults Using Methamphetamine, 2005–2006
|
|
College Students |
Young Adults |
||
|
2005 |
2006 |
2005 |
2006 |
|
|
Past month |
0.1% |
0.2% |
0.7% |
0.5% |
|
Past year |
1.7 |
1.2 |
2.4 |
1.9 |
|
Lifetime |
4.1 |
2.9 |
8.3 |
7.3 |
According to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 23.5% of State prisoners and 17.9% of Federal prisoners surveyed in 2004 indicated that they used methamphetamine at some point in their lives.9
Percent of Prisoners Reporting Methamphetamine Use, 1997 and 2004
|
|
State Prisoners |
Federal Prisoners |
||
|
1997 |
2004 |
1997 |
2004 |
|
|
At time of offense |
3.5% |
6.1% |
3.7% |
7.2% |
|
In month before offense |
6.9 |
10.8 |
6.5 |
10.1 |
|
Regularly* |
11.2 |
14.9 |
9.6 |
12.8 |
|
Ever in lifetime |
19.4 |
23.5 |
15.1 |
17.9 |
|
* Used drugs at least once a week for at least a month. |
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