Baby boomers fuel jump in pot use

Salt Lake Tribune ^ | 5/5/04 | Lindsey Tanner

[qam1]

CHICAGO -- Habitual marijuana use increased among U.S. adults over the past decade, particularly among young minorities and baby boomers, government figures show.

The prevalence of marijuana abuse or dependence climbed from 1.2 percent of adults in 1991-92 to 1.5 percent in 2001-02, or an estimated 3 million adults 18 and over.

That represents an increase of 800,000 people, according to data from two nationally representative surveys that each queried more than 40,000 adults.

Among 18- to 29-year-olds, the rate of abuse or dependence remained stable among whites but surged by about 220 percent among black men and women, to 4.5 percent of that population, and by almost 150 percent among Latino men, to 4.7 percent.

Among all adults ages 45 to 64, the rate increased by 355 percent, to about 0.4 percent of that population. The report, published in today's Journal of the American Medical Association, was led by Wilson Compton of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, who said the rise in dependence was probably due at least partly to increases in the potency of pot over the past decade.

Also, the figures may indicate that baby boomers "bring their bad habits with them into old age," he said. The researchers said adults were considered marijuana abusers if repeated use of the drug hurt their ability to function at work, in school or in social situations, or created drug-related legal problems.

Drug users were considered dependent if they experienced increased tolerance of marijuana, used it compulsively and continued using it despite drug-related physical or psychological problems.

Overall use of the drug -- that is, casual use and habitual use -- remained stable at around 4 percent of adults.

"This study suggests that we need to develop ways to monitor the continued rise in marijuana abuse and dependence and strengthen existing prevention and intervention efforts," said Nora Volkow, the institute's director. Programs that target young black and Latino adults are particularly needed, she said.

Increases in dependence among young minorities may reflect their growing assimilation into sectors of white society where marijuana use is more accepted, Compton said.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism contributed to the report.

[jjackson]

True dat!

[NYC GOP Chick]

That's just because most people haven't gotten from work, had dinner, etc., before settling in to an evening of FR! ;D

[KangarooJacqui]

Hey, not my problem. (*grins*)

It's mid-morning here, and I've only had one cup of coffee, hence my own restraint... heheheh...

[NYC GOP Chick]

Ha! Just wait 'til you have that second and third cup! :D

[qam1]

... marvels at the politeness of the thread so far*

I am also pleasantly surprised, I thought I was asking for trouble with a WOD and Baby Boomer combo.

Maybe I shouldn't have been afraid to post the other article I found

Illegal immigrant, libertarian baby boomer Darwin supporters fuel jump in pot and cigarette use

[Ken H]

I heard other how past countries that tried legalization are having to go back to enforcement since they are killing their civilization.

What countries are you referring to?

[BJungNan]

Is this like a really old story or something?

[bayourod]

"here in Texas all the blacks and Latino's get all their pot from whitey"

You could be right. Domestically grown pot (by whites) appears to be dominating the market. Blacks seem to have the crack market cornered. And Browns & bikers (Banditos) seem to sell the most coke.

[KangarooJacqui]

Maybe I shouldn't have been afraid to post the other article I found

Illegal immigrant, libertarian baby boomer Darwin supporters fuel jump in pot and cigarette use

*giggles* You're kidding, right?

...Or maybe you aren't...

*shotguns 2nd and 3rd cups of coffee, rubs hands together with glee*

[Renegade]

Don't forget " Cocaine Fiends"!!

[MagnoliaB]

LOL!

[quadrant]

No Kidding.
The World War II generation is known as the Greatest Generation; the Baby Boomers have been called the Dstructive Generation.

[TKDietz]

Actually, from the government statistics it looks like a slightly greater percentage of the second half of the baby boom generation smoked pot than than the first half. Those born in the early sixties were in their peak drug taking years in 1979 when marijuana use peaked in this country in 1979. I'm posting a link to a table from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health that shows that 61.5% of those born between 1958 and 1962 report that they have smoked pot. Compare that to the 46.1% born from 1948 to 1952 who report that they have smoked pot. The group born between 1963 and 1967, which I realize includes non boomers, reported that 56.4% of them had smoked pot. Another category on the table that includes both boomers and some that were born outside of the boom period is the group born between 1943 and 1947. According to the NSDUH, only 29.8% of this group reported having smoked pot before. It looks like the older boomers didn't smoke pot as much as the younger boomers.

Source:
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda/2k2nsduh/html/Sect1peTabs1to110A.htm#tab1.20b

[William Terrell]

There are far more people that smoke cannabis than cited in the article.

[TKDietz]

"Among all adults ages 45 to 64, the rate increased by 355 percent, to about 0.4 percent of that population. The report, published in today's Journal of the American Medical Association, was led by Wilson Compton of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, who said the rise in dependence was probably due at least partly to increases in the potency of pot over the past decade."

This is really misleading. I've seen a couple of versions of this article and others are worse. They are trying to make it look like older people are smoking more pot these days. That probably isn't the case. What's happening is that those who started smoking pot when pot first became popular in the 1960's and 1970's are getting older and now comprise a much greater percentage of the 45 to 64 age bracket. People who were 45 to 64 in 1991 were born between 1927 and 1946. Most of them came of age long before pot use became popular in this country. Few of them ever even tried pot, so there were hardly any to be still smoking by 1991. In contrast, those who were 45 to 64 in 2001 were born between 1937 and 1955. A much higher percentage of them came of age in the sixties and seventies when marijuana became popular. The overwhelming majority grew up and stopped smoking pot, but as had been the case with the group from ten years before, a tiny few of those who tried marijuana kept on smoking. The 355% increase in use by persons 45 to 64 can be explained by the historical fact that marijuana use didn't become popular in this country until the 1960's and 1970's, and now those who were coming of age in that era are getting older. Give it another ten years and you'll see another big jump in this number, not because people are starting to smoke more pot, but because more people in that age group will be people who have smoked pot and a tiny minority of those who smoke pot when they are young continue to smoke it when they are older.

[TKDietz]

"The group born between 1963 and 1967, which I realize includes non boomers, reported that 56.4% of them had smoked pot."

That's wrong. The 56.4% number was actually for the group born between 1953 and 1957. The number for those born between 1963 and 1967 was close though. Of that group, 55.3% reported that they had smoked marijuana before.

The number for "Generation X" and "Y" aren't much better, still well over half of them have smoked pot and of course a much higher percentage of them are still smoking. But a lot of them are young pups who will grow out of it, just like most all of the boomers did.

[Marie]

There's a book called "The Fourth Turning" that explains it very well. It sure opened my eyes.

Just yesterday my mom asked how I turned out so conservative with such ol'fashioned values. (I'm 34) I told her that the majority of the boomers grew up in two-parent households with a SAHM and the majority of us Gen Xers were latch-key kids. We knew from first-hand experience how it hurt us, p*ssed us off, and made us determined not to raise our kids in the same dysfunctional manner. The Boomers chose to believe the lie that all their kids needed was a little "quality time" and we would be fine.

When I was 19 I read an article somewhere that shifted my paradigm in just ten minutes. It stated that most girls lost their virginity between the hours of 3:00 and 5:00 PM, on weekdays, in their own bedrooms. The reasoning was obvious and I wondered how many teenage troubles began in those two precious hours. Everything fell into place and I vowed to be a SAHM until my kids left my home.

Sorry about the rant, but I'm irritated that my husband and I can't retire until we're 70 because the Leach Generation will put such a burden on Social Security. (That is assuming that the whole system doesn't implode by that time.) How can they not understand how this burden is going to effect their children? How can they not care how this will suck into their own grand children's college? Heck, they didn't care about us when they were raising us. Why should I expect them to give a crap now?

Oh, and I'm also irritated that they aborted a few million of us. Those young workers' taxes would've come in handy now to help offset the burden of the "Me" generation's retirement.

(And, yes, I know that there are many noble Boomers who never thought this way. They can ignore my rant as I'm not speaking of them.)

[CSM]

Everything is whitey's fault, why should this be any different.

[CSM]

"Supporters of legalization want to use pot for recreational not medical purposes."

So?

[Wolfie]

That's strange. Just yesterday, the AMA published this:

"Despite the seriousness of DSM-IV marijuana abuse and dependence, no long-term trend information is available about whether the prevalence of these disorders is increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable in the United States."