Drug use up for boomers, down for teens

AP via Yahoo ^ | 9/7/2006 | KEVIN FREKING

[Incorrigible]

Drug use up for boomers, down for teens

By KEVIN FREKING,
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Some moms and dads might want to take a lesson from their kids: Just say no. The government reported Thursday that 4.4 percent of baby boomers ages 50 to 59 indicated that they had used illicit drugs in the past month. It marks the third consecutive yearly increase recorded for that age group by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Meanwhile, illicit drug use among young teens went down for the third consecutive year — from 11.6 percent in 2002 to 9.9 percent in 2005.

"Rarely have we seen a story like this where this is such an obvious contrast as one generation goes off stage right, and entering stage left is a generation that learned a lesson somehow and they're doing something very different," said David Murray, special assistant to the director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The annual survey on drug use and health involves interviews of about 67,500 people. It provides an important snapshot of how many Americans drink, smoke and use drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine.

Overall, drug use remained relatively unchanged among Americans age 12 and older in 2005. About 19.7 million Americans reported they had used an illicit drug in the past month, which represented a rise from 7.9 percent to 8.1 percent. The increase was not only due to the boomers, but an increase was also seen among those 18-25, the age category that always ranks highest when it comes to illicit drug use.

Among the 18-25 group, drug use rose from 19.4 percent to 20.1 percent. Federal officials commenting on the report emphasized the drop in use among younger teens without citing the increase in the next older age group.

"The news today is there is a fundamental shift in drug use among young people in America," Assistant Surgeon General Eric B. Broderick said in a statement.

Murray called the 18-25 group the gauntlet through which everybody runs. He said the peak of drug use among youth in the United States occurred in the late 1970s.

"And they brought it with them like baggage when they hit 50 and 60," Murray said.

Drug use by baby boomers increased from 2.7 percent in 2002 to 4.4 percent last year. Marijuana was by far their drug of choice, Murray said.

That's true overall. There were 14.6 million people who reported using marijuana in the past month, about 2.4 million cocaine users and 6.4 million people who used prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes, such as pain relievers, tranquilizers or sedatives. In 60 percent of those cases, the drugs came from a relative or friend for free. Only 4.3 percent reported buying the drug from a drug dealer or other stranger.

While drug use went up slightly in '05, so did alcohol use. Slightly more than half of Americans age 12 and older reported being current drinkers of alcohol. That translates to 126 million people, up from 121 million people the year before.

Officials noted that alcohol use among those 12-17 did decline from 17.6 percent to 16.5 percent.

The percentage of Americans who acknowledged driving drunk at least once in the past year also dropped slightly in 2005 — from 13.5 percent to 13 percent.

Meanwhile, tobacco use held steady at about 29.4 percent, even though among youths 12-17, tobacco use did drop from 14.4 percent to 13.1 percent.

____

On the Net:

Office of National Drug Control Policy: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/

Not for commercial use.  For educational and discussion purposes only.

[Protagoras]

I see, so all the problems of the x'ers were caused by boomers. LOL

Your parents drugged up and divorced?

[Protagoras]

Worse than boomers?

[Sir Gawain]

While drug use went up slightly in '05, so did alcohol use.

For some reason I was under the impression that alcohol was a drug. Clever to separate it to hide the hypocrisy of the drug war.

[yellowdoghunter]

I was very blessed in the parents department....others I know were not. Their parents are boomers. Did you provide your children with a loving, stable home? If so, good for you. Many, many boomers did not.

When you have a whole generation of children, the majority of whom grew up in divorced homes, yes, you are going to have problems.

[ansel12]

"The deep thinkers who are "picking up the pieces" from the boomers haven't figured out the things you pointed out yet.
After they get through, they can return to saving humanity from the "60 something" hippies."


Their deep and seemingly willful ignorance does not bode well for the future of conservatism.

[npg]

too soon to tell

[rottndog]

yes, they were maybe America's worst parents

Don't know about that, but I think it does have a lot to do with Marxist infiltration of our educational establishments.

[yellowdoghunter]

How does it feel to possibly be part of the FIRST generation in America to leave it in worse shape than when you inherited it?

Mock those trying to put the family back together all you want, typical of baby boomers.

[qam1]

Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.

[Cobra64]

God bless you.

You are one of the great ones.

And you are a conservative.

But on behalf of my irresponsible, gutless, narcissistic, selfish, greedy, fat, disgusting, lazy, tax dodging Boomer generation; I'm so ashamed and will spend the rest of my life at strip joints, smoking dope and live on welfare.

Any money that's left over will be used to pay off the college debt we incurred sending the slovenly instant gratification generation to college.

[npg]

ok, sounds good

by the way, how do you do Italics?

[Protagoras]

Grow up kid. You are digging yourself a giant hole.

[ansel12]

I didn't understand your post.

[yellowdoghunter]

LOL! Typical response. I just re-read the report and boy does it really speak volumes about the baby boomers.

I guess you are not going to answer the question about what type of homelife you provided for your children?

That speaks volumes in itself. Anyway, it is your generation, I will leave you to defend. But at least you guys get lots of freebies!

[rottndog]

Italic: <i>text</i> = text

[Protagoras]

How does it feel to possibly be part of the FIRST generation in America to leave it in worse shape than when you inherited it?

America is worse today than when I was a kid, and I had nothing to do with it.

Maybe I'll do like you do, blame the generation of my parents. Of course it won't fix a thing, but like a good little liberal x'er, I will feel better.

You need a history lesson to go along with all the other things you need.

[npg]

Cool, thanks

[rottndog]

HTML bootcamp:

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3a1e6b7134bf.htm

Lots of good stuff there.

[rottndog]

Cool, thanks

You're very welcome.

BTW, welcome to FreeRepublic!!!!

[Protagoras]

I guess you are not going to answer the question about what type of homelife you provided for your children?

You want to get personal huh? That will fix it?

OK, son, how's this?

I have never used an illegal drug in my life, I married my childhood sweetheart, have had a sucessful 38 yr career, raised three children to adulthood, all moral, successful God fearing people, all of them 10 times smarter than you, and with none of the arrogance you display.

If the world has to depend on people like you to "pick up the pieces" it is doomed.

I don't defend my generation, there is nothing to defend, or celebrate. All people in all generations are good and bad, smart and stupid, moral and immoral, arrogant and humble.

Maybe you should read the bible, it is full of history about people throughout time.

No go sit in the corner.