Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
323152591
label
Presidential Address on Drugs 9/5/89 [OA 6267] [1]
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
323152591
contentType
document
title
Presidential Address on Drugs 9/5/89 [OA 6267] [1]
citationUrl
identifierLocal
13680-011
collections
Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Speech Backup Chronological Files
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
323152591
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
a0c790fded399d06
ocrText
Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Backup Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13680
Folder ID Number:
13680-011
Folder Title:
Presidential Address on Drugs 9/5/89 [OA 6267] [1]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
26
19
2
7
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS ON DRUGS: ALL NETWORKS
TUESDAY, SEPT. 5/9 P.M.
( (GOOD EVENING.)
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE TAKING THE OATH OF
OFFICE THAT I FELT AN ISSUE WAS SO IMPORTANT, so
THREATENING, THAT IT WARRANTED TALKING DIRECTLY WITH
YOU, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. ALL OF US AGREE THAT THE
GRAVEST DOMESTIC THREAT FACING OUR NATION TODAY IS
DRUGS.
DRUGS HAVE STRAINED OUR FAITH IN OUR SYSTEM OF
JUSTICE. OUR COURTS, OUR PRISONS, OUR LEGAL SYSTEM ARE
STRETCHED TO THE BREAKING POINT. THE SOCIAL COSTS OF
DRUGS ARE MOUNTING. IN SHORT, DRUGS ARE SAPPING OUR
STRENGTH AS A NATION.
TURN ON THE EVENING NEWS, OR PICK UP THE MORNING
PAPER AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT SOME AMERICANS KNOW JUST BY
STEPPING OUT THEIR FRONT DOOR: OUR MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM
TODAY IS COCAINE, AND IN PARTICULAR, CRACK.
- 2 -
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE? -- LET ME TELL YOU STRAIGHT
OUT.
EVERYONE WHO USES DRUGS.
EVERYONE WHO SELLS DRUGS.
AND EVERYONE 11 WHO LOOKS THE OTHER WAY.
TONIGHT, I WILL TELL YOU HOW MANY AMERICANS ARE
USING ILLEGAL DRUGS. I WILL PRESENT TO YOU OUR
NATIONAL STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH EVERY ASPECT OF THIS
THREAT. AND I WILL ASK YOU TO GET INVOLVED IN WHAT
PROMISES TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT FIGHT.
(PICK UP DRUGS) ) THIS IS CRACK COCAINE SEIZED A
FEW DAYS AGO BY DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION AGENTS
IN A PARK JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
IT COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN HEROIN OR PCP. IT'S AS
INNOCENT LOOKING AS CANDY, BUT IT IS TURNING OUR CITIES
INTO BATTLE ZONES, AND IT IS MURDERING OUR CHILDREN.
LET THERE BE NO MISTAKE, THIS STUFF IS POISON. ((SET
DRUGS DOWN.))
- 3 -
SOME USED TO CALL DRUGS HARMLESS RECREATION. 11
THEY'RE NOT. DRUGS ARE A REAL AND TERRIBLY DANGEROUS
THREAT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR FRIENDS AND OUR
FAMILIES.
NO ONE AMONG US IS OUT OF HARM'S WAY. WHEN FOUR-
YEAR-OLDS PLAY IN PLAYGROUNDS STREWN WITH DISCARDED
HYPODERMIC NEEDLES AND CRACK VIALS -- IT BREAKS MY
HEART. WHEN COCAINE -- ONE OF THE MOST DEADLY AND
ADDICTIVE ILLEGAL DRUGS -- IS AVAILABLE TO SCHOOL KIDS
-- SCHOOL KIDS -- IT'S AN OUTRAGE. AND WHEN HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF BABIES ARE BORN EACH YEAR TO MOTHERS
WHO USE DRUGS -- PREMATURE BABIES BORN DESPERATELY SICK
-- THEN EVEN THE MOST DEFENSELESS AMONG US ARE AT RISK.
- 4 -
/\/\
THESE ARE THE TRAGEDIES BEHIND THE STATISTICS.
BUT THE NUMBERS ALSO HAVE QUITE A STORY TO TELL. LET
ME SHARE WITH YOU THE RESULTS OF THE RECENTLY COMPLETED
HOUSEHOLD SURVEY OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG
ABUSE. IT COMPARES RECENT DRUG USE TO THREE YEARS AGO.
IT TELLS US SOME GOOD NEWS III AND, SOME VERY BAD
NEWS. FIRST, THE GOOD. ( (CAMERA CUTS TO SLIDE ONE. ))
((PAUSE))
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE CHART, IN 1985, THE
GOVERNMENT ESTIMATED THAT 23 MILLION AMERICANS WERE
USING DRUGS ON A "CURRENT" BASIS -- THAT IS, AT LEAST
ONCE IN THE PRECEDING MONTH. LAST YEAR, THAT NUMBER
FELL BY MORE THAN A THIRD. THAT MEANS ALMOST NINE
MILLION FEWER AMERICANS ARE CASUAL DRUG USERS. 11 GOOD
NEWS. ((CAMERA BACK TO PRESIDENT. ))
- 5 -
BECAUSE WE CHANGED OUR NATIONAL ATTITUDE TOWARD
DRUGS, CASUAL DRUG USE HAS DECLINED. WE HAVE MANY TO
THANK: OUR BRAVE LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, RELIGIOUS
LEADERS, TEACHERS, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, AND LEADERS OF
BUSINESS AND LABOR. 11 WE SHOULD ALSO THANK THE MEDIA
FOR THEIR EXHAUSTIVE NEWS AND EDITORIAL COVERAGE AND,
FOR THEIR AIRTIME AND SPACE FOR ANTI-DRUG MESSAGES. 11
FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK PRESIDENT AND MRS. REAGAN FOR
THEIR LEADERSHIP. \ ALL OF THESE GOOD PEOPLE TOLD THE
TRUTH -- THAT DRUG USE IS WRONG AND DANGEROUS.
BUT, AS MUCH COMFORT AS WE CAN DRAW FROM THESE
DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS, THERE IS ALSO BAD NEWS -- VERY BAD
NEWS. III ROUGHLY EIGHT MILLION PEOPLE HAVE USED
COCAINE IN THE PAST YEAR, ALMOST ONE MILLION OF THEM
USED IT FREQUENTLY 11 ONCE A WEEK OR MORE.
- 6 -
(CAMERA TO SLIDE TWO))
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT
OVERALL COCAINE USE IS DOWN, FREQUENT USE HAS ALMOST
DOUBLED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND THAT'S WHY HABITUAL
COCAINE USERS -- ESPECIALLY CRACK USERS ARE THE MOST
PRESSING, IMMEDIATE DRUG PROBLEM. ((PAUSE)) ((RETURN
TO PRESIDENT.)
\/\/
WHAT, THEN, IS OUR PLAN? 11 TO BEGIN WITH, I
TRUST THE LESSON OF EXPERIENCE: NO SINGLE POLICY WILL
CUT IT, NO MATTER HOW GLAMOROUS OR MAGICAL IT MAY
SOUND. TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST ADDICTIVE DRUGS LIKE
CRACK WILL TAKE MORE THAN JUST A FEDERAL STRATEGY. IT
WILL TAKE A NATIONAL STRATEGY, ONE THAT REACHES INTO
EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY WORKPLACE, INVOLVING EVERY FAMILY.
- 7 -
EARLIER TODAY, I SENT THIS DOCUMENT, ((HOLD UP RED
BOOK)) OUR FIRST SUCH NATIONAL STRATEGY TO THE
CONGRESS. IT WAS DEVELOPED WITH THE HARD WORK OF OUR
NATION'S FIRST DRUG POLICY DIRECTOR, BILL BENNETT.
((PUT BOOK DOWN) ) /\/\ IN PREPARING THIS PLAN, WE
TALKED WITH STATE, LOCAL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND EXPERTS IN EDUCATION, DRUG
PREVENTION, AND REHABILITATION. WE TALKED WITH PARENTS
AND KIDS. WE TOOK A LONG HARD LOOK AT ALL THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DONE ABOUT DRUGS IN THE PAST:
WHAT'S WORKED, AND -- LET'S BE HONEST -- WHAT HASN'T.
TOO OFTEN, PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT ACTED AS IF THEIR PART
OF THE PROBLEM -- WHETHER FIGHTING DRUG PRODUCTION, OR
DRUG SMUGGLING, OR DRUG DEMAND -- WAS THE ONLY PROBLEM.
BUT TURF BATTLES WON'T WIN THIS WAR. III TEAMWORK
WILL.
TONIGHT, I'M ANNOUNCING A STRATEGY THAT REFLECTS
THE COORDINATED, COOPERATIVE COMMITMENT OF ALL FEDERAL
AGENCIES. 11 IN SHORT, THIS PLAN IS AS COMPREHENSIVE
AS THE PROBLEM. WITH THIS STRATEGY, WE NOW FINALLY
HAVE A PLAN THAT COORDINATES OUR RESOURCES, OUR
PROGRAMS AND THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THEM.
- 8 -
OUR WEAPONS IN THIS STRATEGY ARE: THE LAW AND
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; OUR FOREIGN POLICY; OUR
TREATMENT SYSTEMS, AND OUR SCHOOLS AND DRUG PREVENTION
PROGRAMS. SO THE BASIC WEAPONS WE NEED ARE THE ONES WE
ALREADY HAVE. WHAT HAS BEEN LACKING IS A STRATEGY TO
EFFECTIVELY USE THEM. 1111
LET ME ADDRESS FOUR OF THE MAJOR ELEMENTS OF OUR
STRATEGY.
*** FIRST, WE ARE DETERMINED TO ENFORCE THE LAW,
TO MAKE OUR STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE. so TO
START, I'M PROPOSING THAT WE MORE THAN DOUBLE FEDERAL
ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AMERICANS HAVE A RIGHT TO SAFETY IN AND AROUND THEIR
HOMES.
- 9 -
AND WE WON'T HAVE SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS UNLESS WE ARE
TOUGH ON DRUG CRIMINALS -- MUCH TOUGHER THAN WE ARE
NOW. SOMETIMES THAT MEANS TOUGHER PENALTIES. BUT MORE
OFTEN IT JUST MEANS PUNISHMENT THAT IS SWIFT AND
CERTAIN. WE'VE ALL HEARD STORIES ABOUT DRUG DEALERS
WHO ARE CAUGHT AND ARRESTED -- AGAIN AND AGAIN -- BUT
NEVER PUNISHED. 111 WELL, HERE THE RULES HAVE
CHANGED: IF YOU SELL DRUGS, YOU WILL BE CAUGHT. AND
WHEN YOU'RE CAUGHT, YOU WILL BE PROSECUTED. AND ONCE
YOU'RE CONVICTED, YOU WILL DO TIME. CAUGHT.
PROSECUTED. PUNISHED. 1111
/\/\
I AM ALSO PROPOSING THAT WE ENLARGE OUR CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM ACROSS THE BOARD -- AT THE LOCAL, STATE
AND FEDERAL LEVELS ALIKE. WE NEED MORE PRISONS, MORE
JAILS, MORE COURTS, MORE PROSECUTORS. so TONIGHT, I'M
REQUESTING -- ALTOGETHER -- AN ALMOST BILLION-AND-A-
HALF DOLLAR INCREASE IN DRUG-RELATED FEDERAL SPENDING
ON LAW ENFORCEMENT.
- 10 -
AND WHILE ILLEGAL DRUG USE IS FOUND IN EVERY
COMMUNITY, NOWHERE IS IT WORSE THAN IN OUR PUBLIC
HOUSING PROJECTS. YOU KNOW, THE POOR HAVE NEVER HAD IT
EASY IN THIS WORLD. BUT IN THE PAST, THEY WEREN'T
MUGGED ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK BY CRACK GANGS. AND
THEIR CHILDREN DIDN'T HAVE TO DODGE BULLETS ON THE WAY
TO SCHOOL. THAT IS WHY I'M TARGETING FIFTY-MILLION
DOLLARS TO FIGHT CRIME IN PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS -- TO
HELP RESTORE ORDER, AND TO KICK OUT THE DEALERS FOR
GOOD.
- 11 -
*** THE SECOND ELEMENT OF OUR STRATEGY LOOKS
BEYOND OUR BORDERS, WHERE THE COCAINE AND CRACK, BOUGHT
ON AMERICA'S STREETS, IS GROWN AND PROCESSED. IN
COLOMBIA ALONE, COCAINE KILLERS HAVE GUNNED DOWN A
LEADING STATESMAN, MURDERED ALMOST TWO HUNDRED JUDGES
AND SEVEN MEMBERS OF THEIR SUPREME COURT. THE BESIEGED
GOVERNMENTS OF THE DRUG-PRODUCING COUNTRIES ARE
FIGHTING BACK, FIGHTING TO BREAK THE INTERNATIONAL DRUG
RINGS. BUT YOU AND I AGREE WITH THE COURAGEOUS
PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA, VIRGILIO ((VEER-HEEL-LEO))
BARCO, WHO SAID THAT IF AMERICANS USE COCAINE, THEN
AMERICANS ARE PAYING 11 FOR MURDER. 11 AMERICAN
COCAINE USERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR NATION HAS
ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CASUAL DRUG USE. WE HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO LEAVE OUR BRAVE FRIENDS IN
COLOMBIA TO FIGHT ALONE.
THE SIXTY-FIVE-MILLION DOLLAR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
ANNOUNCED TWO WEEKS AGO WAS JUST OUR FIRST STEP IN
ASSISTING THE ANDEAN NATIONS IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST THE
COCAINE CARTELS. COLOMBIA HAS ALREADY ARRESTED
SUPPLIERS, SEIZED TONS OF COCAINE AND CONFISCATED
PALATIAL HOMES OF DRUG LORDS. BUT COLOMBIA FACES A
LONG, UPHILL BATTLE, SO WE MUST BE READY TO DO MORE.
- 12 -
OUR STRATEGY ALLOCATES MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A
BILLION DOLLARS FOR NEXT YEAR IN MILITARY AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR THE THREE ANDEAN NATIONS OF
COLOMBIA, BOLIVIA AND PERU. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST
PART OF A FIVE-YEAR, TWO-BILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM TO
COUNTER THE PRODUCERS, THE TRAFFICKERS AND THE
SMUGGLERS.
I SPOKE WITH PRESIDENT BARCO LAST WEEK, AND WE
HOPE TO MEET WITH THE LEADERS OF AFFECTED COUNTRIES IN
AN UNPRECEDENTED DRUG SUMMIT, ALL TO COORDINATE AN
INTER-AMERICAN STRATEGY AGAINST THE CARTELS. WE WILL
WORK WITH OUR ALLIES AND FRIENDS -- ESPECIALLY OUR
ECONOMIC SUMMIT PARTNERS -- TO DO MORE IN THE FIGHT
AGAINST DRUGS. I'M ALSO ASKING THE SENATE TO RATIFY
THE U.N. ANTI-DRUG CONVENTION CONCLUDED LAST DECEMBER.
TO STOP THOSE DRUGS ON THE WAY TO AMERICA, I
PROPOSE THAT WE SPEND MORE THAN A BILLION-AND-A-HALF
DOLLARS ON INTERDICTION. 11 GREATER INTERAGENCY
COOPERATION, COMBINED WITH SOPHISTICATED INTELLIGENCE-
GATHERING, AND DEFENSE DEPARTMENT TECHNOLOGY, CAN HELP
STOP DRUGS AT OUR BORDERS.
- 13 -
OUR MESSAGE TO THE DRUG CARTELS IS THIS: 11 THE
RULES HAVE CHANGED. 11 WE WILL HELP ANY GOVERNMENT
THAT WANTS OUR HELP. WHEN REQUESTED, WE WILL FOR THE
FIRST TIME MAKE AVAILABLE THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES OF
AMERICA'S ARMED FORCES. WE WILL INTENSIFY OUR EFFORTS
AGAINST DRUG SMUGGLERS ON THE HIGH SEAS, IN
INTERNATIONAL AIRSPACE AND AT OUR BORDERS. WE WILL
STOP THE FLOW OF CHEMICALS FROM THE UNITED STATES USED
TO PROCESS DRUGS. WE WILL PURSUE AND ENFORCE
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS TO TRACK DRUG MONEY TO THE
FRONT MEN AND FINANCIERS. AND THEN WE WILL HANDCUFF
THESE MONEY LAUNDERERS, AND JAIL THEM -- JUST LIKE ANY
STREET DEALER. AND FOR DRUG KINGPINS, THE DEATH
PENALTY. IIII
*** THE THIRD PART OF OUR STRATEGY CONCERNS DRUG
TREATMENT. EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE TWO MILLION
AMERICAN DRUG USERS WHO MAY BE ABLE TO GET OFF DRUGS
WITH PROPER TREATMENT. BUT RIGHT NOW, ONLY 40 PERCENT
OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY GETTING HELP. THIS IS SIMPLY NOT
GOOD ENOUGH.
- 14 -
MANY PEOPLE WHO NEED TREATMENT WON'T SEEK IT ON
THEIR OWN. AND SOME WHO DO SEEK IT ARE PUT ON A
WAITING LIST. MOST PROGRAMS WERE SET UP TO DEAL WITH
HEROIN ADDICTS, 11 BUT TODAY, THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS
COCAINE USERS. IT'S TIME WE EXPAND OUR TREATMENT
SYSTEMS AND DO A BETTER JOB OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO
THOSE WHO NEED THEM.
so TONIGHT, I'M PROPOSING AN INCREASE OF THREE
HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL
SPENDING ON DRUG TREATMENT.
WITH THIS STRATEGY, WE WILL DO MORE. WE WILL WORK
WITH THE STATES. WE WILL ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO
ESTABLISH EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO COPE WITH
DRUG USE. AND, BECAUSE ADDICTION IS SUCH A CRUEL
INHERITANCE, WE WILL INTENSIFY OUR SEARCH FOR WAYS TO
HELP EXPECTANT MOTHERS WHO USE DRUGS.
- 15 -
*** FOURTH, WE MUST STOP ILLEGAL DRUG USE BEFORE
IT STARTS. UNFORTUNATELY, IT BEGINS EARLY -- FOR MANY
KIDS, BEFORE THEIR TEENS. BUT IT DOESN'T START THE WAY
YOU MIGHT THINK, FROM A DEALER OR AN ADDICT HANGING
AROUND A SCHOOL PLAYGROUND. MORE OFTEN, OUR KIDS FIRST
GET THEIR DRUGS FREE, FROM FRIENDS, OR EVEN FROM OLDER
BROTHERS OR SISTERS. PEER PRESSURE SPREADS DRUG USE.
PEER PRESSURE CAN HELP STOP IT.
I AM PROPOSING A QUARTER-OF-A-BILLION-DOLLAR
INCREASE IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY
PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT HELP YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS
REJECT ENTICEMENTS TO TRY DRUGS. 11 AND I'M PROPOSING
SOMETHING ELSE. 11 EVERY SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND
UNIVERSITY -- AND EVERY WORKPLACE -- MUST ADOPT TOUGH
BUT FAIR POLICIES ABOUT DRUG USE BY STUDENTS AND
EMPLOYEES. 11 THOSE THAT WILL NOT ADOPT SUCH POLICIES
WILL NOT GET FEDERAL FUNDS. PERIOD.
- 16 -
THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALSO HAS A ROLE TO PLAY. I
SPOKE WITH A BUSINESSMAN NAMED JIM BURKE WHO SAID HE
WAS HAUNTED BY THE THOUGHT -- A NIGHTMARE REALLY --
THAT SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA, AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, THERE
IS A TEEN-AGE GIRL WHO SHOULD BE IN SCHOOL, INSTEAD OF
GIVING BIRTH TO A CHILD ADDICTED TO COCAINE. so JIM
DID SOMETHING. HE LED AN ANTI-DRUG PARTNERSHIP,
FINANCED BY PRIVATE FUNDS, TO WORK WITH ADVERTISERS AND
MEDIA FIRMS. THEIR PARTNERSHIP IS NOW DETERMINED TO
WORK WITH OUR STRATEGY BY GENERATING EDUCATIONAL
MESSAGES WORTH A MILLION DOLLARS A DAY
EVERY DAY
FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS -- A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF
ADVERTISING, ALL TO PROMOTE THE ANTI-DRUG MESSAGE. IIII
AS PRESIDENT, ONE OF MY FIRST MISSIONS IS TO KEEP
THE NATIONAL FOCUS ON OUR OFFENSIVE AGAINST DRUGS. so
NEXT WEEK I WILL TAKE THE ANTI-DRUG MESSAGE TO THE
CLASSROOMS OF AMERICA IN A SPECIAL TELEVISION ADDRESS,
ONE THAT I HOPE WILL REACH EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY YOUNG
AMERICAN. BUT DRUG EDUCATION DOESN'T BEGIN IN CLASS OR
ON T.V. IT MUST BEGIN AT HOME AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
PARENTS AND FAMILIES MUST SET THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF A
DRUG-FREE LIFE. AND WHEN FAMILIES ARE BROKEN, CARING
FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS MUST STEP IN. 1111
- 17 -
THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS IN OUR
STRATEGY TO FIGHT DRUGS. THEY ARE ALL DESIGNED TO
REINFORCE ONE ANOTHER, TO MESH INTO A POWERFUL WHOLE.
TO MOUNT AN AGGRESSIVE ATTACK ON THE PROBLEM FROM EVERY
ANGLE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR
COUNTRY, THAT WE TRULY HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY.
AS YOU CAN TELL, SUCH AN APPROACH WILL NOT COME
CHEAPLY. LAST FEBRUARY, I ASKED FOR A SEVEN-HUNDRED-
MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE IN THE DRUG BUDGET FOR THE
COMING YEAR. OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS OF CAREFUL
STUDY, WE HAVE FOUND AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR ANOTHER
BILLION-AND-A-HALF DOLLARS. WITH THIS ADDED 2.2
BILLION, OUR 1990 DRUG BUDGET TOTALS ALMOST EIGHT
BILLION DOLLARS -- THE LARGEST INCREASE IN HISTORY.
- 18 -
WE NEED THIS PROGRAM FULLY IMPLEMENTED -- RIGHT
AWAY. 11 THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR BEGINS JUST 26 DAYS FROM
NOW. so TONIGHT I'M ASKING THE CONGRESS -- WHICH HAS
HELPED US FORMULATE THIS STRATEGY -- TO HELP US MOVE IT
FORWARD IMMEDIATELY.
WE CAN PAY FOR THIS FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS WITHOUT
RAISING TAXES OR ADDING TO THE BUDGET DEFICIT. WE HAVE
SUBMITTED OUR PLAN TO CONGRESS THAT SHOWS JUST HOW TO
FUND IT WITHIN THE LIMITS OF OUR BIPARTISAN BUDGET
AGREEMENT.
I KNOW SOME WILL STILL SAY THAT WE ARE NOT
SPENDING ENOUGH MONEY. BUT THOSE WHO JUDGE OUR
STRATEGY ONLY BY ITS PRICE TAG, SIMPLY DON'T UNDERSTAND
THE PROBLEM. LET'S FACE IT, WE'VE ALL SEEN IN THE PAST
THAT MONEY ALONE WON'T SOLVE OUR TOUGHEST PROBLEMS.
TO BE STRONG AND EFFICIENT, OUR STRATEGY NEEDS
THESE FUNDS. BUT THERE IS NO MATCH FOR A UNITED
AMERICA, A DETERMINED AMERICA, AN ANGRY AMERICA. OUR
OUTRAGE AGAINST DRUGS UNITES US, BRINGS US TOGETHER
BEHIND THIS ONE PLAN OF ACTION, 11 AN ASSAULT ON EVERY
FRONT.
- 19 -
THIS IS THE TOUGHEST DOMESTIC CHALLENGE WE'VE
FACED IN DECADES. AND IT IS A CHALLENGE WE MUST
FACE -- NOT AS DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS, LIBERALS OR
CONSERVATIVES -- BUT AS AMERICANS. THE KEY IS A
COORDINATED, UNITED EFFORT. WE HAVE RESPONDED
FAITHFULLY TO THE REQUEST OF THE CONGRESS TO PRODUCE
OUR NATION'S FIRST NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY. I'LL BE
LOOKING TO THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY AND OUR REPUBLICANS
IN CONGRESS FOR LEADERSHIP AND BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. AND
OUR CITIZENS DESERVE COOPERATION, NOT COMPETITION; A
NATIONAL EFFORT, NOT A PARTISAN BIDDING WAR.
TO START, CONGRESS NEEDS NOT ONLY TO ACT ON THIS
NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY, BUT ALSO TO ACT ON OUR CRIME
PACKAGE ANNOUNCED LAST MAY; A PACKAGE TO TOUGHEN
SENTENCES, BEEF UP LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BUILD NEW PRISON
SPACE FOR 24,000 INMATES.
11 YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
CAN'T DO IT ALONE. THE STATES NEED TO MATCH TOUGHER
FEDERAL LAWS WITH TOUGHER LAWS OF THEIR OWN -- STIFFER
BAIL, PROBATION, PAROLE AND SENTENCING.
- 20 -
AND WE NEED YOUR HELP. IF PEOPLE YOU KNOW ARE
USERS, HELP THEM GET OFF DRUGS. IF YOU ARE A PARENT,
TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT DRUGS -- TONIGHT.
CALL YOUR LOCAL DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAM. BE A BIG
BROTHER OR SISTER TO A CHILD IN NEED. PITCH IN WITH
YOUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM. WHETHER YOU
GIVE YOUR TIME OR TALENT, EVERYONE COUNTS.
\/\/
EVERY EMPLOYER WHO BANS DRUGS FROM THE WORKPLACE.
EVERY SCHOOL THAT'S TOUGH ON DRUG USE.
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH DRUGS ARE NOT WELCOME.
\/\/
AND MOST IMPORTANT, EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO REFUSES
TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY. EVERY ONE OF YOU COUNTS.
OF COURSE, VICTORY WILL TAKE HARD WORK AND TIME.
BUT TOGETHER WE WILL WIN -- TOO MANY YOUNG LIVES ARE AT
STAKE. 1111
- 21 -
/\/\
NOT LONG AGO, I READ A NEWSPAPER STORY ABOUT A
LITTLE BOY NAMED DOONEY, WHO, UNTIL RECENTLY, LIVED IN
A CRACK HOUSE IN A SUBURB OF WASHINGTON, D.C. IN
DOONEY'S NEIGHBORHOOD, CHILDREN DON'T FLINCH AT THE
SOUND OF GUNFIRE. AND WHEN THEY PLAY, THEY PRETEND TO
SELL TO EACH OTHER SMALL WHITE ROCKS THEY CALL CRACK.
LIFE AT HOME WAS SO CRUEL THAT DOONEY BEGGED HIS
TEACHERS TO LET HIM SLEEP ON THE FLOOR AT SCHOOL. AND,
WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS FUTURE, 6-YEAR-OLD DOONEY ANSWERS:
"I DON'T WANT TO SELL DRUGS, 11 BUT I WILL PROBABLY
HAVE TO." ((PAUSE)) 1111
WELL, DOONEY DOES NOT HAVE TO SELL DRUGS. NO
CHILD IN AMERICA SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS.
TOGETHER, AS A PEOPLE, WE CAN SAVE THESE KIDS.
WE
HAVE ALREADY TRANSFORMED A NATIONAL ATTITUDE OF
TOLERANCE INTO ONE OF CONDEMNATION. BUT THE WAR ON
DRUGS WILL BE HARD-WON, NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD,
BLOCK BY BLOCK, CHILD BY CHILD. 11
- 22 -
IF WE FIGHT THIS WAR AS A DIVIDED NATION, THEN THE
WAR IS LOST. ((PICK UP DRUGS, HOLD IT IN FRONT OF
YOU) ) BUT, IF WE FACE THIS EVIL AS A NATION UNITED,
THIS WILL BE NOTHING BUT A HANDFUL OF USELESS
CHEMICALS. ((SET VIAL DOWN, OFF CAMERA))
VICTORY
...
((PAUSE)) VICTORY OVER DRUGS IS
OUR CAUSE, A JUST CAUSE, AND WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE
GOING TO WIN.
THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.
# # #
Diris office
/
7413 6489
August 11, 1989*
468-2600
LISA
INTRODUCTION
Am
Swarberg
2919
In late July of this year, the Federal government's National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) released the results of its ninth
periodic Household Survey -- the first such comprehensive,
national study of drug use patterns since 1985. Much of the news
in NIDA's report was dramatic and startling. The estimated
number of Americans using any illegal drug on a "current" basis
(in other words, at least once in the 30-day period preceding the
survey) has dropped 37 percent: from 23 million in 1985 to 14.5
million last year. Current use of the two most common illegal
substances -- marijuana and cocaine -- is down 36 and 48 percent
respectively.
This is all good news -- very good news. But it is also, at
first glance, difficult to square with commonsense perceptions.
Most Americans remain firmly convinced that drugs represent the
gravest present threat to our national well-being -- and with
good reason. Because a wealth of other, up-to-date evidence
suggests that our drug problem is getting worse, not better.
Crime. Fear of drugs and attendant crime are at an all-time
high. Rates of drug-related homicide continue to rise --
sometimes alarmingly -- in cities across the country. Felony
DRAFT
2
drug convictions now account for the single largest and fastest
growing sector of the Federal prison population. Three-fourths
of all robberies and half of all felony assaults committed by
young people (statistically, the most crime-prone age group) now
involve drug users. Reports of bystander deaths due to drug-
related gunfights and drive-by shootings continue to climb.
Health. The threat drugs pose to American public health has
never been greater. Intravenous drug use is now the single
largest source of new AIDS virus infections, and perhaps one-half
of all AIDS deaths are drug-related. The number of drug-related
emergency hospital admissions increased by 121 percent between
1985 and 1988. As many as 200,000 babies are born each year to
mothers who use drugs. Many of these infants suffer low birth
weight, severe and often permanent mental and physical
dysfunction or impairment, or signs of actual drug dependence.
Many other such babies -- born many weeks or months premature --
do not survive past infancy.
The Economy. Drug trafficking, distribution, and sales in
America have become a vast, economically debilitating black
market. One U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimate puts annual gross
drug sales at $110 billion -- more than our total gross
agricultural income, and more than double the profits enjoyed by
all the Fortune 500 companies combined. Such figures cannot
truly be calculated with any real precision, but it is all too
clear that drug use acts as a direct and painful brake on
DRAFT
3
American competitiveness. One study reports that on-the-job drug
use alone costs American industry and business $60 billion a year
in lost productivity and drug-related accidents.
Overseas. In Southeast and West Asia, South and Central
America, and the Caribbean, drug exporting networks and domestic
NATIONS LEARNING THAT
drug use are causing serious social, economic, and political
THEY CANNOT EXPORT
disruptions. Intense drug-inspired violence or official
corruption have plagued a number of Latin American countries for
years; in more than one of them, drug cartel operations and
associated local insurgencies are a real and present danger to
democratic institutions, national economies, and basic civil
order. In Pakistan, the number of heroin addicts has more than
tripled in the past four years alone. And so, because our
national security directly depends on regional stability
throughout the Americas and across the globe, drugs have become a
major concern of U.S. foreign policy.
Availability. Finally, undeniably, the fact remains that
here in the United States, in every State -- in our cities, in
our suburbs, in our rural communities -- drugs are potent, drugs
are cheap, and drugs are available to almost anyone who wants
them.
Insofar as this crisis is the product of individual choices
to take or refuse drugs, it has been -- and continues to be -- a
crisis of national character, affecting and affected by the
Dr $
2/E
908-
0567
DRAFT
4
myriad social structures and agencies that help shape individual
American lives: our families, our schools, our churches and
community organizations, even our broadest messages to one
another through popular culture and the media. At least in part,
NIDA's most recent Household Survey is proof that grassroots
America can meet the challenge of drugs, and meet it well.
Not SO long ago, drug use was an activity widely thought of
as harmless fun or isolated self-indulgence. Today it is seen --
just as widely, and far more accurately -- to be a personal,
social, medical, and economic catastrophe. In less than a
decade, parents, educators, students, clergy, and local leaders
across the country have changed and hardened American opinion
about drugs. The effectiveness of their activism is now largely
vindicated. Despite the persistent widespread availability of
illegal drugs, many millions of Americans who once used them
regularly appear to have recently given them up altogether. Many
others -- young people for the most part -- have been
successfully induced not to try drugs in the first place.
What, then, accounts for the intensifying drug-related chaos
that we see every day in our newspapers and on television? One
word explains much of it. That word is crack.
Cocaine in Our Cities
DRAFT
HHS NEWS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE AT 10:00 A.M. EST
Monday, July 31, 1989
CONTACT:
Mona Whittaker
Susan Lachter David
(301) 443-6245
HHS Secretary Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., today released results
from the Department's 1988 National Household Survey on Drug
Abuse, which show significant declines in the "current use" of
illicit drugs by Americans nationwide, but also indicate
continued severe problems with heavy drug users, especially
frequent users of cocaine.
Presenting the findings at a press conference with Director
of National Drug Control Policy William J. Bennett, Secretary
Sullivan called the overall findings "very encouraging," but said
they "should not be viewed as a declaration of success" in the
nation's anti-drug abuse efforts.
The survey, ninth in a series by the HHS' National Institute
on Drug Abuse (NIDA), reports the nature and extent of drug abuse
among the American household population age 12 and over.
The 1988 survey, conducted last fall, showed a decrease of 37
percent in "current use" of illicit drugs compared with results
of the most recent previous Household Survey, conducted in 1985.
In other words, based on survey responses, persons who used
marijuana, cocaine, or any other illicit drug within the last 30
days dropped from 23 million in 1985 to 14.5 million in 1988.
(more)
RP0729
2
In addition, users of any illicit drug "within the last year"
decreased almost 25 percent, from 37 million to 28 million.
The number of "current" cocaine users also dropped, by 50
percent, from 5.8 million in 1985 to 2.9 million in 1988. And
those who used cocaine in the past year fell from 12 million to 8
million.
However, the 1988 survey found continued intense use of
cocaine within the cocaine user population. Some 862,000 used
cocaine once a week or more, compared with 647,000 in 1985; and
some 292,000 used the drug daily or almost daily, compared with
246,000 in 1985.
"For these individuals, the survey underscores what we have
already learned from research--that cocaine is an extremely
addictive drug that frequently entraps its victims," Dr. Sullivan
said.
Cocaine use was highest among the unemployed (4.6 percent)
and those aged 18-25 (4.5 percent). The survey also found there
were almost half a million current crack users among the 2.9
million current cocaine users.
"Of great concern are the 600,000 young people age 12-17 who
have used cocaine within the past year, placing them at heavy
risk for addiction, and severe medical and social consequences,"
Dr. Sullivan added.
"Mindful of the destructive power of drugs and those who
peddle them," the Secretary said, "this survey should not be
(more)
3
viewed as a declaration of success, but as a rallying point for
sustained and invigorated demand and supply reduction
initiatives."
"While we celebrate our impressive gains, let us resolve to
reinforce and build on them," he stated.
Alcohol and cigarette use also declined from 1985 to 1988.
The number of current drinkers of alcohol declined from 113
million in 1985 to 106 million in 1988. Current cigarette users
declined from 60 million in 1985 to 57 million in 1988. "The
decline in alcohol and cigarette use is a significant development
because the use of these two substances has a disproportionate
impact on the public health system," Dr. Sullivan emphasized.
The survey found current users of marijuana continued to
decrease, from 18 million in 1985 to 12 million in 1988. "As the
most widely abused illicit drug, marijuana has led the decline in
illicit drug use since 1979, especially among youth and young
adults, where the rates are at the lowest level since the survey
began in 1972," explained Dr. Charles R. Schuster, Director of
NIDA.
"But we must still realize that there are almost 2 million
teenagers currently using illicit drugs," Dr. Schuster added.
Other findings of the survey include:
-- Among 20 to 40 year old full-time employed Americans, 22
percent used an illicit drug in the past year, and 12 percent
used an illicit drug in the past month. Ten percent used
marijuana, and 3 percent used cocaine in the past month.
(more)
4
-- Over 5 million (9 percent) of the nearly 60 million women
15-44 years of age, the childbearing years, have used an illicit
drug in the past month. Almost 1 million (2 percent) have used
cocaine and 3.8 million (6 percent) have used marijuana in the
past month.
-- Current nonmedical use of psychotherapeutic drugs,
including sedatives, tranquilizers, stimulants, and analgesics,
decreased from 3.2 percent in 1985 to less than 2 percent in
1988.
-- Use of hallucinogens, such as LSD and PCP, did not change
significantly for any age group between 1985 and 1988.
"Illicit drug use by Americans remains much too high,"
Secretary Sullivan said. "Its consequences in health, crime, and
cost to society remain unacceptable. But the dramatic declines
in overall drug use identified in the Household Survey are very
encouraging."
"Attitudes are changing. And this is testimony to years of
hard work by parents, educators, health care providers, employers
and religious leaders, as well as government efforts, to create a
general social attitude that drug use is wrong and intolerable."
The National Household Survey is a probability-based sample
of 8,814 people representative of the U.S. household population
age 12 and over. The survey will be conducted again next year in
order to closely monitor changes in drug use.
###
RESOURCE CONTACTS
1988 NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE
Charles R. Schuster, Ph.D., Director, National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), (301)443-6245
Edgar H. Adams, Sc.D., Director, Division of
Epidemiology and Prevention Research, NIDA, (301)
443-6504
Joseph Gfroerer, Chief, Statistical Analysis and
Population Survey Section, Division of Epidemiology and
Prevention Research, NIDA, (301) 443-6637
Susan Lachter David, Chief, Community and Professional
Education Section, NIDA (301) 443-6245
Mona Whittaker, Press Officer, NIDA (301) 443-6245
SPEAKERS
1988 NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE
Press Conference
July 31, 1989
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Frederick K. Goodwin, M.D., Administrator, Alcohol,
Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration, DHHS
(Moderator)
Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., Secretary, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services
William J. Bennett, Director, Office of National Drug
Control Policy
Charles R. Schuster, Ph.D., Director, National
Institute on Drug Abuse, ADAMHA, DHHS
THE NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE, 1988
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
The 1988 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse is the ninth in a series that
began in 1971 under the auspices of the National Commission on Marijuana and
Drug Abuse. Since 1974 the survey has been sponsored by the National Insitute
on Drug Abuse. The 1988 survey was conducted by the Research Triangle Institute
in North Carolina at a cost of $2.5 million.
The survey covers the population age 12 and older living in households in the
contiguous United States (excluding Hawaii and Alaska.). The results are based
on personal interviews combined with self-administered questionnaires from 8,814
respondents, randomly selected from the household population, the largest
sample ever used in this survey. This year for the second time, blacks and
Hispanics were over-sampled in order to provide more accurate data on these
special population groups. In addition, the 1988 survey collected information
on health consequences and measures of dependency. Not included in the survey
are persons living in military installations, dormitories, and other group
quarters, and institutions such as hospitals and jails.
Four major population groups are covered in this survey:
Youth age 12 to 17
Young adults age 18 to 25
Mid-adults age 26 to 34
Older adults age 35 and older
Data are also reported by Metropolitan Area:
Large--SMSAs with a population of 1,000,000 or more in 1980
Small--SMSAs with a population under 1,000,000
Non-metropolitan--Areas that are not part of a SMSA
Data are also reported by Region:
NORTHEAST includes CT,ME,MA,NH,RI,VT,NJ, NY, PA;
NORTH CENTRAL includes IL,IN,MI,OH,WI,IA,KS,MN,MO,NE,ND,SD;
SOUTH includes DE,DC,FL,GA,MD,NC,SC,VA,WV,AL,KY,MS,TN,AR,LA,TX, OK;
WEST includes AZ,CA,CO,ID,MT,NV,NM,OR,UT,WA, : and WY.
The survey data provide the basis for prevalence estimates and other statistics
which contribute to an understanding of the extent of drug use in the United
States in 1988. As with any sample survey, the results of this survey are
estimates of the values that would be obtained if the data were collected from
all members of the population from which the sample was drawn. Statistically,
since the sample was drawn according to strict random (probability-based)
procedures, each sample result is the single best estimate of the corresponding
population value.
STATEMENT BY
LOUIS W. SULLIVAN, M.D.
SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
JULY 31, 1989
I am pleased to report to you today the findings of the 1988
National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, and to share with you
some very hopeful results. While the survey shows that drug
abuse remains a severe problem in our country, I am happy to say
that it also shows some very encouraging and widespread declines
in drug abuse. It finds positive trends throughout the country,
and these trends are occurring in many of the most important
categories which are used to measure illicit drug use.
Most of all, I believe these survey results show what can be
achieved when the Nation commits itself to an "all fronts" effort
against drug abuse in our society.
The survey found significant decreases in illicit drug use
since the last survey in 1985. Whereas, in 1985, some 37 million
Americans had used marijuana, cocaine, or other illicit drugs at
least once in the past year, this year's survey found a decrease
of almost 25 percent, to 28 million. Even better news, the
number who used illicit drugs in the past month (classified as
"current users") is also down -- a sharp decrease of 37 percent,
from 23 million in 1985 to 14.5 million in 1988.
of course, these numbers are still much too high. But these
trends are positive and impressive.
We are also very encouraged by the overall trend in cocaine
use -- but at the same time, we continue to confront undiminished
problems of frequent use among those who are still using this
drug.
The number of current cocaine users decreased by half, from
5.8 million in 1985 to 2.9 million in 1988. This drop in cocaine
use shows that the American public is responding to the warnings
about the dangers of this drug and its social and legal
consequences. More and more people are avoiding cocaine in the
first place, or, if they already use it, are stopping cocaine use
either on their own or with treatment.
There are many others, unfortunately, who continue to use
cocaine. The survey found that the use of cocaine did not change
significantly among Blacks or Hispanics. The percentages of
Blacks who used cocaine in the past year was 6.2 percent in 1985
compared to 4.4 percent in 1988. Hispanic use was 5.1 percent in
1985 compared to 5.7 percent in 1988. There was also a
significant increase in lifetime prevalence of cocaine use among
Hispanics, from 7.3 percent in 1985 to 11 percent in 1988.
The use of crack, a highly addictive form of cocaine, has
been of great concern to all of us. The survey found that almost
a half million people in all age groups currently use crack. And
more than one million people had used crack in the past year.
of the eight million who had used any form of cocaine in the
last year, the survey found that 862,000 used the drug once a
week or more, compared with 647,000 in 1985; and some 292,000
used the drug daily or almost daily in 1988, compared with
246,000 in 1985. For these individuals, the survey underscores
what we have already learned from research--that cocaine is an
extremely addictive drug which frequently entraps its victims.
Another troublesome fact is that the highest rates of
cocaine use were among young adults aged 18-25 and the
unemployed. Large metropolitan areas also had high rates, as did
the Western United States.
of great concern, 600,000 young people aged 12 to 17 had
used cocaine within the past year, which places them at heavy
risk for continued use, addiction and severe medical
consequences, as well as the potential social consequences of
dropping out of school, juvenile crime, and unplanned pregnancy,
which can be the result of prostitution in exchange for drugs.
Another very serious problem that we have been hearing and
reading about all too often is the increasing number of babies
born suffering from the consequences of their mother's drug use.
For instance, here in the District of Columbia, officials
recently released a report attributing the rise in infant
mortality to heavy drug use among women of child-bearing age.
The Household Survey found that more than five million (9
percent) of nearly 60 million women in the child-bearing years of
15-44 had used an illicit drug in the past month. Almost one
million had used cocaine and four million had used marijuana in
the past month.
The Department is all too aware of this alarming situation.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is funding numerous grants
to learn more about the immediate and long-term adverse effects
of drug use during pregnancy. And our Office for Substance Abuse
Prevention has awarded grants for demonstration programs to
develop effective prevention, education, and treatment services
for substance abusing pregnant and post-partum women and their
infants.
with regard to alcohol and cigarette use, I am pleased to be
able report a decline. This is especially significant because
use of these two drugs has a disproportionate impact on the
public health system. According to the 1988 survey, current
drinkers of alcohol decreased from 113 million in 1985 to 106
million in 1988. Current smokers declined from 60 million in
1985 to 57 million in 1988.
2
What do these survey finding mean for the future? Although
the general decline in drug use indicates that our national media
campaigns, school- and community-based prevention programs, and
intervention efforts in the workplace are having an impact, the
most difficult and challenging part of the drug abuse problem is
now apparent. We need to strengthen our efforts to reach those
who require more intensive prevention efforts and those who need
treatment.
For instance, we need to help those young people who are the
most vulnerable to drug abuse because of drug abuse in their
families, limited opportunities to succeed in school, and the
attraction of a drug underworld whose immediate promise of
material benefits appears deceptively to outweigh the long-term
advantages of education and employment.
A greater commitment will be needed to provide treatment and
rehabilitation services for those who are addicted. We in the
Department have accelerated our research program to discover new
diagnostic techniques, therapeutic approaches, and medications to
assist in cocaine and other drug abuse treatment. We look
forward to these efforts resulting in further improvements in the
care of drug dependent people.
Many Americans feel helpless in the face of the drug problem
because it is one of many social problems that defies a simple
solution. But we must continue to work to change the way people
think about drugs and their tolerance for drug use.
Illicit drug use by Americans remains much too high. Its
consequences in health, crime, and cost to society remains
unacceptable. But the dramatic declines in overall drug use
identified in the Household Survey are very encouraging.
Attitudes ARE changing. And this is testimony to years of
hard work by parents. educators, health care providers, employers
and religious leaders, as well as government efforts, to create a
general social attitude that drug use is wrong and intolerable.
The media has given valuable assistance in carrying out this
effort. and we will need their help in the future.
Mindful of the destructive power of drugs and those who
peddle them. the survey should be viewed not as a declaration of
success, but as a rallying point for sustaining and invigorating
initiatives to reduce the demand for, and supply of illicit
drugs. While we celebrate these impressive gains, let us resolve
to reinforce and build on them.
Now I would like to welcome and introduce, Mr. William
Bennett, the Director of the White House Office of National Drug
Control Policy.
###
3
OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Washington. D.C. 20500
STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR WILLIAM J. BENNETT
PRESS CONFERENCE AT RELEASE OF THE
1988 NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE
MONDAY. JULY 31, 1989
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Secretary Sullivan has nicely summarized the essential "good
news. bad news" character of NIDA's latest figures. I'd put it
this way: there's some very good news. and some very bad news.
I won't restate the numbers in detail. They speak for
themselves. And they confirm a wealth of already available data
-- both empirical and anecdotal -- about the changing shape and
size c 5 the nation's drug problem.
With this Household Survey, the government is reporting what
most drug enforcement, drug treatment, and drug prevention
experts know to be the truth -- though in much sharper relief.
Here's your headline for tomorrow: Most use of most drugs by
most Americans -- overall drug use -- 1S off sharply. But
cocaine addiction has dramatically intensified.
There are two basic points to be made about these new
statistics, insofar as future drug policy is concerned. First,
they mean that the people who say "all is lost" and "we can't
win" have never been more wrong. Drugs are potent, cheap, and
available almost everywhere, and yet millions of Americans who
once used them regularly appear now to have recently given them
2
up altogether. In my view, this 15 primarily a triumph of
changed attitudes. I know some of the drug awareness campaigns
of past years have been caricatured and ridiculed. Today I think
the men and women active in those campaigns -- parents;
educators; students; clergy; local, state, and federal officials
across the country -- have been fully vindicated. I want to
salute the media for its efforts. It has paid attention, and
that has paid off. All these efforts have worked. Their message
has been heard. And we'll need more from them in the months and
years ahead.
The second point to be made is even more important: We are
not out of the woods yet, not by a long shot. The reductions in
American drug use highlighted by this report are not the whole
story, as anyone who watches television, reads a newspaper, or
lives in a city can see for himself. Drug crime is up, drug
trafficking is up, drug deaths are up, drug emergencies in our
hospitals are up -- all since 1985. And much of this can be
explained in one word: crack.
Secretary Sullivan gave you the bad news about cocaine.
Among those who report any use of cocaine, the percentage using
the drug "frequently" -- one or more times a week -- has doubled
since 1985. And despite overall reductions in cocaine use
nationwide, the estimated number of Americans who are "frequent"
cocaine users has climbed 33 percent since 1985. That is a
shocking and unacceptable jump in just three years. It also
exactly coincides with the appearance of crack on our inner-city
3
streets. The fact that first sightings of crack are now reported
almost daily in suburbs and rural areas around the country 1S an
alarming portent for the future.
so we are now fighting two drug wars. not just one. The
first and more manageable one is against "casual" use of drugs by
most Americans, and though it 1S not yet won, we are winning 10.
The other, much more difficult war is against chronic and
addictive cocaine use. And on this second front, we are not
winning. We have to do better -- fast. This Administration
intends to mobilize the country to provide help to those
individuals and neighborhoods being ravaged by crack. On that
front we must -- and we will start to win.
so here's where we are, to paraphrase Churchill: This is
not the end, not even the beginning of the end. But it may well
be the end of the beginning. Our drug problem remains acute, it
remains national in scope and size, and it continues to involve
drugs of every sort. President Bush will announce a
comprehensive drug strategy early next month. and I think you 11
see it reflects a full and sensitive understanding of these
Household Survey numbers -- and everything else that we know
about the problem.
STATEMENT OF CHARLES R. SCHUSTER, PH.D.
DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
Press Conference
National Household Survey on Drug Abuse
July 31, 1989
Thank you Dr. Goodwin. As we have seen this morning, the
good news is the continued, and quite dramatic, decline in the
abuse of most illicit drugs. As Secretary Sullivan said, 28
million Americans used illicit drugs at least once in the past
year, down from 37 million. Current use is also down, from 23
million in 1985 to 14.5 million in 1988. Current cocaine use has
been cut in half from almost 6 million to less than 3 million.
But we also must recognize that there are still almost two
million teenagers currently using illicit drugs. These youngsters
require intensive interventions especially designed to address
their needs. As Dr. Sullivan said, these youth are at risk for a
variety of reasons and our prevention research is devoted to
addressing the causes of their drug problems to help develop
effective prevention and intervention programs.
Over the past few years, the abuse of cocaine and its freebase
derivative, crack, has become the number one drug problem of
concern. We are very pleased to see the significant reductions in
cocaine abuse, but many still suffer its severe consequences and
have difficulty in trying to stop their drug use. Of the 8 million
2
who used cocaine in the last year, 862,000 or 10.5 percent, used
the drug once a week or more. Over half (55%) of the weekly users
made at least one attempt during the year to cut down on their use.
Even chronic cocaine users are trying to cut down or discontinue
their cocaine use, which is consistent with overall decreases found
in the survey.
In addition, our Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which
tracks medical emergencies and deaths, has found a five-fold
increase in medical emergencies due to cocaine abuse 'since 1984--
from 8,831 to over 46,000 in 1988. Cocaine-related deaths have
more than doubled in the same period. Emergency room episodes
related to crack, or smoking freebase cocaine, have increased from
549 cases in 1984 to over 15,000 in 1988--a 28-fold increase. We
have expanded our treatment research efforts to address the
increased intensity of cocaine use and its concomitant medical
consequences.
The household survey found geographic differences in cocaine
abuse. The highest rates were found in the Western region where
6.1 percent of the population have used cocaine in the last year
and in large metropolitan areas where 5.1 percent have used during
that time.
The household survey also shows the differential rates of drug
abuse among the employed vs. the unemployed. Among 20-to-40 year
olds, 12 percent of the full-time employed currently used illicit
drugs as compared to 24 percent of the unemployed. Three percent
of the full-time employed currently used cocaine, compared to 7
3
percent of the unemployed. Those who are unemployed remain at
higher risk to drug abuse.
As for marijuana, the most widely abused illicit drug, the
survey found that current use of marijuana decreased from 18
million in 1985 to 12 million in 1988. Marijuana has led the
decline in illicit drug use since 1979, especially among youth and
young adults where the rates are at the lowest level since the
survey began in 1972.
Despite this decline, almost 66 million Americans, or 33
percent of the population, age 12 and over, have tried marijuana,
including virtually all segments of society--black, white,
Hispanic, the prosperous, the poor, college graduates, high school
dropouts--no segment has been immune.
The 1988 survey shows that many of the people who have tried
marijuana have used the drug extensively. Twenty-one million
Americans have used marijuana in the past year. When we look at
the frequency of use for these marijuana smokers, we see that
almost one-third used once a week or more, and almost one-fifth
used the drug daily or almost daily.
It is difficult to report these findings without placing
special emphasis on the level of drug use by our teenagers. The
1988 survey reports decreases in the percentage of 12 and 13 year
olds who have experimented with drugs. The survey shows the
percentage of 12 and 13 year olds who tried marijuana dropped from
5.8 percent in 1985 to 4.2 percent in 1988. Cigarette smoking
decreased from 28 percent in 1985 to 23 percent in 1988 in this age
4
group.
We are making progress in changing attitudes about illicit
drug use. Among our youth, 37 percent saw "great risk" in smoking
marijuana regularly in 1985. This increased to 44 percent in 1988.
The behavior and attitude trends we see in the Household
Survey generally parallel the trends we have measured among high
school seniors and young adults in our 1988 National High School
Senior Survey. Both surveys strongly demonstrate the relationship
between negative attitudes towards drugs and antidrug behaviors.
These are very good signs that media campaigns, school- and
community-based prevention programs, and workplace initiatives
appear to be working.
We are making important inroads into the drug abuse problem.
Millions of people among the general population have decided to
never try an illicit drug; and millions of others are stopping
their drug use on their own or with help. While we must maintain
the momentum of our efforts with the general population, we must
recognize the tough job that still remains in many of our
communities. This is the time to redouble our efforts to reach
those we haven't reached--the chronic users, the children of
substance abusers, the poorly educated, the unemployed. That
should be our goal for the future.
Thank you for your attention. We will now be glad to
entertain questions.
###
NIDA
20%
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane. Rockville Maryland 20857
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
ON DRUG ABUSE
301-443-6245
Capsules
OVERVIEW OF THE 1988 NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE
The 1988 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse is the ninth in a series
that began in 1971 under the auspices of the National Commission on Marijuana
and Drug Abuse and has been sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse
since 1974.
The survey covers the population age 12 and older living in households in the
contiguous United States. The results are based on personal interviews
combined with self-administered answer sheets from 8,814 respondents,
randomly selected from the household population. This is the largest sample
ever used in this survey and includes an oversampling of Blacks, Hispanics,
and young people, enabling us to make reliable estimates about the levels of
drug use among these populations. Not included in the survey are the
homeless, persons living in military installations, dormitories, and other
group quarters, and institutions such as hospitals and jails.
Three major age groups are covered in this survey: youth age 12 to 17; young
adults age 18 to 25; and older adults age 26 and over. The survey data
provide the basis for prevalence estimates and other statistics which
contribute to an understanding of the extent of drug use in the United States
in 1988.
As with any sample survey, the results of this survey are estimates of the
values that would be obtained if the data were collected from all members of
the population from which the sample was drawn.
The following tables show the trends in prevalence of drug use, based on the
surveys from 1972 through 1988.
Source: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1988, National Institute on
Drug Abuse, Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research.
C-83-1(a)
Revised August 1989
Lifetime Prevalence of Drug Use: 1972 to 1988
(Use in lifetime)
Youth Age 12-17
Drug
1972
1974
1978
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
(Unweighted N)
(
880)
( 952)
( 986)
(1,272)
(2,165)
(1,581)
(2,246)
(3,095)
Marijuana & Hashish
14.0
23.0
22.4
28.0
30.9
26.7
23.6
17.4+++
Inhalants
6.4
8.5
8.1
9.9
9.8
--
9.2
8.8
Hallucinogens
4.8
6.0
5.1
4.6
7.1
5.2
3.3
3.5
Cocaine
1.5
3.6
3.4
4.0
5.4
6.5
4.9
3.4+
Heroin
0.6
1.0
0.5
1.1
0.5
.
.
0.6
Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherapeutic
--
--
--
--
7.3
10.3
12.1
7.7+++
Stimulants
4.0
5.6
4.4
5.2
3.4
6.7
5.6
4.2
Sedatives
3.0
5.0
2.8
3.1
3.2
5.8
4.1
2.40
Tranquilizers
3.0
3.0
3.3
3.8
4.1
4.9
4.8
2.0+++
Analgesics
--
--
--
3.2
4.2
5.8
4.2
Cigarettes
--
52.0
45.5
47.3
54.1
49.5
45.2
42.3
Alcohol
--
54.0
53.6
52.6
70.3
65.2
55.5
50.2+
Young Adults Age 18-25
Drug
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
(Unweighted N)
(
772)
(
849)
(
882)
(1,500)
(2,844)
(1,283)
(1,813)
(1,505)
Marijuana & Hashish
47.9
52.7
52.9
59.9
68.2
64.1
60.3
58.4
Inhalants
--
9.2
9.0
11.2
18.5
--
12.4
12.5
Hallucinogens
--
16.6
17.3
19.8
25.1
21.1
11.3
13.8
Cocaine
9.1
12.7
13.4
19.1
27.5
28.3
25.2
19.7++
Heroin
4.6
4.5
3.9
3.6
3.5
1.2
1.2
0.4+
Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherspeutic
--
--
--
--
29.5
28.4
26.0
17.8+++
Stimulants
12.0
17.0
16.6
21.2
18.2
18.0
17.1
11.3+++
Sedatives
10.0
15.0
11.9
18.4
17.0
18.7
11.0
5.5+++
Tranquilizers
7.0
10.0
9.1
13.4
15.8
15.1
12.0
7.8++
Analgesics
--
--
--
11.8
12.1
11.3
9.4
Cigarettes
--
68.8
70.1
67.6
82.8
78.9
75.6
75.0
Alcohol
--
81.6
83.6
84.2
95.3
94.8
92.6
90.3
Older Adults Age 26+
Drug
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
(Unweighted N)
(1,613)
(2,221)
(1,708)
(1,822)
(3,015)
(2,760)
(3,979)
(4,214)
Marijuana & Hashish
7.4
9.9
12.9
15.3
19.6
23.0
27.2
30.7+
Inhalants
--
1.2
1.9
1.8
3.9
--
5.0
3.9
Hallucinogens
--
1.3
1.6
2.6
4.5
6.4
6.2
6.6
Cocaine
1.6
6.9
1.6
2.6
4.3
8.5
9.5
9.9
Heroin
9
0.5
0.5
0.8
1.0
1.1
1.1
1.1
Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherspeutic
--
--
--
--
9.2
8.8
13.8
11.3+
Stimulants
3.0
3.0
5.6
4.7
5.8
6.2
7.9
6.5
Sedatives
2.0
2.0
2.4
2.8
3.5
4.8
5.2
3.3++
Tranquilizers
5.0
2.0
2.7
2.6
3.1
3.6
7.2
4.8+++
Analgesic
--
--
2.7
3.2
5.6
4.5
Cigarettes
--
65.4
64.5
67.0
83.0
78.7
80.5
79.6
Alcohol
--
73.2
74.7
77.9
91.5
88.2
89.4
88.8
. Low precision; no estimate reported.
+Difference between 1985 and 1988 statistically significant at the .05 level.
+*Difference between 1985 and 1988 statistically significant at the .01 level.
+++Difference between 1985 and 1988 statistically significant st the .001 level.
Source: NIDA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1988.
Current Prevalence of Drug Use: 1972 to 1988'
(Use in past month)
Youth Age 12-17
Drug
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
(Unweighted N)
( 880)
( 952)
( 986)
(1,272)
(2,165)
(1,581)
(2,246)
(3,095)
Marijuana & Hashish
7.0
12.0
12.3
16.6
16.7
11.5
12.0
6.4+++
Inhalants
1.0
0.7
0.9
0.7
2.0
--
3.4
2.8+
Hallucinogens
1.4
1.3
0.9
1.6
2.2
1.4
1.2
0.8
Cocaine
0.6
1.0
1.0
0.8
1.4
1.6
1.5
1.1
Heroin
.
.
.
.
#
.
.
.
Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherapeutic
--
--
--
--
2.3
3.8
3.0
2.4
Stimulants
--
1.0
1.2
1.3
1.2
2.6
1.6
1.2
Sedatives
--
1.0
.
0.8
1.1
1.3
1.0
0.8
Tranquilizers
--
1.0
1.1
0.7
0.8
0.9
0.6
0.2
Analgesics
--
--
--
--
0.8
6.7
1.6
0.9
Cigarettes1
--
25.0
23.4
22.3
12.1
14.7
15.3
11.8++
Alcohol
--
34.0
32.4
31.2
37.2
30.2
31.0
25.2++
Young Adults Age 18-25
Drug
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
(Unweighted N)
(
772)
(
849)
(
882)
(1,500)
(2,644)
(1,283)
(1,813)
(1,505)
Marijuana & Hashish
27.8
25.2
25.0
27.4
35.4
27.4
21.8
15.5+++
Inhelants
--
.
0.5
.
1.2
--
0.8
1.7
Hallucinogens
--
2.5
1.1
2.0
4.4
1.7
1.9
1.9
Cocaine
--
3.1
2.5
3.7
9.3
6.8
7.6
4.5++
Heroin
--
a
8
.
$
8
.
.
Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherapeutic
--
--
--
--
6.2
7.0
6.3
3.8+
Stimulants
--
3.7
4.7
2.5
3.5
4.7
3.7
2.4
Sedatives
--
1.8
2.3
2.8
2.8
2.6
1.6
0.9
Tranquilizers
--
1.2
2.6
2.4
2.1
1.6
1.6
1.0
Analgesics
--
--
--
--
1.0
1.0
1.8
1.5
Cigarettes1
--
48.8
49.4
47.3
42.8
39.5
36.8
35.2
Alcohol
--
69.3
69.5
70.0
75.9
70.9
71.4
85.3++
Older Adults Age 26+
Drug
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
(Unweighted N)
(1,613)
(2,221)
(1,708)
(1,822)
(3,015)
(2,750)
(3,979)
(4,214)
Marijuana & Hashish
2.5
2.5
3.5
3.3
6.0
6.6
6.1
3.9++
Inhalants
--
.
e
.
0.5
--
0.5
0.2
Hallucinogens
--
.
.
*
0
.
.
.
Cocaine
--
.
.
.
0.9
1.2
2.0
0.9.+
Heroin
--
.
.
8
.
8
.
.
Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherepeutic
--
--
--
--
1.1
1.2
2.5
1.2++
Stimulants
--
.
.
0.6
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.5
Sedatives
--
.
6.5
.
.
$
0.8
0.3
Tranquilizers
--
.
.
#
*
.
1.0
0.8
Analgesics
--
--
--
.
.
0.9
0.4+
Cigarettes1
--
39.1
38.4
38.7
38.9
34.6
32.8
29.8+
Alcohol
--
54.5
58.0
54.9
61.3
59.8
60.8
54.8++
$ Low precision; no estimate reported.
1For 1979, includes only persons who ever smoked at least 5 packs.
+Difference between 1985 and 1988 statistically significant at the .05 level.
++Difference between 1985 and 1988 statistically significant st the .01 level.
+++Difference between 1985 and 1988 statistically significant at the .001 level.
Source: NIDA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1988.
Past Year Prevalence of Drug Use: 1972 to 1988
(Use in past year)
Youth Age 12-17
Drug
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
(Unweighted N)
( 880)
( 952)
( 986)
(1,272)
(2,165)
(1,581)
(2,246)
(3,095)
Marijuana a Hashish
--
18.5
18.4
22.3
24.1
20.6
19.7
12.6+++
Inhalants
2.9
2.4
2.9
2.2
4.6
:
5.1
3.9
Hallucinogens
3.6
4.3
2.8
3.1
4.7
3.6
2.7
2.8
Cocaine
1.5
2.7
2.3
2.6
4.2
4.1
4.0
2.9
Heroin
*
.
.
0.6
.
.
.
0.4
Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherspeutic
--
--
--
--
5.6
8.3
8.5
5.4++
Stimulants
--
3.0
2.2
3.7
2.9
5.6
4.3
2.8+
Sedatives
--
2.0
1.2
2.0
2.2
3.7
2.9
1.7
Tranquilizers
--
2.0
1.8
2.9
2.7
3.3
3.4
1.6++
Analgesics
--
--
--
--
2.2
3.7
3.8
3.0
Cigarettes1
--
--
--
--
13.3
24.8
25.8
22.8
Alcohol
--
51.0
49.3
47.5
53.6
52.4
51.7
44,8+++
Young Adults Age 18-25
Drug
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
(Unweighted N)
(
772)
(
849)
( 882)
(1,500)
(2,044)
(1,283)
(1,813)
(1,505)
Marijuana & Hashish
--
34.2
35.0
38.7
46.9
46.4
36.9
27.9+++
Inhalants
:
1.2
1.4
1.7
3.8
--
2.1
4.1+
Hallucinogens
--
8.1
6.0
6.4
9.9
6.9
4.0
5.8
Cocaine
--
8.1
7.0
10.2
19.6
18.8
16.3
12.1+
Heroin
--
0.8
0.6
1.2
0.8
.
0.6
0.3
Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherapeutic
--
--
--
--
16.3
16.1
15.6
11.3++
Stimulants
:
8.0
8.8
10.4
10.1
10.8
9.9
8.4++
Sedatives
--
4.2
5.7
8.2
7.3
8.7
5.0
3.3
Tranquilizers
--
4.6
6.2
7.8
7.1
5.9
6.4
4.8
Analgesics
--
:
--
--
5.2
4.4
6.6
5.5
Cigarettes1
:
--
--
--
48.7
47.2
44.3
44.7
Alcohol
--
77.1
77.9
79.8
86.6
87.1
87.2
81.7++
Older Adults Age 26+
Drug
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
(Unweighted N)
(1,613)
(2,221)
(1,708)
(1,822)
(3,015)
(2,780)
(3,979)
(4,214)
Marijuana & Hashish
--
3.8
5.4
6.4
9.0
10.6
9.5
6.9++
Inhalants
--
0
.
.
1.0
--
0.8
0.4
Hallucinogens
--
.
.
.
0.5
0.8
1.0
0.8
Cocaine
--
.
6.6
0.9
2.0
3.8
4.2
2.7++
Heroin
.
.
.
.
.
.
0.3
Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherapeutic
--
:
--
--
2.3
3.1
6.2
4.7+
Stimulants
--
.
0.8
0.8
1.3
1.7
2.6
1.7+
Sedatives
--
.
0.6
.
0.8
1.4
2.0
1.2+
Tranquilizers
--
$
1.2
1.1
0.9
1.1
2.8
1.8+
Analgesics
--
--
--
--
0.5
1.0
2.9
2.1
Cigarettes1
--
--
--
--
39.7
38.2
36.0
33.7
Alcohol
--
62.7
64.2
65.8
72.4
72.0
73.8
68.8++-
# Low precision; no estimate reported.
1For 1979, includes only persons who over smoked at least 5 packs.
+Difference between 1985 and 1988 statistically significant at the .05 level.
++Difference between 1985 and 1988 statistically significant at the .01 level.
***Difference between 1985 and 1988 statistically significant st the .001 level.
Source: NIDA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1988.
NIDA
50%
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane. Rockville. Maryland 20857
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
ON DRUG ABUSE
301-443-6245
Capsules
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE
1988 NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
TREND ANALYSIS
Current use (past month) of illicit drugs continued a decreasing trend
which began in 1979 and accelerated between 1985 and 1988. Current
prevalence rates for any illicit drug use decreased from 23 million (12%)
of the population aged 12 and over in 1985 to 14.5 million (7%) in 1988.
Between 1985 and 1988, current drug use declined significantly in all age
categories, among both men and women, and for blacks, whites, and
Hispanics. The decline also was seen in all regions of the United States
and for all levels of educational attainment.
Alcohol and cigarette use also declined from 1985 to 1988. There were
105.8 million current drinkers of alcohol in 1988, compared with 113.1
million in 1985. This represents a decrease in the rate from 59% to 53%
for those aged 12 and over. Current cigarette use in this period dropped
from 32% to 29%. This is a decrease of 3.2 million in the number of
cigarette smokers.
1988 ANALYSIS
Overall, 72.4 million Americans age 12 or older (37 percent of the
population) had tried marijuana, cocaine or other illicit drugs at least
once in their lifetime.
Twenty-eight million Americans (14%) had used marijuana, cocaine or other
illicit drugs at least once in the past year.
Among youth (aged 12 to 17), 17% used an illicit drug in the past year and
9% used an illicit drug at least once in the past month. Comparable rates
for young adults (aged 18-25) are 32% and 18%, respectively; for
mid-adults (aged 26 to 34), 23% and 13%, respectively; and for older
adults (aged 35+) 6% and 2%.
While the overall current prevalence of (any) illicit drug use was 7%, the
rate for males (9%) was higher than the rate for females (6%). Other
demographic subgroups with elevated current rates were those in large
metro areas (9%), those living in the West (10%), those employed part time
(9%) and the unemployed (18%).
(more)
C-86-13
Revised August 1989
-2-
Over 5 million (9%) of the nearly 60 million women 15-44 years of age,
the childbearing years, have used an illicit drug in the past month.
Almost 1 million (2%) have used cocaine and 3.8 million (6%) have used
marijuana in the past month.
O
Among 20-40 year old full-time employed Ame ans, 22% used an illicit
drug in the past year. and 12% used an illicit drug in the past month.
Ten percent used marijuana and 3% used cocaine in the past month.
ANALYSIS BY DRUG
Cocaine
The number of current cocaine users decreased significantly from 5.8
million in 1985 to 2.9 million in 1988. The rate decreased from 3% of
the household population aged 12 and older in 1985 to 1.5% in 1988.
Among the 8.2 million people who used cocaine in the past year, 11% used
the drug once a week or more, and 4% used the drug daily or almost
daily. Although this represents a decrease in past year users from 12.2
million in 1985, only 5% of the 1985 users were weekly users and 2% were
daily or almost daily users.
Rates of use of cocaine in the past year declined for youth from 4% to
3%; for young adults (aged 18-25) from 16% to 12%; and for older adults
(aged 26+) from 4% to 3%.
Over half (53%) of youth in 1988 believed that trying cocaine poses a
great risk, compared to only 31% of youth in 1985. A similar increase
in awareness of the danger of cocaine use occurred in young and older
adults.
O
The rate of current (past month) cocaine use was 1.5% overall. The
demographic subgroups for which the rates of current cocaine use were
the highest were the unemployed (4.6%) and those aged 18-25 (4.5%). The
rate of current cocaine use for males (2%) was twice as high as that for
females (1%).
While lifetime prevalence of cocaine use remained stable for whites and
blacks, a significant increase occurred among Hispanics between 1985 and
1988, from 7% to 11%. The Hispanic population also did not experience a
decrease in current cocaine use during the period.
Approximately 1.9 million (8%) lifetime cocaine users have used cocaine
intravenously at some time in their lives and 2% have done so during the
past year. Thirty-one percent of past year users smoked cocaine during
the past year.
O
Approximately 1.3% of the population aged 12 and over have used crack at
some time in their life, and one-half of one percent used in the past
year. This translates to about one million past year crack users. Past
year use is highest among 18-25 year olds (2%).
-3-
Marijuana
O
Marijuana remains the most commonly used illicit drug in the United
States. Almost 66 million Americans (33%) have tried marijuana at least
once in their lives. Four million youth, 17 million young adults, and
over 45 million adults aged 26 and older have tried marijuana.
O
In 1988, the lifetime rate of marijuana use for youth was 17%; the rate
for young adults was 56%. These rates have been steadily decreasing
since 1979, when they were 31% and 68%, respectively. The lifetime rate
among adults 26 and older was 31% in 1988 and has been steadily
increasing since 1972. The increase in this age group is largely
explained by the aging of individuals who began using drugs in previous
years.
O
Current use of marijuana continued to decrease, as it has since 1979,
for all age groups. The number of current users declined from 18
million (9%) in 1985 to 12 million (6%) in 1988. Prevalence rates for
youth and young adults were the lowest measured since the survey was
first done in 1972.
o
Of the 21 million people who used marijuana (at least once) in the past
year, almost one-third, or 6.6 million, used the drug once a week or
more.
Alcohol and Tobacco Products
O
Half (50%) of the youth have tried an alcoholic beverage at some time in
their lives. Use in the past year (45%) is almost as high; and 25% have
had at least one drink during the past month. These rates are all
significantly lower than comparable rates for youth in 1985 (56%, 52%
and 31%, respectively).
0
For young adults, the prevalence of drinking (alcohol) is substantially
higher than for youth: 90% have tried alcohol, 82% had used alcohol in
the preceding year, and 65% had used alcohol during the preceding
month. The 1988 rates for drinking among young adults in both the last
year and last month, however, are significantly lower than those for the
1985 (87% and 71%, respectively).
o
Of the 135 million people who drank (alcohol) in the past year (68%),
more than one-third, or 47 million, drank once a week or more often.
O
Three-quarters of the American population (75%) have tried cigarettes,
and between a quarter and a third (29%) are current smokers. Current
use of cigarettes among youth is 12%; among young adults, it is 35%; and
among adults 26 and older, it is 30%. There were significant decreases
in the current prevalence rates for smoking among youth and older adults
between 1985 and 1988, but this was not true for young adults.
0
Seven percent of youth and 9% of young adults used smokeless tobacco
during the past year. Among youth, more males (13%) than females (1%)
used smokeless tobacco in the past year. Comparable figures for young
adults are 17% for males and less than one half a percent for females.
-4-
Other drugs
O
Hallucinogens, which first gained prominence during the mid-sixties,
include such drugs as LSD, PCP, mescaline, and peyote. Prevalence rates
for hallucinogens did not change significantly for any age group between
1985 and 1988. Lifetime prevalence is highest among 26-34 year olds
(18%).
O
While too many youth (9%) have experimented with inhalants, current use
is rare: only 2% of youth and young adults, and less than one-half of
1% of older adults (aged 26+) used an inhalant in the past month.
Current nonmedical use of psychotherapeutic drugs, that is, sedative,
tranquilizers, stimulants, and analgesics, decreased from 3.2% in 1985
to less than 2% of the population in 1988.
The rate of current use of psychotherapeutic drugs was slightly higher
for females than males (2% versus 1:4%), and the rate was higher for
those in the 18-25 age group (4%) than for those in any other age group
(1% to 3%). The rate of use for psychotherapeutic drugs, however, was
down from 1985 for females and those 18-25, as it has for most other
demographic subgroups.
POPULATION ESTIMATES OF LIFETIME AND CURRENT DRUG USE, 1988
The following are estimates of the number of people 12 years of age and older who report they have
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
used drugs nonmedically. Drugs used under a physician's care are not included. The estimates
were developed from the 1988 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse.
12 17 yrs.
18-25 yrs.
26 + years**
TOTAL***
(pop. 20,250,000)
(pop. 29,688,000)
(pop. 148,409,000)
Capsules
(pop. 198,347,000)
Current
Current
Current
Current
% Ever Used
%
User
% Ever Used
%
User
%
Ever Used
%
User
%
Ever Used
of
User
Marijuana
& Hashish
17
3,516,000
6 1,296,000
56
16,741,000
16
4,594,000
31
45,491,000
4
5,727,000
33
65,748,000
6
11,616,000
Hallucinogens
3
704,000
1
168,000
14
4,093,000
2
569,000
7
9,810,000
*
*
7
14,607,000
*
*
Inhalants
9
1,774,000
2
410,000
12
3,707,000
2
514,000
4
5,781,000
*
*
6
11,262,000
1
1,223,000
Cocaine
3
683,000
1
ON DRUG ABUSE
225,000
20
5,858,000
5
1,323,000
10
14,631,000
1
1,375,000
11
21,171,000
2
2,923,000
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
Crack
1
188,000
*
*
3
1,000,000
1
249,000
*
*
*
*
1
*
Public Health Service
2,483,000
484,000
Heroin
1
118,000
*
*
*
*
*
*
1
1,686,000
*
*
1
1,907,000
*
*
Stimulants
4
852,000
1
245,000
11
3,366,000
2
718,000
7
9,850,000
1
791,000
7
14,068,000
1
1,755,000
Sedatives
2
475,000
1
123,000
6
1,633,000
1
265,000
3
4,867,000
*
*
4
6,975,000
*
*
Tranquilizers
2
413,000
*
*
8
2,319,000
1
307,000
5
6,750,000
1
822,000
5
9,482,000
1
1,174,000
Analgesics
4
840,000
1
182,000
9
2,798,000
1
440,000
5
6,619,000
*
*
5
10,257,000
1
1,151,000
Alcohol
50
10,161,000
25
5,097,000
90
26,807,000
65
19,392,000
89
131,530,000
55
81,356,000
85
168,498,000
53
105,845,000
Alcohol Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration
Cigarettes
42
8,564,000
12
2,389,000
75
22,251,000
35
10,447,000
80
118,191,000
30
44,284,000
75
149,005,000
29
57,121,000
Smokeless
Tobacco
15
3,021,000
4
722,000
24
6,971,000
6
1,855,000
13
19,475,000
3
4,497,000
15
29,467,000
4
7,073,000
Amounts of less than .5% are not listed
Terms:
Ever Used: used at least one in a person's lifetime.
Current User: used at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey.
C-84-3
Revised August 1989
301-443-6245
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, Maryland 20857
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
Annual Use of Illicit Drugs
(In Millions)
Millions
40
37
Any Illicit Drug Use
35
30
29
Marijuana & Hashish
28
(-25%)
25
21
20
(-28%)
15
12 Cocaine
10
8
(-33%)
5
1985
1988
Weekly Use Among Past Year Cocaine Users
1
862,000
0.8
647,000
0.6
Millions
18
0.4
0.2
15
12
12
1985
1988
9
8
6
3
1985
1988
Numbers of Past Year Cocaine Users
Cocaine
Trends in Past Month Use by Age Group
15
10
Percent
5
18-25 yrs.
12-17 yrs
26+ yrs.
0
1974
1976 77
1979
1982
1985
1988
In 1974, 1976 and 1977 the estimates were less than .5% for the 26+ yrs. age group.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse.
Marijuana
Trends in Past Month Use by Age Group
40
30
Percent
20
18-25 yrs.
10
12-17 yrs
26+ yrs.
0
1972
1974
1976 77
1979
1982
1985
1988
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse.
Any Lifetime Experience with Illicit Drug Use*
1988
Not
Past Year
23%
Never
63%
Past Year
14%
Household Population 12 and Older
Youth
Young Adults
Adults
Adults
12-17
18-25
26 to 34
35 and Older
Never
75
41
36
77
Past Year
17
32
23
6
Not Past Year
8
27
41
17
*Includes Marijuana, Hallucinogens, Inhalants, Cocaine, Heroin, or Prescription-type Psychotherapeutic
Drugs (Stimulants, Sedatives, Tranquilizers and Analgesics) for Nonmedical Purposes.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1988.
NIDA
LOZ
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville Maryland 20857
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
ON DRUG ABUSE
301-443-6245
Capsules
USE AND CONSEQUENCES OF COCAINE
Trends in Past Year and Past Month Use of Cocaine
by Age Category - 1972-1988
Estimated Percent of the Household Population
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
1985
1988
Age 12-17
Used in Past Year
1.5
2.7
2.3
2.6
4.2
4.1
4.0
2.9
Used in Past Month
.6
1.0
1.0
.8
1.4
1.6
1.5
1.1
Age 18-25
Used in Past Year
NA
8.1
7.0
10.2
19.6
18.8
16.3
12.1
Used in Past Month
NA
3.1
2.0
3.7
9.3
6.8
7.6
4.5
Age 26 and Above
Used in Past Year
NA
*
.6
.9
2.0
3.8
4.2
2.7
Used in Past Month
NA
*
*
=
.9
1.2
2.0
.9
*less than 0.5 percent
NA = Not Available
Source: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1988.
1988 Population Estimates of Cocaine Use
Age 12-17
Age 18-25
Age 26 & Older
Total
Ever Used Cocaine
683,000
5,858,000
14,630,000
21,171,000
Used in Past Year
591,000
3,584,000
4,034,000
3,208,000
Current Use of Cocaine
225,000
1,323,000
1,375,000
2,923,000
Note:
Current use: Use in the month prior to the survey.
Source: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1988
(More)
C-84-04
Revised August 1989
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration
Page 2 - Use and Consequences of Cocaine
Trends in Lifetime, Past Year, Past Month and Daily Use
of Cocaine and Crack by High School Seniors - 1981-1988
Class of:
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
Ever Used Cocaine
16.5
16.0
16.2
16.1
17.3
16.9
15.2
12.1
Used in Past Year
12.4
11.5
11.4
11.6
13.1
12.7
10.3
7.9
Used in Past Month
5.8
5.0
4.9
5.8
6.7
6.2
4.3.
3.4
Used Daily
.3
.2
.2
.2
.4
.4
.3
.2
Ever Used Crack
5.6
4.8
Used Crack in Past Month
1.5
1.6
Terms:
Ever Used: Used at least one time.
Used in Last Year: Used at least once i.n the 12 months prior to the survey.
Used in Past Month: Used at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey.
Used Daily: Used 20 or more times in the month before the survey.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, Monitoring the Future Study, 1988
(More)
Page 3 - Use and Consequences of Cocaine
Trends in Hospital Emergency Rooms (ER) and Medical Examiner (ME)
Mentions of Cocaine
Total DAWN System and
Metropolitan Areas
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
Total ER Mentions*
8,831
11,099
20,383
34,661
46.020
of which:
New York
2,643
2,944
4,515
6,486
6,540
Washington, D.C.
522
793
1,350
3,182
5,211
Detroit
600
992
2,596
4,633
4,422
Philadelphia
399
570
1,306
2,670
4,156
Chicago
521
714
1,635
2,817
3,907
New Orleans
477
501
442
1,907
3,221
Los Angeles
1,006
1,606
2,339
2,248
2.988
Baltimore
148
221
498
962
1.341
Dallas
77
157
480
985
1,381
Seattle
238
246
434
839
1,321
Total ME Mentions*
(excludes New York)
628
717
1,223
1,724
1,589**
of which:
Philadelphia
21
36
72
173
254
Los Angeles
176
151
378
447
198
San Francisco
67
63
86
152
155
Washington, D.C.
57
61
92
179
124
Miami
90
70
124
47
91
Detroit
14
41
107
159
33
Boston
14
51
74
56
33
Newark
47
53
46
160
81
* Based on consistently-reporting ERs with at least 90 percent reporting in
the first 12 months, the second 12 months, and the last 36 months. The
metropolitan areas listed represent those which make up 76 percent of ER and
67 percent of ME mentions in calendar year 1988.
**Provisional data due to lag in reporting.
Source: NIDA, Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) March 1989 data file.
(more)
Page 4 - Use and Consequences of Cocaine
Trends in Hospital Emergency Rooms (ER)
By Number of Mentions of Smoking or Injecting Cocaine - 1984-1988
Total DAWN System and
Metropolitan Areas
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
Total ER Cocaine Mentions:*
8,831
11,099
20,383
34,661
46,020
Number Smoking Cocaine
549
1,166
4,400
10,698
15,306
By Selected Metro Area:
New York
99
140
1,252
2,681
2,846
Detroit
51
159
948
2,419
2.522
Washington, D.C.
12
29
219
1,132
2,191
New Orleans
11
12
25
466
1,459
Los Angeles
243
561
746
726
1,048
Philadelphia
13
31
171
623
1,013
Chicago
33
70
276
717
883
Number Injecting Cocaine
3,717
4,210
6,041
9,754
12,461
By Selected Metro Area:
Philadelphia
167
226
443
921
1,485
New York
1,102
1,148
1,170
1,471
1.416
Baltimore
92
113
281
605
1,283
New Orleans
304
324
202
988
1.238
Chicago
186
246
521
918
1,224
Los Angeles
193
280
515
615
833
Washington, D.C.
234
330
395
674
684
*Based on consistently-reporting ERs with at least 90 percent reporting in
the first 12 months, the second 12 months, and the last 36 months.
Source: NIDA, Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) March 1989 data file.
###
POWEU NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
NIDA CAPSULES
In response to your recent request, we have enclosed information on Drug Abuse
CAP01
ABOUT THE NATIONAL
CAP18
FREQUENCY OF DRUG MENTIONS
INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
IN DRUG-RELATED MEDICAL
EMERGENCIES AND DEATH IN
CAP02
ADDICTION RESEARCH CENTER
1986
CAP03
DRUG ABUSE AND AIDS
CAP19
HIGHLIGHTS OF AN ATTITUDES
PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
AND KNOWLEDGE SURVEY ABOUT
ILLEGAL DRUG USE
CAP04
DRUG USE AND AIDS
CAP20
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1985
NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
CAP05
COCAINE ABUSE
ON DRUG ABUSE
CAP06
COCAINE FREEBASE
CAP21
NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
ON DRUG ABUSE, 1985
CAP07
USE AND CONSEQUENCES OF
COCAINE
CAP22
DRUG ABUSE STATISTICS 1985
CAP08 COCAINE. THE BIG LIE
CAP23
HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR DRUG
USE: 1975-1987
CAP09
DRUG ABUSE INFORMATION AND
TREATMENT REFERRAL LINE
CAP24
FACTS ABOUT DRUGS IN THE
WORKPLACE
CAP10
"DESIGNER DRUGS"
CAP25
NIDA'S WORKPLACE HELPLINE
CAP11
HEROIN
CAP26
MANDATORY GUIDELINES FOR
CAP12 MARIJUANA
FEDERAL DRUG TESTING
PROGRAMS, 1988
CAP13 MDMA
CAP27
DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT
CAP14
PCP (PHENCYCLIDINE)
CAP28
HIGHLIGHTS OF NATIONAL
CAP15
PCP: UPDATE ON ABUSE
ADOLESCENT SCHOOL HEALTH
SURVEY:
CAP16
COLLEGE STUDENTS SURVEY
DRUG s ALCOHOL USE
ON DRUG ABUSE: 1980-1985
CAP29
DRUG ABUSE IN THE WORKPLACE
VIDEOTAPE SERIES
CAP17
FACTS ABOUT TEENAGERS AND
DRUG ABUSE
CAP30 SUBSTANCE AMERICANS ABUSE AMONG HISPANIC
CAP31 EMERGENCY ROOM COCAINE MENDONS
OVERIOMING BARRIERS TO DRUC
CAP32. ABUSE TREATMENT IN THE communic
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
ABOUT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
Functions
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the lead Federal agency for
drug abuse research. The Institute provides a national focus for the
Federal effort to increase knowledge and promote effective strategies to
deal with health problems and issues associated with drug abuse. In
carrying out these responsibilities, the Institute sponsors and conducts
research into incidence and prevalence of drug abuse, its causes and
consequences, and improved approaches to prevention and treatment.
NIDA was established on May 14, 1974, as one of the three Institutes which
comprise the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
(ADAMHA) of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Staffing and Budget
The Institute has 278 full-time equivalent employees and an annual budget
of $199,009,000 in fiscal year 1988. Approximately $131 million of this
total amount is spent on research; $51.5 million on AIDS demonstrations;
$2.3 million on research training; and the remaining $14.4 million is
spent in the category of Direct Operations, which includes operating
expenses, AIDS technical assistance, and NIDA's drug-free workplace
initiative.
The President's Initiative
NIDA's role in The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 is to develop more
effective ways of preventing and treating drug abuse. To meet this role,
over the next two years, NIDA will place added emphasis on research in
those areas which offer the promise of providing practical results in the
near future. Those areas singled out for special attention include
research in the the following areas:
1) The efficacy of drug abuse treatment programs.
2) The development of new, more effective drug abuse treatment approaches
including development of new therapeutic drugs, such as buprenorphine.
3) The development of new, more effective prevention programs.
4) The ability to identify those individuals most at risk for drug abuse.
5) The development of more effective and reliable techniques for
screening for drug use.
(more)
C-83-4
Revised June 1988
CAP 01
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
-2-
NIDA's Drug-Free Workplace Initiative
In February 1987, NIDA established the Office of Workplace Initiatives
(OWI). The OWI develops policies and provides leadership for the
implementation and administration of a national program to eliminate the
use of illegal drugs in the workplace. Its programs include research,
treatment. training and prevention activities as well as projects related
to the development of a comprehensive Drug-Free Workplace program which
includes policy development, supervisory training, employee education,
employee assistance and drug testing components.
OWI has developed Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing
Programs which include Scientific and Technical Requirements and Certi-
fication Standards for Laboratories Engaged in Urine Drug Testing for
Federal Agencies. In addition, OWI is conducting research to determine
the extent of drug abuse in the workplace, performing cost-benefit
analyses of comprehensive drug-free workplace programs, and analyzing and
recommending EAP policy models for employers. OWI is also supporting the
development of guidelines for a comprehensive federal EAP program, the
publication of a drug abuse curriculum for EAP practitioners. the filming
and distribution of a four-part videotape series on drugs at work, and the
publication of a directory of educational resources in the employee
assistance area.
NIDA's AIDS Program
The emergence of AIDS as a major national health problem has introduced an
entirely new element in the threat posed by drug abuse. Intravenous (IV)
drug abuse is the second leading risk factor for AIDS, with about 25
percent of all AIDS cases involving IV drug use.
NIDA has begun a major program to find ways to curb the spread of AIDS
among IV drug users and from IV drug users to their sexual partner's and
children. This includes supporting research in the following areas:
1) Research to clearly determine the prevalence of IV drug use,
identification of risk factors associated with IV drug use,
ethnographic studies of IV drug-using subcultures, identification of
high risk drug use patterns among IV drug users, the influence of
social and cultural factors on IV drug use, and comparisons of IV and
non-IV drug users on personality and behavioral characteristics.
2) Research to determine whether drug use itself is a factor in the
development of AIDS.
3) Research to develop effective strategies for preventing the onset of
IV drug use and needle sharing among IV drug users.
In addition, NIDA supports a number of activities designed to educate the
public about the role of drug use in the transmission of AIDS and provides
technical assistance to State, local, and private treatment professionals
concerning the treatment of IV drug users.
###
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
ADDICTION RESEARCH CENTER
Fifty years ago, the opening of an addiction research program in a PHS
hospital in Lexington, Kentucky heralded the search for a scientific
understanding of drug addiction. This program, later named the Addiction
Research Center (ARC), was destined to play an historic role in the emerging
field of drug abuse and mental health research and served as a training
ground for future leaders in these fields. Many of the drug addiction
studies conducted at the Center have contributed greatly to our present
knowledge of brain functioning.
Dr. Jerome Jaffe, director of the ARC, describes the work of the center as
unique. "We are pleased to be able to house within this newly renovated
facility, NIDA's intramural research program. With the clinical and
preclinical labs reunited at a single site, scientists are once again able
to collaborate in their research. Their work ranges from basic molecular
studies to preclinical work with animals and clinical studies with human
volunteers.
In 1935, when the hospital in Lexington opened under the direction of the
pioneering drug addiction researcher, Dr. Lawrence Kolb, it was the only
government facility available for treating narcotic addicts. The research
unit, headed by Dr. Clifton K. Himmelsbach, set out to discover whether a
nonaddicting alternative to morphine could be found and it soon become the
sole facility capable of conducting clinical studies of the abuse potential
of drugs proposed for use as analgesics. An equally important early goal
was to find new pharmacological agents to free addicts from the destructive
cycle of addiction. For example, during the 1950's, the ARC introduced
methadone to help patients withdraw from opiate dependence.
The ARC became the intramural research component of NIDA when the Institute
was created in late 1973. The clinical program moved from Lexington to
Baltimore in 1979, with the preclinical laboratories joining it in 1984.
The ARC, under the direction of Dr. Jaffe, has become the largest research
facility in the U.S. devoted to the problem of drug abuse and addiction.
Major accomplishments of the ARC include:
-- Abuse liability studies have been a function of the ARC for 50 years.
The ARC developed methods to determine the dependence potential of new
psychoactive drugs that are proposed for therapeutic use. Those found to
have a high potential for abuse are placed in a special legal category that
limits their availability.
June 1985
C85-2
CAP 02
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
--ARC scientists pioneered the use of methadone as an aid in detoxifying
patients addicted to opiates. The ARC has also demonstrated that methadone
itself has abuse potential.
--ARC scientists were the first to recognize that symptoms of withdrawal or
abstinence can persist for several months.
--ARC researchers have described the abstinence syndrome for many classes of
drugs, including opiates, barbiturates and alcohol.
--Relapse following treatment is a continuing problem that confounds those
who work with drug abusers. The ARC led the way in the discovery of the
role that conditioning and learning factors play in drug dependence and
relapse.
--ARC researchers provided the evidence for the concept of multiple opioid
receptors in the nervous system.
--ARC researchers recognized the value of narcotic antagonists in the
treatment of drug addiction and pain. Research there was instrumental in
the development of naltrexone, a synthetic drug which blocks the effects of
opiates without causing physical dependence and so can be an effective
treatment for opiate addiction. A series of new synthetic drugs now used in
the treatment of pain also developed from ARC research.
Addiction Research Center Branches
1. Clinical Pharmacology Branch: With volunteer patients as subjects,
this branch tests drugs for abuse liability and dependence potential,
develops new pharmacological treatments, analyzes the metabolic pathways of
drugs, and devises drug detection systems for screening drugs in body
fluids. Studies of nicotine and cocaine addiction and the development of
new approaches to drug abuse treatment are also conducted.
2. Preclinical Pharmacology Branch: This branch conducts animal research,
including self-administration studies of cocaine, barbiturates and other
drugs to assess their reinforcing effects. In addition, the scientists
investigate how animals discriminate between different drugs based on
internal cues. Other studies explore the effects of particular drugs at
different sites in the brain.
3. Neurosciences Branch: Working at an even more basic level, this new
branch locates areas of the nervous system where drugs exert their actions,
as well as identifying receptors for diverse classes of drugs, such as
opiates, sedative-hypnotics, nicotine, and hallucinogens. Other
investigations include studies of the effects of these drugs on
neurotransmitters and neurohormones, as well as studies of the endogenous
opiates:
-more-
4. Psychopathology and Early Intervention Branch: Here, research is
conducted with volunteers on the psychological, biological and familial
origins of drug dependence. One goal is to isolate factors that may
underlie self-destructive and antisocial behavior often associated with drug
abuse. Such studies will include efforts to identify possible relationships
between alterations in receptor states, brain biochemistry, and the
pathological processes involved in drug abuse.
Budget of the ARC:
FY 1984 Actual
$5,655,000
FY 1985 Estimate
$5,958,000
Size of the Staff - 85
Address:
Addiction Research Center
Francis Scott Key Medical Center
4940 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21224
Phone:
Addiction Research Center - 301 955-7502
NIDA Press Office - 301 443-6245
####
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
DRUG ABUSE AND AIDS
PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a significant health problem
among intravenous (IV) drug users. IV drug users currently comprise 26
percent of all persons with AIDS, second only to homosexual and bisexual men.
The President's AIDS Commission report, released in June 1988, points to the
control of IV drug use as a critical factor in not only controlling the spread
of AIDS among drug users, but also beyond those users to their sex partners
and their newborn babies.
Transmission of the AIDS virus often occurs by sharing drug paraphernalia with
another user, and most users share needles or other equipment at least some
time during their drug use. Blacks and Hispanics are over-represented among
intravenous drug users and have been disproportionately affected by the
epidemic.
Although black Americans represent 12 percent of the population in the United
States, they account for 26 percent of all people with AIDS. Hispanics
account for six percent of the U.S. population and 14 percent of people with
AIDS. Minorities account for 80 percent of cases among heterosexual IV drug
abusers, 81 percent of heterosexually transmitted AIDS cases, and 76 percent
of pediatric AIDS cases.
It is clear that IV drug users, their sexual partners, and others close to
them form a critically important audience for AIDS education. NIDA's new Drug
Abuse and AIDS Public Education Program provides specially targetted radio and
print materials aimed at precisely this audience. The materials deal with
three closely-related issues of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection:
sharing needles, sexual relations, and childbirth. The materials were tested
thoroughly with target audience members, and reflect cultural and ethnic
realities. They are described in the attached fact sheet.
These materials will provide support to street outreach workers, drug abuse
treatment program staff, voluntary organizations, emergency room personnel,
and others designing educational programs for intravenous drug users and their
sexual partners.
(more)
C-88-05
August, 1988
CAP 03
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
DRUG ABUSE AND AIDS PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
PRINT AND RADIO MATERIALS
The target audience for the program is intravenous drug users, about 20 to 40
years old, their sexual partners, and others close to them. The materials
deal with three related areas concerning HIV infection:
1) Sharing needles
2) Infection through sexual relations
3) Pregnancy and childbirth
PRINT MATERIALS
A series of black and white print ads (mini posters), posters and bus cards
are available in three sizes: 8 1/2 by 11 inches (print ad); 17 by 22 inches
(poster); and 11 by 28 inches (bus card). Not all materials are in all sizes;
the size(s) for each item are listed below.
1. When you share needles you could be shooting up AIDS. (Print ad,
poster, bus card) - Shows a syringe and a cooker.
2. Sharing needles can get you more than high. It can get you AIDS.
(Print ad, bus card) - Shows a syringe being passed from one person's
hand to another person's hand.
3. A man who shoots up can be very giving. He can give you and your
baby AIDS. (Print ad, poster) - Shows a pregnant woman. (Three
racial/ethnic versions: i.e., Black, Hispanic, and White.)
4. Guess who else can get AIDS if you shoot drugs. Your baby can.
(Print ad, poster, bus card) - Shows a baby bottle.
5. Most babies with AIDS are born to mothers or fathers who have shot
drugs. (Print ad, poster, bus card) - Shows a baby carriage and an
intravenous drip.
6. If you ever shot drugs, get tested before you get pregnant. Don't
make them the AIDS generation. (Print ad only) - Shows four happy
babies.
(more)
RADIO MATERIALS
This series consist of 30-second spots and one 60-second "rap."
1. "Scared"
a. White speaker
b. Black speaker
2. "Person with AIDS"
a. Black speaker
b. Hispanic speaker
C. White speaker
3. "Shooting Gallery"
4. "IVDUs and Treatment"
5. "My Man"
6. "IVDUs and Sex"
7. "Baby"
8. "IVDUs and Pregnancy"
9. "Rap" (60 seconds)
Numbers 1 through 4 and 9 address needle-sharing; numbers 5 and 6 deal with
infection through sex; and numbers 7 and 8 address pregnancy and childbirth.
Number 2. "Person with AIDS," is available in several versions. Each will
features an infected person sharing his or her experiences and concerns.
Copies of these print and radio materials may be obtained from:
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI)
P.O. Box 2345
Rockville, Md. 20852
(301) 468-2600
###
NIDA
20%
Issued by the Press Office of the National institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville Maryland 20857
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
301-443-6245
ON DRUG ABUSE
Capsules
DRUG ABUSE AND AIDS
WHAT IS AIDS?
AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is a condition caused by a virus and
characterized by a defect in the body's natural immunity to disease. People
with AIDS are vulnerable to severe illnesses which usually are not a threat to
anyone whose immune system is intact. Over half of the persons diagnosed with
AIDS have died. Eighty percent of all persons with AIDS die within two years
of diagnosis. Although several risk factors are related to AIDS, this paper
focuses only on intravenous drug use.
EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM
Data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show that as of March 31,
1989, there were 90,990 cases reported with AIDS. Of these cases, 27 percent
or 24,406 reported injection of an illicit substance prior to diagnosis with
AIDS. Intravenous (IV) drug users are the second largest at-risk group for
AIDS, exceeded only by homosexual and bisexual men who account for 61 percent
of persons with AIDS. The population of cases involving intravenous drug
abuse has increased over the past two years. Since January 1, 1989, thirty
percent of all AIDS cases have involved IV drug abuse.
There are considerable geographic differences in reported AIDS cases among IV
drug abusers. Over half of the IV drug abuse related AIDS cases were reported
from the Northeast, which represents 20 percent of the U.S. population. In
Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Puerto Rico the number of AIDS cases in
heterosexual IV drug abusers exceeds those in non-IV drug abusing homosexual/
bisexual men. While some believe that AIDS only affects large metropolitan
areas on the east and west coasts, it is important to realize that at least
one IV drug abuser with AIDS has been reported from all 50 states.
There are an estimated 1.1 to 1.3 million IV drug abusers in the U.S. and of
these, over 24,000 are people with AIDS. Experts estimate nearly 500,000 IV
drug abusers inject heroin regularly, while thousands of others inject cocaine
or amphetamines. All of these individuals are at increased risk for AIDS.
The belief that AIDS is a disease of gay white men is a myth. Minorities are
over-represented among IV drug users and a disproportionate number of persons
with AIDS have been Blacks and Hispanics. Although Black Americans represent
12 percent of the population in the United States, they account for 27 percent
of all people with AIDS. Hispanics account for six percent of the U.S.
population and 15 percent of people with AIDS. Minorities account for 80
percent of cases among heterosexual IV drug abusers, 80 percent of hetero-
sexually transmitted AIDS cases, and 77 percent of pediatric AIDS cases.
Members of minority groups survive for a shorter period of time after being
diagnosed as having AIDS than do Whites with the disease.
(more)
C-85-4
Revised May 1989
CAP 04 CAP
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration
-2-
METHODS OF TRANSMISSION
The virus which causes AIDS, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), is
transmitted through the exchange of body fluids, including blood and semen,
from an Infected individual to a non-infected one. Casual contact does not
spread AIDS. It is not an airborne disease.
Among IV drug users, transmission of the AIDS virus often occurs by sharing
drug paraphernalia. Small amounts of contaminated blood left in needles or
syringes can carry the AIDS virus from user to user. Almost all IV drug
abusers share needles at some time during their IV drug use and many continue
to share needles when they inject such drugs as narcotics, cocaine, or
amphetamines. Those who frequent "shooting galleries" (gathering places where
drug users share their needles, syringes, cookers and drugs) are particularly
vulnerable.
HIV can also be transmitted from IV drug users to their sexual partners, and
from IV drug users and their sexual partners to their children prior to or
during childbirth. In fact, surveillance data from the Centers for Disease
Control show that most cases of heterosexually and perinatally acquired AIDS
are associated with IV drug abuse. Of U.S.-born AIDS cases attributed to
heterosexual transmission, approximately 72 percent are individuals who have
had sexual intercourse with IV drug users. And almost three-fourths of
perinatal AIDS cases are born to IV drug users or their sexual partners.
IV drug-related transmission is especially significant for women. Of women
who have AIDS, 52 percent are IV drug users, while approximately 18 percent
are the sexual partners of IV drug users. And researchers believe that
HIV-infected mothers will infect their infants prior to or at birth about 50
percent of the time.
The potential spread of AIDS by prostitutes is of special concern, since a
substantial portion of female IV drug users and some male users resort to
prostitution to support their drug habits. In one study of prostitutes in
seven communities across the U.S., approximately one-half of the prostitutes
were intravenous drug abusers. Thus, there is considerable opportunity for
the spread of HIV from IV drug users to the non-using population.
Health care workers who treat intravenous drug abusers are at very low risk of
contracting HIV infection as long as they follow the Centers for Disease
Control's AIDS precautions when handling body fluids from persons with AIDS
and IV drug users. Special care must be taken in handling used needles.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Since intravenous drug abuse contributes significantly to the AIDS epidemic,
IV drug abusers and those who come in contact with them need to be aware of
the facts concerning AIDS and IV drug abuse.
Intravenous drug abusers can reduce their risk of contracting AIDS by stopping
the use of drugs. Those who continue to inject drugs despite the demonstrated
risk to their health should refrain from sharing drugs or equipment, use only
new (not re-bagged) needles, and avoid shooting galleries.
(more)
-3-
Those who insist on injecting drugs may be able to reduce the risk of
transmitting the AIDS virus by removing any blood or other residual material
from the needle, syringe, or other "works" (drug paraphernalia) and flushing
the needle and syringe at least twice with a bleach.
Sexual relationships with IV drug abusers should be avoided. At a minimum,
sexual partners of IV drug users should refrain from practices involving
exchange of body fluids (such as blood and semen) to reduce the risk of
exposure to the AIDS virus.
Condoms should be used when having intimate contact with high risk
individuals. It is important to know that. while condoms might make sex with
an IV drug user safer, there is no such thing as "safe sex" with a person at
high risk for AIDS. In addition, sexual practices that cause injury to
tissue, such as anal intercourse, should be avoided.
Drug counselors and therapists need to be informed about AIDS so they can
intelligently address the concerns of patients and their families.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has funded studies to examine the
spread of the AIDS virus among drug abusers. their sexual partners, and their
children. Research is also being supported to improve the effectiveness of
drug abuse treatment and to develop other effective AIDS-prevention
strategies. NIDA is also studying the immunosuppressive effect of many common
drugs of abuse to better understand their relationship to AIDS.
NIDA has established an AIDS outreach and counseling demonstration research
program targeted at intravenous drug abusers and their sexual partners. The
goals of the program are to encourage IV drug abusers to enter drug abuse
treatment and to encourage IV drug abusers and their sexual partners to change
their drug using and sexual behaviors that place them at risk for AIDS. 80th
comprehensive outreach programs that employ multiple outreach strategies, and
targeted outreach demonstration projects that focus on one strategy, are
conducted and evaluated.
Recognizing that changing high-risk drug abuse and sexual behaviors is seldom
achieved simply through information dissemination, these outreach programs
aggressively seek out individuals at risk, educate them regarding risk
reduction, encourage behavior change, and reinforce change through followup
contacts. Together these comprehensive and targeted outreach programs are
able to reach approximately 130,000 IV drug abusers and sexual partners
annually.
For further information on AIDS and drug abuse, contact:
National Institute of Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 10A-54
Rockville, MD 20857
(301) 443-6245
###
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
COCAINE ABUSE
Cocaine is one of the most powerfully addictive of the drugs of abuse. Most
clinicians estimate that approximately 10 percent of the people who begin to
use the drug "recreationally" will go on to serious, heavy use. An individual
cannot predict or control the extent to which he or she will use the drug.
DANGERS OF COCAINE ABUSE
Some regular users of cocaine report feelings of restlessness, irritability,
and anxiety. High doses of cocaine and/or chronic use can trigger paranoia.
When some individuals stop using cocaine after extended periods they may
become depressed. This may lead to further cocaine use to alleviate
depression.
Occasional cocaine use may produce nasal congestion and a runny nose. A
possible consequence of chronic cocaine snorting is ulceration of the mucous
membrane of the nose. Heavy cocaine use can sufficiently damage the nasal
septum to cause it to collapse.
Cocaine used at high doses or chronically can have toxic effects. Cocaine
overdose deaths are a result of physiological seizures followed by respiratory
arrest and coma, or sometimes by cardiac arrest.
The scientific evidence does not suggest that cocaine produces physical
dependence, defined as a character pattern of withdrawal symptoms after
discontinuation of use. However, cocaine is a powerful psychological
reinforcer. Severe psychological dependence to cocaine and compulsive
drug-seeking behavior can result from heavy or continuous use at relatively
high dosages.
In summary, cocaine is an extremely dangerous drug. Occasional use can lead
to heavy, uncontrollable use of the drug.
METHODS OF USE
Cocaine is usually sniffed or "snorted" at doses of 10-40 mg and absorbed
through the mucous membranes in the nose. It can also be injected, or after
chemical conversion to a purified form known as "freebase," it can be
(More)
C82-2(a)
Revised January 1986
CAP 05
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol, Drug Abuse. and Mental Health Administration
smoked. Of particular concern are recent reports that smoking of cocaine
paste is becoming more common among users. Originally noted in a somewhat
different form by investigators in South America, this practice, as observed
with the refined drug in the United States, increases the pharmacological
effect of the drug. Unfortunately, it appears that compulsive cocaine use
may develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather than
ingested intranasally. Cocaine use ranges from episodic or occasional use
to repeated or compulsive use, with a variety of patterns between these
extremes.
METHODS OF ACTION
Cocaine is a very strong central nervous system stimulant. Specific
physical effects include constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated
pupils, and increased temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. Cocaine's
immediate euphoric effects, which include hyperstimulation, reduced fatigue,
and mental clarity, last approximately 30 to 60 minutes.
Cocaine is a tightly controlled drug with legitimate medical uses. Its
properties as a topical anesthetic and a vasoconstrictor make cocaine the
drug of choice for certain types of surgery involving the nose, throat,
larynx, and lower respiratory passages.
EXTENT OF COCAINE USE
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that between 20 and 24
million Americans have tried cocaine at least once in their lives; between
11 and 13 million have used cocaine during the last year; and between 3 and
5 million have used cocaine during the last month. Since 1972, the rate of
increase for cocaine use across all age groups has been noticeably larger
than the rate of increase for marijuana use.
National Household Survey
The National Household Survey, conducted by NIDA in 1982, found that since
the early 1970's the rate of increase for cocaine use across all age groups
has been noticeably larger than the rate for marijuana. Older adults ( age
26 and over) show the most significant increase in lifetime cocaine use in
1982: 9 percent have tried the drug at least once, a significant increase
from the 4 percent rate in 1979. Young adults (age 18-25) show the highest
percent of lifetime cocaine use: 28 percent have tried the drug at least
once in their lifetime, the same rate as shown in the 1979 survey.
(more)
Grrent use (use in the past month) among young adults has declined from 9
percent in 1979 to 7 percent in 1982. Of those young aalts who have ever
tried cocaine, 7.4 percent have used it once or twice compared to
approximately 2.5 percent of the older adults. Over 12 percent of the young
adults and 3 percent of the older adults had used cocaine il or more times
aring their lifetime.
High School Survey
A survey of 16,300 high school seniors, conducted in 1985 for NIDA by the
University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, found that the use of
cocaine by high school seniors, which was fairly steady for the prior two
years, showed an increase in 1985. The percentage of seniors who have ever
used cocaine rose from 16.2 percent in 1983 to 17.3 percent in 1985, and the
percentage of those who were currently using cocaine went from 4.9 percent
in 1983 to 6.7 percent in 1985. These are the highest rates observed so far
in this study.
Emergency Room and Medical Examiner Mentions
NIDA's Drug Abu se Warning Network (DAWN) collects data on drug abuse
morbidity and mortality through reports from selected hospital emergency
rooms and medical examiners in 26 major metropolitan areas. In 1984, with
10,996 mentions from DAWN emergency rooms, cocaine ranked third on the list
of drugs most frequently mentioned. Among cocaine emergency room episodes:
67 percent were male; 37 percent were white and 43 percent were black; and
52 percent were 20- to 29-year olds.
In 1984, medical examiners in the DAWN system reported 604 deaths involving
cocaine alone or in combination with other drugs, including 181 deaths in
which cocaine was used alone. The drug ranked third on the list of
substances most frequently mentioned by medical examiners. Among cocaine
related deaths: 77 percent were male; 57 percent were white and 33 percent
were black; and the majority of cases were 20- to 39-year olds.
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
COCAINE FREEBASE
Freebase is a form of cocaine that is smoked. It is extremely dangerous, yet
increasing in popularity. In 1982, almost 7 percent of clients admitted to
treatment facilities were freebasing cocaine, up from 1 percent in 1979. Of
the almost 11,000 hospital emergency room visits reported to NIDA's Drug Abuse
Warning Network in 1984, 6.1 percent involved cocaine smoking, up from 2.2
percent in 1983.
Freebase is the result of a chemical process whereby "street cocaine" (cocaine
hydrochloride) is converted to a pure base by removing the hydrochloride salt
and many of the "cutting" agents. The end product, freebase, is not water
soluable. Therefore, the only way to get it into the system is to smoke it.
Freebase is smoked in a water pipe. It's more dangerous than "snorting"
cocaine because it reaches the brain within seconds, resulting in a sudden and
intense high. The euphoria a user experiences, however, quickly disappears
and the user faces an enormous craving to freebase again and again.
Consequently. freebasers often increase the dose and the frequency of the
dose, resulting in a severe addiction which may include physical debilitation
and financial ruin.
The reported symptoms of freebasing cocaine include weight loss, increased
heart rate and blood pressure, depression, paranoia, and hallucinations.
Manic paranoia or depressive psychoses have been seen in some heavy users.
There is also some concern that smoking freebase may have a specific effect on
the lungs.
CRACK
Of growing concern is the apparent increase in the use of "crack". While
there is no way of estimating the extent of "crack" in the U.S., it appears to
be increasing in popularity. "Crack" is the street name given to freebase
cocaine that has been processed from cocaine hydrochloride to a base, using
ammonia or baking soda and water and heating it to remove the hydrochloride,
rather than the more volatile method of processing which uses ether. The
process to convert cocaine hydrochloride to "crack" does not necessarily
result in the elimination of hydrochloride, fillers and impurities in the
cocaine, and sodium bicarbonate. The term "crack" refers to the crackling
sound that is heard when the mixture is smoked (heated), presumably due to the
sodium bicarbonate.
(more)
C-86-4
May 1986
CAP 06
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
What is particularly alarming about "crack" is that, for the first time, it is
being mass marketed on the streets in its freebase form, eliminating the need
for the user to process "street cocaine" into freebase.
"Crack" resembles hard shavings similar to slivers of soap. It is sold in
small vials, in folding papers, or in heavy tinfoil. It is smoked in a pipe.
The cost of one or two doses (300 milligrams) reportedly range from $5.00 to
$10.00.
"Crack" is sometimes called "rock" which should not be confused with "rock
cocaine". "Rock cocaine", sold in California, is a cocaine hydrochloride
product for intranasal snorting. It is white in color, about the size of a
pencil eraser, and sells for about $20.
###
POWEU
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
USE AND CONSEQUENCES OF COCAINE
Trenas in Past Year and Past Month Use of Cocaine
By Age Category, 1972-1982
Estimated Percent of the Household Population
1972
1974
1976
1977
1979
1982
Age 12-17
Used in Past Year
1.5%
2.7%
2.3%
2.6%
4.2%
4.1%
Used in Past Month
.6
1.0
1.0
.8
1.4
1.6
Age 18-25
Used in Past Year
N/A
8.1%
7.0
10.2
19.6
18.8
Used in Past Month
N/A
3.1
2.0
3.7
9.3
6.8
Age 26 and Above
Used in Past Year
N/A
*
.6.
.9
2.0
3.8
Used in Past Month
N/A
*
*
*
.9
1.2
N/A = Not Available
*
= Less than 0.5%
Source: NIDA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1982
Population Projections of Cocaine Use
Age 12-17
Age 18-25
Age 26 & Older
Total
Ever Used Cocaine
1,490,000
9,260,000
10,820,000
21,570,000
Current Use of Cocaine
380,000
2,230,000
1,550,000
4,170,000
Note:
Current use is defined as use one or more times in the month prior
to the survey.
Source: NIDA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, Population.
Projections, 1982
(More)
Revised
C84-04
July, 1986
CAP 07
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
Page 2 - Use and Consequences of Cocaine
HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SURVEY
Trends in Lifetime, Past Year, Past Month and Daily Use
of Cocaine by High School Seniors, 1979-1985
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
Ever Used
15.4
15.7
16.5
16.0
16.2
16.1
17.3
Used in Last Year
12.0
12.3
12.4
11.5
11.4
11.6
13.1
Used in Past Month
5.7
5.2
5.8
5.0
4.9
5.8
6.7
Used Daily
.2
.2
.3
.2
.2
.2
.4
Terms:
Ever Usea: Used at least one time in lifetime
Used in Last Year: Used at least once in the 12 months prior to the
survey.
Used in Past Month: Used at least once in the 30 days prior to the
survey.
Used Daily: Used 20 or more times in the month before the survey.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, Monitoring the Future, 1985
(More)
Page 3 - Use and Consequences of Cocaine
CONSEQUENCES OF COCAINE
Trends in Hospital Emergency Room Mentions of Cocaine
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
Total Hospital Mentions
3,296
4,277
5,783
8,470
9,946
of which:
New York
1,122
1,421
1,975
2,324
2,390
Miami
249
405
547
869
953
Los Angeles
233
334
506
619
769
Washington DC
157
196
288
502
765
Detroit
136
203
437
443
644
Philadelphia
82
155
201
394
555
549
Chicago
134
128
217
440
Note:
Data are derived from a panel of consistently reporting hospital
emergency rooms in 26 metropolitan areas.
Trends in Medical Examiner Mentions of Cocaine
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
Total Medical
Examiner Mentions
195
217
323
581
613*
of which:
Los Angeles
33
46
79
176
131
Washington, DC
5
8
30
57
61
San Franscisco
28
46
35
67
62
Miami
48
27
66
90
65
Note: Data are derived from 3 panel of consistently reporting Medical
Examiners in 25 metropolitan areas (excluding the New York metropolitan area
because data from New York City are not reported to DAWN).
* Provisional data due to lag in reporting.
Source: NIDA, Drug Abuse Warning Network (unpublished data, file ending
3/86)
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
COCAINE. THE BIG LIE.
PHASE II
To counter increasing cocaine use among older teenagers and young adults, the
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) launched a multimedia Cocaine Abuse
Prevention Campaign, COCAINE. THE BIG LIE., in March 1986. This public
service campaign, developed by DDB Needham Worldwide, under the auspices of
The Advertising Council, Inc., focuses on the addictive qualities of cocaine,
its potential for producing severe health consequences and the need to seek
treatment. In support of this campaign, NIDA established an 800-toll-free
telephone number, 1-800-662-HELP, which directs users to treatment facilities
in their local community. Almost 90,000 callers have received help since the
telephone service was inaugurated last April.
The next phase of the campaign will focus on crack, the preprocessed smokeable
form of cocaine, and teenagers who are becoming addicted to crack in major
metropolitan areas around the country. Crack is particularly dangerous
because it is highly potent and relatively cheap when it is first used. Young
people can become addicted in a short period of time.
NIDA will be releasing radio, print and television public service
announcements (psa's) for high school and college students on crack and
cocaine and a specially designed help message for family members of cocaine
users. Results of the hotline have shown the importance of helping family
members find support for themselves and approaches to getting their loved ones
into drug abuse treatment.
The materials are currently being produced. Release is planned for mid to
late February 1988.
Currently available are two booklets on cocaine: Cocaine/Crack. The Big Lie.,
an update of Cocaine Addiction: It Costs Too Much, and When Cocaine Affects
Someone You Love, designed for family members of cocaine users.
As in the past, the psa's will be distributed directly to stations by the Ad
Council. Tapes of the material will be sent simultaneously to State agencies,
parents organizations and other groups who are interested in the campaign.
C-88-02
March 1988
CAP 08
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
DRUG ABUSE INFORMATION AND TREATMENT REFERRAL LINE
1-800-662-HELP
INTRODUCTION
The National Drug Information and Treatment Hotline, 1-800-662-HELP is a
toll-free number that can be dialed from any State in the country, Puerto Rico
and the Virgin Islands. Its purpose is to provide drug related information to
the general public. facilitate the placement of drug users In treatment
programs and to acquaint those affected by the drug use of d friend or family
member <1.e., significant other) with much needed support groups and/or
services.
The Hotline is staffed from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m., Monday through Friday and
12 noon - 3:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Information Specialists trained to
provide counseling. information, and referrals spend an average of 10-15
minutes with each caller. All Hotline staff are caring individuals who have
been carefully chosen for their sensitivity, insight. and understanding of the
issues involved in drug use.
BACKGROUND
The Hotline has been operated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
since its inception. in mid-April, 1986. It was initially publicized through
public service announcements during phase one of NIDA"s "Cocaine: The 81g Lie"
campaign. Subsequent media attention continues to promote public awareness of
the Hotline number.
SERVICES
The Hotline provides confidential discussion and/or referrals. Callers "no
request treatment are referred to drug treatment programs, including profit/
nonprofit. Federal/State. inpatient/outpatient or residential facilities. The
main source of referrals Is the National Directory of Drug Abuse and
Alcoholism Treatment and Prevention Programs.
Because many callers have few resources due to their drug use, frequent
referrals are made to public or nonprofit programs. Callers receive the name.
address and phone number of facilities close to them along with information
about the range of services at the facility. As a backup, callers are given
the number of their State Substance Abuse Agency.
C-86-10
Revised April, 1988
CAP 09
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
-2-
Referrals are also made to State and local crisis or information hotlines and
support groups such as Cocaine Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics
Anonymous. Support group referrals that focus on concerns of significant
others of drug users, such as National Federation of Parents. CO-ANON,
NAR-ANON and Families Anonymous are also made. Free NIDA pamphlets and
brochures are sent to those seeking written information.
STATISTICS/NUMBER OF CALLS
During the first year of operation nearly 50,000 calls were answered. Now
after two years, Hotline staff has handled In excess of 120,000 calls,
averaging over 6,000 per month, and 250 per day. While calls originate from
all over the country, the greatest number have come from California, New York
and Florida. of course this may reflect frequency in the airing of cocaine-
related campaign materials as much as the extent of drug use in those States.
Findings from a preliminary sampling of calls conducted by NIDA revealed that:
-
75% of the calls were received between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST.
-
50% of callers were seeking help for themselves, usually during the
crash/depression period. The majority in this group were males. Of
the remaining 50%, the majority called with concerns about the drug
use of others. These callers were typically female. Other callers
sought general drug information, including literature or contacts for
prevention and education efforts.
The majority of users were over 18 years of age.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS (AIDS)
NIDA has begun a major AIDS and intravenous (IV) drug use public education
campaign. It is designed to educate and inform IV drug users of their risks
and encourage them to get treatment. The 1-800-662-HELP number will ce
printed on all NIDA-produced materials on AIDS and IV drug use. Calls from IV
drug users who are in need of treatment as well as calls from sexual partners
and others close to drug users are expected to increase.
###
Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
"DESIGNER DRUGS"
"Designer Drugs" are structural analogs of substances already scheduled under the
Controlled Substances Act (CSA). They are prepared by underground chemists to mimic
the psychoactive effects of controlled drugs. Because these analogs are not structurally
identical to their parent compound, their manufacture and distribution is not now a
violation of that Federal law. Theoretically, the number of potential synthetic analogs
that can be made and distributed is very large and virtually anyone with a background in
college chemistry can obtain the information necessary to synthesize them. At present
there are three types of synthetic analog drugs available through the illicit drug market:
analogs of phencyclidine (PCP), analogs of fentanyl and meperidine (both synthetic
narcotic analgesics), and analogs of amphetamine and methamphetamine (which have
hallucinogenic and stimulant properties).
PCP Analogs
PCP is a controlled substance under Section II of the Controlled Substance Act. Over
the past eight years, PCP analogs have been identified in confiscated street samples and
three of these analogs have been placed in Schedule I of the CSA. The use of these
analogs is not widespread.
Fentanyl Analogs
Fentanyl is used in over 70% of the surgical procedures performed in the U.S. as a
pre-anesthetic analgesic. Theoretically, hundreds of fetanyl analogs could be prepared
and most would have pharmacological properties similar to heroin or morphine. These
analogs, many of which are far more potent than heroin, create addiction similar to the
opiate narcotics, and present a significant drug abuse problem because of the potential
for overdose. Street names of these drugs, such as "synthetic heroin," "China White,"
and "new heroin," are often used interchangeably to designate a wide variety of analogs
of fentanyl. In 1979, the fentanyl analog, alphamethylfentanyl, became widely available
in California. A number of overdose deaths were attributed to this potent narcotic. As
a result, alphamethylfentanyl was placed in Schedule 1 of the CSA.
Since the control of alphamethylfentanyl, law enforcement laboratories have identified
other fentanyl analogs clandestinely produced and distributed in California. In 1984
California health officials, based on the results of routine urinalysis tests of methadone
clinic patients in Los Angeles, estimated that 20 percent of the patients may have been
users of fentanyl or one of its analogs. Between 1983 and 1985 the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) confiscated 75 samples of another analog, 3-methylfentanyl, in the
San Francisco bay area and one sample in Brooklyn, NY. This substance and several
other fentanyl analogs are believed to be responsible for numerous hospital emergency
room visits and over 100 deaths during 1983-85. Other anecdotal reports suggest that
the analogs of fentanyl may have caused deaths in Arizona, Oregon, and Florida. In
1985, 3-methylfentanyl, along with several other related analogs, were placed under
Schedule 1 of the CSA.
C-86-5
(More)
June, 1986
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
29
CAP 10
Meperidine Analogs (MA)
Meperidine, known by the trade name of "Demerol," is a narcotic, controlled under
Schedule II of the CSA. Over the past decade, the illicit use of meperidine has increased
during periods when heroin was scarce. Two "designer drugs" which are structurally
similar to meperidine have also appeared on the streets. These analogs,
1-methyl-4-phenyl-4-propionoxypiperidine (MPPP) and
1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-acetyloxypiperidine (PEPAP), are much more potent than
meperidine. While both of these substances present significant risks of overdose, an
impurity formed during the clandestine manufacture of MPPP, called MPTP
(1-methyl-4-phenyl-l,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine), has been shown to be a potent
neurotoxin and has caused irreverisible brain damage in several individuals. The damage
is manifested in a syndrome very similar to Parkinsonism. MPTP was identified in
several street samples in California, in 1982, and in one sample in Florida, in 1985.
PEPAP, 1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-phenyl-4-acetyloxypiperidine, is a recent addition to the
street scene, having been identified by the DEA in California in 1985. Its action is
similar to that of MPPP.
AMPHETAMINE AND METHAMPHETAMINE ANALOGS
Several dozen analogs of amphetamine and methamphetamine are hallucinogenic. Some
have appeared on the street and have been scheduled under the CSA, but others have
not. Amphetamine analogs currently of concern include
3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine
(MDMA). MDMA, known on the streets as "Ecstasy" or "Adam", has received
considerable attention from the media. It is reported as widely used on college campuses
as a euphoriant and, to some extent, by clinicians as an adjunct to psychotherapy,
although studies have not been done on its safety and efficacy.
MDMA can result in a variety of psychological difficulties including confusion,
depression, anxiety and paranoia. Physical symptoms include muscle tension, nausea,
blurred vision, and faintness, chills or sweating. It also increases the heart rate and
blood pressure. MDMA has been shown to destroy serotonin-producing neurons in
animals. These neurons play a direct role in regulating aggression, mood, sexual activity,
sleep, and sensitivity to pain.
MDMA is similar in structure to MDA, which has been shown to be neurotoxic to the
serotonergic nerve cells. In animal studies, the doses of MDA which produce
neurotoxicity are only 2 or 3 times more than the minimum dose needed to produce a
psychotropic response. This suggests that individuals who are self-administering the
drug may be administering a neurotoxic dose. The relationship between the neurotoxic
dose and the psychotropic dose of MDMA is currently under investigation.
DEA officials have said that the drug is available in at least 21 states and Canada. It is
especially popular with college students and young professionals. Because of its
neurotoxic effects and its abuse potential, MDMA was placed in Schedule 1 of the CSA
on an emergency basis in July, 1985.
###
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
HEROIN
Health Hazards
Heroin is an illegal and highly addictive narcotic. Addictive or dependence-producing
properties are exhibited by (1) persistent regular use of a drug, (2) attempts to stop such
use which lead to significant and painful withdrawal symptoms. (3) continued use
despite damaging physical and/or psychological problems, (4) compulsive drug-seeking
behavior, and (5) need for increasing doses of the drug.
Heroin exerts its primary addictive effect by activating both the region of the
brain that is responsible for producing the pleasurable sensation of "reward" and
the region which produces the classic physical dependence syndrome. Together,
these actions account for the user's loss of control and the drug's habit-forming
action.
Many health problems related to heroin use are caused by uncertain dosage levels
(due to fluctuations in purity), use of unsterile equipment, contamination of heroin
by cutting agents, or use of heroin in combination with other drugs such as alcohol
or cocaine. Typical problems include skin abscesses, inflammation of the veins,
serum hepatitis, and addiction with withdrawal symptoms.
Utilization of unsterile needles by multiple individuals (needle sharing) increases
the risk of exposure to HIV, the causative agent for Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome (AIDS). Heroin itself, as well as a drug-abusing lifestyle, may depress
the body's ability to withstand infection.
While intravenous drug users account for approximately 25 percent of all reported
AIDS cases, their proportion of the AIDS population appears to be increasing. In
the first half of 1985, intravenous drug users accounted for 33 percent of all new
AIDS cases. Moreover, 54 percent of newburns contracting AIDS have a parent
who is an intravenous drug user, and intravenous drug users account for a similarly
disproportionate share of the percentage of heterosexually transmitted AIDS cases.
The reported symptoms and signs of heroin use include euphoria, drowsiness,
respiratory depression, constricted pupils and nausea. Withdrawal symptoms
include watery eyes, runny nose, yawning, loss of appetite, tremors, panic, chills,
sweating, nausea, muscle cramps and insomnia. Elevations in blood pressure, pulse,
respiratory rate and temperature occur as withdrawal progresses.
Symptoms of heroin overdose include shallow breathing, clammy skin, convulsions,
and coma. Death may result.
(More)
C-86-7
August 986
CAP 11
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
By modifying the molecular structure of certain controlled substances, underground
chemists have been able to create new forms of drugs grouped under the term
"designer drugs." Some of these, the fentanyl analogs. are capable of producing
effects many times greater than those achieved with heroin. Others. the
meperidine analogs such as MPTP, have been implicated in a growing number of
drug reactions which mimic Parkinsonism and which may result in death.
Heroin use during pregnancy is associated with stillbirths. placental abruptions. and
sudden infant death. Unless the mother is receiving treatment, her baby is likely
to show symptoms of withdrawal and to be below normal birth weight.
Prevalence of Use
While heroin use continues to be a major concern in several cities, estimates indicate
that the total number of addicts has been reduced since the early 1970s. During the
past S years, the number of addicts has held relatively constant at around half a million.
Eighty-four percent of admissions were 25-44 years of age in 1984, compared to 75
percent in 1979. This reflects, in part, a stable and aging pool of users.
Risk Factors
The consumption of alcohol in combination with heroin street preparations of uncertain
composition is one of the major causes of heroin-related deaths. The occasional user
faces increased danger of accidental overdose because he/she does not have tolerance
to the drug.
The number of heroin-related deaths may increase with an increase in the purity
and availability of heroin street preparations.
User Characteristics
In each of the four recognized heroin epidemics occurring in the last 2 decades, the
age at first use for those new users entering drug abuse treatment generally
increased. For example, in the 1967-1971 epidemic, 43 percent of the new users
were in the 12-17 age bracket as opposed to 9 percent in the latest epidemic.
While more of the new users were Black than white in the heroin epidemic of
1967-1971, in subsequent epidemics the racial composition reversed with more
white initiates than Black entering drug abuse treatment.
Approximately 36 percent of heroin users entering drug treatment programs are
women (1984). Moreover, nearly a third of these women are involved in
prostitution, making them particularly vulnerable to HIV infection and its
transmission. Thus, over 80 percent of heterosexually-linked AIDS cases are
female.
(More)
Patterns of Use
According to the hospital drug emergency mentions reported to the total DAWN
system in 1985. the preferred method of administering heroin is by injection (90.5
percent of the heroin patients showed this route of administration).
Few street heroin users utilize sterilized equipment, thus "track marks." or the skin
discolorations caused by unsterilized needles and the injection contaminants, are
visible at injection sites.
The relative price of heroin in terms of purity and availability is believed to
influence drug preference for many users. Dilaudid, amphetamines. and cocaine
are frequently abused by heroin users in preference to poor quality heroin.
Cocaine was the leading secondary drug reported by heroin clients in treatment
data reported to NIDA (1984); 19 percent of heroin users reported cocaine as a
secondary drug.
Prevalence of Health Consequences
During the past few years, heroin abuse has been a regional problem. Certain areas
experienced increases in heroin-related emergencies or deaths, while other areas
showed a declining or stable trend.
Demographically, more than 60 percent of the emergency room episodes in 1985
involving heroin and reporting to the DAWN system occurred among individuals 30
years old or older. Fifty-three percent. were Black, 30 percent white, and 13
percent were Hispanic. Seventy percent were male.
Similar distributions were seen among DAWN deaths involving heroin by sex and
age, i.e., the majority were male (82 percent), 68 percent were 30 years old or
older, about equal proportions were white (44 percent) or Black (40 percent).
Fifteen percent were Hispanic.
As "speedballing," or the combined use of cocaine and heroin has become more
common. so have the health consequences associated with the injection of this
combination of drugs. Cocaine and heroin mentions in DAWN emergency rooms
more than tripled between FY 1981 and FY 1985.
In 1985, almost 41 percent of the heroin-related emergency room cases reported
the use of heroin in combination with other drugs. The most prevalent
combinations were heroin and cocaine, and heroin and alcohol.
Between 1981 and 1985 heroin'-related deaths almost doubled, from 700 to
approximately 1300. Almost 85 percent of the heroin-related deaths occurred in
combination with other drugs. The combination of heroin and alcohol accounted
for almost 50 percent of the cases.
(More)
Supplies of Heroin
The cultivation of opium and its refinement into heroin is a worldwide problem.
Production sites are widely distributed and often found in areas which are not policed or
effectively controlled by central governments. Consequently, curbing the diversion of
heroin to America is a high U.S. priority which involves favorable U.S. decisions on
foreign aid and other matters to countries which cooperate in promoting a vigorous drug
enforcement program within their borders.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration's Heroin Signature Program.
the proportion of Southwest Asian (SWA) heroin available in the U.S. increased
slightly, representing half of the total U.S. supply. Mexican heroin remained at
about one-third nationally, while Southeast Asian (SEA) heroin accounted for about
17 percent of the total available.
According to reports from the National Institute on Drug Abuse's (NIDA)
Community Epidemiology Workgroup in June 1986. fourteen cities reported the
growing availability of a potent form of heroin known as "black tar," "gumball," or
'tootsie roll." Previously, the presence of this substance had only been reported in
the western section of the country. The source country for this form of heroin is
Mexico.
NIDA
50%
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville. Maryland 20857
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
301-443-6245
ON DRUG ABUSE
Capsules
MARIJUANA UPDATE
Marijuana is still by far the most extensively used illicit drug. According
to the latest survey (1985) almost 62 million Americans have tried marijuana
in their lifetime and 29 million used the drug in the past year. Current use
of marijuana decreased from 20 million in 1982 to 18 million in 1985 for the
12 and older population. Among employed 20-40 year-olds, 16 percent reported
using marijuana at least once in the past month.
Starting in 1979 there has been a gradual decline in marijuana use among high
school seniors. Marijuana use peaked in 1978 when almost 11 percent of high
school seniors reported daily or almost daily use and has gradually declined
to 2.7 percent in 1988.
A 1985 NIDA survey of clients admitted to drug abuse treatment programs shows
that one in seven clients reported marijuana as their primary drug of abuse,
second only to heroin.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has supported extensive research
into the effects of marijuana. Findings from several of these studies follow.
Effects of Marijuana on the Brain
Significant progress has been made recently by several NIDA grantees in
determining how marijuana acts on the brain. Several animal studies have
focused attention on the hippocampus, the major component of the brain's
limbic system that is crucial for learning, memory, and the integration of
sensory experiences with emotions and motivation. Taken together, these
results may provide the first clue to the mechanisms underlying marijuana
induced euphoria and loss of memory and provide the definitive evidence for a
toxic effect of marijuana on brain nerve cells.
Researchers have found that THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana,
changes the way in which sensory information gets into and is acted on by the
hippocampus. Studies have found that the information processing system and
the activity of the neurons and nerve fibers are altered. Investigations have
also shown that THC exerts an action directly on a part of the brain that
scientists believe may underlie memory.
C-88-06
Revised May, 1989
cap 12
U.S. DEPARTMENT or HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol Drug Abuse. and Mental Health Administration
-2-
Two other studies found evidence that chronic THC exposure damages and
destroys nerve cells and causes other pathological changes in the brain. The
loss of cells appears to be similar to the loss seen with normal aging. This
raises many concerns among which is that mild functional losses due to aging
may interact with the effects of marijuana in an additive fashion, possibly
placing long-term marijuana users at risk for serious or premature memory
disorders as they age.
Effect on the Lungs
Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that the daily
use of 1 to 3 marijuana joints appears to produce approximately the same lung
damage and potential cancer risk as smoking 5 times as many cigarettes. The
study results suggest that the way smokers inhale marijuana, in addition to
its chemical composition, increases the adverse physical effects. The same
lung cancer risks associated with tobacco also apply to marijuana users even
though they smoke far less. The study findings refute the argument that
marijuana is safer than tobacco because users only smoke a few joints a day.
Effect on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure
Recent findings indicate that smoking marijuana while shooting up cocaine has
the potential to cause severe increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
Each drug alone produced cardiovascular effects. When they were combined, the
effects were greater and lasted longer. The heart beat of the subjects in the
study increased 29 beats per minute with marijuana alone and 32 beats per
minute with cocaine alone. When the drugs were given together, the heart rate
increased by 49 beats per minute and persisted for a longer time. The drugs
were given with the subjects sitting quietly. In normal circumstances, an
individual may smoke marijuana and inject cocaine and then do something
physically stressful thay may significantly increase risks of overload to the
cardiovascular system.
Effect on Reproduction in Women
The first controlled study in women on the acute effects of marijuana has
shown that smoking a single marijuana cigarette after ovulation decreases the
plasma level of one of the hormones essential for normal reproductive
functioning. The luteinizing hormone is essential for implantation of the
fertilized egg in the uterus. A single dose of marijuana during the luteal
phase of the menstrual cycle suppressed the level of the hormone, suggesting
the possibility that chronic use of marijuana may adversely affect
reproductive functioning in women.
-3-
Additional Research Advances
Marijuana Found in Blood of Accident Victims
A study recently examined 1,023 trauma patients admitted to the shock trauma
unit at the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services in Baltimore.
This unit received only the most seriously injured accident victims directly
from the scene of the injury. This study found that one-third of all admitted
patients had detectable levels of marijuana in their blood, indicating use of
marijuana within two to four hours prior to admission to the unit. The study
also found that four of every ten persons 30 years or younger were under the
influence of marijuana at the time of the accident.
Adults Using Marijuana Heavily Fail to Confront Problems
A series of indepth case studies by a research team at the Center for
Psychosocial Studies in New York City found that adults who smoked marijuana
daily believed it helped them function better, improving self-awareness and
relationships with others. In reality, the drug served as a buffer enabling
users to tolerate problems, rather than make changes that might increase their
satisfaction with life. The study indicated that these subjects used
marijuana to avoid dealing with their difficulties and the avoidance
inevitably made their problems worse. The most striking observation is the
discrepancy between what study participants say and what is actually going
on. Although users believed the drug enhanced understanding of themselves, it
actually served as a barrier against self awareness.
###
Policy NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345. Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
MDMA
MDMA, called "ADAM," "Ecstacy," or "X-TC," on the street, is a synthetic,
psychoactive (mind-altering) drug with hallucinogenic and amphetamine-like
properties. Its chemical structure (3-4-methylenedioxymethampnetamine) is
very similar to two other synthetic drugs: MDA and methamphetamine, which
are known to cause brain damage. MDMA is a so-called "designer drug,"
which, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), has become a
nationwide problem as well as a serious health threat. It has been known to
be the cause of at least two deaths.
Beliefs about Ecstasy are reminiscent of similar claims made about LSD in
the 1950's and 1960's, which proved to be untrue. According to its
proponents, MDMA can make people trust one another and break down barriers
between therapists and patients, lovers, and family members.
Many of the problems users encounter with MDMA are similar to those found
with the use of amphetamines and cocaine. They are:
Psychological difficulties, including confusion, depression, sleep
problems, drug craving, severe anxiety and paranoia--during and
sometimes weeks after taking MDMA. Even psychotic episodes have been
reported.
Physical symptoms such as muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching
nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movements, faintness and chills or
sweating.
Increases in heart rate and blood pressure, a special risk for people
with circulatory or heart disease.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has arranged to have MDMA
synthesized so qualified researchers can conduct studies on the drug's
long-term neurotoxicity and abuse potential. It is believed that this
research will indicate that it causes brain damage, just as MDA and
methamphetamine do.
MDA, the parent drug of MDMA, is an amphetamine-like drug which has also
been abused and is very similar in chemical structure to MOMA. According to
NIDA-supported researchers Drs. L.S. Seiden and C.R. Schuster of the
University of Chicago, MDA destroys serotonin-producing neurons, which play
a direct role in regulating aggression, mood, sexual activity, sleep, and
sensitivity to pain. It is probably this action on the serotonin system
which gives MDA its purported properties of heightened sexual experience,
tranquility, and conviviality.
C85-3
July, 1985
CAP 13
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public
Health
Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse. and Mental Health Administration
MDMA is also related in structure and effects to methamphetamine.
Methamphetamine has been shown by the Chicago researchers to cause
degeneration of neurons containing the neurotransmitter dopamine. Damage to
these neurons is the underlying cause of the motor disturbances seen in
Parkinson's disease.
In laboratory experiments, a single exposure to methamphetamine at high
doses or prolonged use at low doses destroys up to 50 percent of the brain
cells which use dopamine. Although this damage may not be immediately
apparent, scientists feel that with aging or exposure to other toxic agents,
Parkinsonian symptoms may eventually emerge. These symptoms begin with Tack
of coordination and tremors and may eventually result in a form of paralysis.
DEA officials have said that that the drug is available in at least 21
states and Canada and is especially popular with college students and young
professionals. Areas of concentrated use include California, Texas,
Florida, New York and New England. Treatment authorities in California
report at least 3-4 MDMA related cases per month in 1985.
In June, 1985, DEA banned MDMA, placing the drug in the Schedule 1
classification based on the Controlled Substances Act. The emergency
scheduling was effective July 1, 1985. Schedule 1 drugs are generally
dangerous narcotics that have a high potential for abuse and no medical
usefulness. Other drugs in Schedule 1 include heroin, LSD, and MDA.
Manufacturers and sellers of Schedule 1 drugs are subject to fines of up to
$125,000 and 15 year prison terms. The scheduling will be effective for one
year, during which time authorities will decide how best to classify MDMA
based on hearings and scientific research. Until it became illegal, MDMA
was used by some psychiatrists and therapists as an aid in psychotherapy.
The Justice Department has proposed legislation to combat designer drugs
such as MDMA. A "designer drug" is a term used to refer to a substance that
appears in the illicit drug market that is a chemical analogue or variation
of another psychoactive drug. Underground chemists produce these new drugs
by slightly changing the chemical composition of illegal drugs so that they
are technically legal. In many cases, the new designer drugs are more
dangerous and more potent than the original drug. Legislation would call
for a 15 year prison sentence and $250,000 fine for those convicted of
producing such drugs.
####
NIDA
Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
PCP
(Phencyclidine)
Health Hazards
Phencyclidine (PCP) is an hallucinogenic drug - i.e. one that produces profound
alterations in sensation, mood and consciousness that may involve the senses of
hearing, touch, smell, or taste, as well as visual experiences that depart from
reality.
Since its effects are highly unpredictable, including bizarre behavior and
disorientation, there is a significant risk of accidental injuries and death such as
drowning, falling and automobile accidents. PCP users may also commit homicides
under the influence of the drug.
Because PCP is an anesthetic compound it produces an inability to feel pain which
can lead to serious bodily injury.
Health hazards resulting from the use of PCP are complicated by the use of many
other substances that are similar to PCP and produce the same effects, but are
frequently more toxic than pure PCP. One of these, PCC (or
1-piperidinocyclohexane carbonitrile), a substance that is formed during the
manufacture of PCP, is very toxic, and it frequently contaminates the PCP that is
sold on the street.
Mothers who used PCP throughout pregnancy delivered babies who had visual,
auditory and motor disturbances, as well as sudden outbursts of agitation and other
rapid changes in awareness similar to responses in adults intoxicated with PCP.
Unlike other hallucinogens, PCP produces feelings of mental depression in some
individuals; and when used regularly, memory, perception, concentration and
judgment are often disturbed. In large doses it may cause permanent brain
dysfunction.
PCP can induce a psychotic state in many ways indistinguishable from
schizophrenia.
C-86-8
(More)
Revised August, 1986
CAP 14
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
Prevalence of Use
Among high school seniors, PCP use in the past 30 days increased from 1.0 percent
in 1984 to 1.6 percent in 1985.
Washington, D.C. is second only to Los Angeles as the city with the largest number
of emergency room mentions for PCP abuse nationwide.
Risk Factors
People who abuse other substances appear to be more at risk for abusing PCP, than
those who are not multiple drug users. Most of those using PCP reported that they
used marijuana and alcohol, prior to trying PCP.
Young people, who use PCP in addition to marijuana and alcohol, seem to identify
strongly with groups of peers who look favorably on the use of drugs. They appear
to use PCP to dispel boredom and enhance the pace of life - and to regard
risktaking and adventure as fundamental components of their lifestyle.
Other risk factors that have emerged, that predispose to PCP, use include a
previous history of treatment either for substance use or emotional problems,
including self-destructive behaviors.
User Characteristics
Half of the high school seniors who use PCP start before entering tenth grade.
Patterns of Use
In a study of young adult male PCP users 21-38 years, 86 percent reported using
over-the-counter caffeine preparations; 81 percent alcohol; 81 percent cannabis
preparations; 62 percent other hallucinogens; 58 percent tobacco products; and 20
percent cocaine, amphetamines and other stimulants, concomitant with PCP.
Over fifty percent of a group of 100 PCP users reported using it at an average
frequency of at least once a week, and forty percent said they used two or more
times a week.
Prevalence of Health Consequences
Although PCP and other hallucinogens are not abused (used) to the same extent as
marijuana and cocaine, the health consequences of PCP abuse are substantive.
(More)
in a study of 1,000 cases of PCP intoxication, fifty percent exhibited significant
cognitive, behavioral, or medical deficit.
in the same study of 1,000 cases, the major behavioral consequences were violent,
unpredictable outbursts including shooting, stabbing, self-inflicted injuries, etc.
(35 percent); agitation (34 percent); bizarre behavior--driving at 10 miles per hour
on the freeway, lying down in the middle of busy streets, wandering or wild
behavior in the nude in public, etc. (32 percent); hallucinating or delusional (19
percent); mute and staring (11 percent).
Treatment of PCP overdosage is not very satisfactory. No specific antidotes are
known, and treatment of the psychotic manifestations with other drugs has only
questionable benefits.
Approximately 45 percent of PCP emergency room cases are in combination.
Almost 60 percent of the cases are between 20 and 29, and almost 56 percent occur
among Blacks. The combinations cited most often are PCP and alcohol, PCP and
cocaine, and PCP and marijuana.
Supplies
Clandestine laboratories supply all of the PCP found in the U.S. illicit market. The
number of laboratory seizures in 1984 increased 38 percent over 1983.
Piperidine, a compound from which PCP is synthesized, is now controlled by the
government and this has significantly reduced the supplies of the drug as well as
PCP deaths and hospital emergencies.
PCP has gained a "bad" street reputation due to its unpredictable side effects,
which has probably discouraged widespread use and experimentation. There is
currently, however, a localized pattern of use in certain urban areas including
Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New Orieans.
####
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
PCP: UPDATE ON ABUSE
PCP (phencyclidine) continues to be a significant problem in the U.S., with reports of
epidemic levels of tise in certain localities. It is conservatively estimated to have been
used by more than five percent of all youth age 12-17; twenty-one percent of all young
adults age 18-25; and six percent of all adults over 26 years of age. It has been
associated with almost 11,000 hospital emergency room visits and approximately 226
deaths in 1984.
PCP was first synthesized over fifty years ago. It was originally used as a local
anesthetic for humans. Due to psychotic and hallucinogenic reactions, however, the use
of this drug for humans was discontinued in 1967. It is now used legally only in
veterinary medicine as an animal immobilizing agent.
PCP was first used illicitly in 1967 on the West Coast and rapidly developed a bad street
reputation. Since that time its popularity has peaked and declined, and shifted from one
region of the country to another. Various means of taking the drug (pill and liquid form,
smoking, and snorting) have affected use patterns.
Although PCP is pharmacologically an extremely complex drug, it is relatively simple to
synthesize. It can be produced from only a few readily available chemicals and with a
minimum of equipment. Consequently, it is easily manufactured illicitly in basement-,
van-, and garage-type laboratories all over the country.
Acute and Chronic Effects
PCP has a street reputation as a "bad" drug, and many people, after using the drug once,
will not knowingly use it again. Yet others use it consistently and chronically. The
reasons that are often cited by users as factors in their continued PCP use are: feelings
of strength, power, invulnerability, and a numbing effect on the mind that often results
in anger, rage and the disappearance of unpleasant memories. Some PCP users are
cocaine addicts who resort to PCP because it is less expensive.
PCP effects one's senses, vital signs, behavior and motor functions. Users feel a sense
of distance and removal from their surroundings, a slow down in time and body
movements, and sparse and mangled speech. They stagger and have a decreased
awareness of touch and pain. These effects are not perceived as unpleasant while they
are occurring.
PCP is toxic when consumed at high dose. Individual differences in sensitivity make it
difficult to predict when a toxic reaction will occur. The symptoms of toxicity range
from a coma to high excitement that is often confused with a schizophrenic psychotic
episode. Another form of toxicity is the catatonic syndrome, where the user becomes
mute, lethargic, disoriented and makes meaningless repetitive movements.
C-80-13
(more)
Revised April 1986
CAP 15
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
Chronic users of PCP report memory loss, speech difficulties, depression and weight
loss. When given psychomotor tests, PCP users tend to have lost their fine motor skills
and short term memory. Mood disorders also occur.
PCP RESEARCH
Our present knowledge about PCP, including the extent of its use, is still modest. We
are just beginning to understand the toxic reaction to PCP, why toxic doses vary from
one person to another, and why such disparate symptoms occur in different persons. The
possibility of lasting physiological deficits resulting from PCP use must be further
explored. In clinical tests, when psychomotor defects were measured, the defects could
not be related directly to the dose of the drug or the duration if its use.
A recent research discovery of two receptor sites in the brain for PCP may help explain
the diverse effects this drug produces. A small peptide has been isolated in the brain
that binds to one PCP receptor and produces PCP like effects in animals. This suggests
that PCP acts on a neuronal systems already functioning in the brain. This finding has
led to the development of PCP antagonists and antibodies to decrease PCP toxicity in
animals. Further work with these substances may lead to useful therapeutic agents for
PCP users in psychotic episodes.
NIDA
59%
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville Maryland 20857
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
301-443-6245
ON DRUG ABUSE
Capsules
COLLEGE STUDENTS SURVEY ON DRUG USE
1980 - 1988
The following tables are part of the nationwide survey of drug use among high
school seniors, conducted annually for the National Institute on Drug Abuse by
the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. Each year since
1977, some participants from all previously graduated high school classes have
been followed through the use of mailed questionnaires. These follow-up
surveys include a sample of about 1,200 full time American college students
one to four years past high school.
Trends in Annual Prevalence of Fourteen Types of Drugs
Among College Students 1-4 Years Beyond High School
Percent who used in last twelve months
87-88
1980
1981
1962
1983
1964
1985
1966
1987
1988
change
Approx. Wtd. N -
(1040)
(1130)
(1150)
(1170)
(1110)
(1080)
(1190)
(1220)
(1310)
Marijuana
51.2
51.3
44.7
45.2
40.7
41.7
40.9
37.0
34.6
-2.4
Inhalants
3.0
25
25
28
2.4
11
3.9
3.7
4.1
+0.4
LSD
6.0
4.6
6.3
4.3
3.7
22
3.9
4.0
3.6
-0.4
Cocaine
16.8
16.0
17.2
173
16.3
17.3
171
13.7
10.0
-3.7ss
"Crack"
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
13
20
1.4
-0.6
Herein
0.4
0.2
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.0
Other Opiates
5.1
C
3.8
15
3.8
24
4.0
31
3.1
0.0
Stimulents
224
222
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Stimulants, Adjusted
NA
NA
21.1
17.3
15.7
11.9
10.3
7.2
6.2
-1.0
Sedatives
8.3
8.0
8.0
4.5
3.5
25
26
1.7
1.5
-0.2
Barbiturates
29
2.8
1.3
22
1.9
13
20
12
1:1
-0.1
Methaqualone
7.2
6.5
=
3.1
2.5
1.4
12
0.8
0.5
-0.3
Tranquilizers
6.9
4.8
4.7
4.6
15
1.6
4.4
is
3.1
-0.7
Alcohol
90.5
925
922
91.8
90.0
920
91.5
90.9
89.5
-1.3
Cigarettes
36.2
37.8
34.3
36.1
33.2
35.0
35.3
38.0
36.6
-1.4
NOTES: Level of significance of difference between the two most recent years:
s - .05, ss = .01, - - .001.
NA indicates data not available.
a Only drug use which was not under a doctor's orders is included here.
This drug was asked about in four of the five questionnaire forms. N is four-fifths of N indicated.
This drug was asked about in one of the five questionnaire forms in 1966 ON is one-fifth of N indicated), and in
two of the five questionnaire forms thereafter ON is two-dfths of N indicated).
d Based on the data from the revised question, which attempts to exclude the inappropriate reporting of non-
prescription stimulants.
C-86-6
Revised May
1989
cap 16
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol Drug Abuse. and Mental Health Administration
-2-
Trends in Thirty-Day Prevalence of Fourteen Types of Drugs
Among College Students 1-4 Years Beyond High School
Percent who used in last thirty days
'87 '88
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
change
Approx. Wtd. N =
(1040)
(1130)
(1150)
(1170)
(1110)
(1080)
(1190)
(1220)
(1310)
Marijuana
34.0
33.2
26.8
26.2
23.0
23.6
22.3
20.3
16.8
-3.5s
Inhalants
1.5
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.7
1.0
1.1
0.9
1.3
+0.4
LSD
1.4
1.4
1.7
0.9
0.8
0.7
1.4
1.4
1.1
-0.3
Cocaine
6.9
7.3
7.9
6.5
7.6
6.9
7.0
4.6
4.2
-0.4
"Crack"c
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.4
0.5
+0.1
Herein
0.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.0
Other Opiates
1.8
1.1
0.9
1.1
1.4
0.7
0.6
0.8
0.8
0.0
Stimulants
13.4
12.3
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Stimulants, Adjusted
NA
NA
9.9
7.0
5.5
4.2
3.7
2.3
1.8
-0.5
Sedatives
3.8
3.4
2.5
1.1
1.0
0.7
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.0
Barbiturates
0.9
0.8
1.0
0.5
0.7
0.4
0.6
0.5
0.5
0.0
Methaqualone
3.1
3.0
1.9
0.7
0.5
0.3
0.1
0.2
0.1
-0.1
Tranquilizers
2.0
1.4
1.4
1.2
1.1
1.4
1.9
1.0
1.1
+0.1
Alcohol
81.8
81.9
82.8
80.3
79.1
80.3
79.7
78.4
77.0
-1.4
Cigarettes
25.8
25.9
24.4
24.7
21.5
22.4
22.4
24.0
22.6
-1.4
NOTES: Level of significance of difference between the two most recent years:
8 = .05. $8 = .01, $$$ = .001.
NA indicates data not available.
a Only drug use which was not under a doctor's orders is included here.
ᵇThis question was asked in four of the five questionnaire forms. N is four-fifths of N indicated.
This question was asked in two of the five questionnaire forms. N is two-fifths of N indicated.
d Based on the data from the revised question, which attempts to exclude the inappropriate reporting of non-
prescription stimulants.
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
FACTS ABOUT TEENAGERS AND DRUG ABUSE
Data from three National Institute on Drug Abuse surveys, the 1985 National
Household Survey, the 1987 National High School Senior Survey, and the Drug
Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), indicate a significant decline in the use of
many illicit drugs among teenagers from the peak levels attained during the
1970's. but serious problems remain. These surveys found that:
National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (1985)
- Nearly 6.4 million (29.6%) young people aged 12-17 have tried an illicit
drug at least some time during their lives; 5.1 million (23.6%) have used
it within the past year; and 3.3 million (15.1%) have used within the past
month.
- Approximately 3.5 million (31.3%) males 12-17 years old and 2.9 million
(27.7%) females in this age group have used an illicit drug at least once
during their life.
-
Approximately 5.1 million (23.7%) young people have tried marijuana; 4.3
million (19.9%) have used it within the past year; and 2.7 million (12.2%)
have used marijuana in the past month.
-
Among 12-17 year olds, past month marijuana use (12.2% overall) ranged by
region from 8.8% in the South to 11.6% in the North Central to 13.3% in
the Northeast to 17.1% in the West.
-
By race/ethicity, past month marijuana use was 8.2% for Black youth, 9.9%
for Hispanics and 13.2% for Whites..
-
Over 1.1 million (5.2%) young people have tried cocaine; 960,000 (4.2%)
have used cocaine within the past year; and 390,000 (1.7%) have used
cocaine within the past month.
(more)
C-83-07a
Revised April, 1988
CAP 17
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
National High School Senior Survey (Monitoring the Future, 1987)
- Cocaine use decreased in 1987 reflecting the first substantial decline
among American High School Seniors. The use of other illicit drugs also
declined, however, 42% of high school seniors still reported using some
illicit drug during the past year.
- Past month marijuana use declined to 21.0% in 1987, down from 23.4% in
1986 and substantially below the peak of 37.1% observed for the class of
1978. Daily marijuana use which peaked at 10.7% in 1978 had declined to
3.3% in 1987.
- Well over half of young people (57%) have tried an illicit drug at least
once before they graduate from high school.
- Three percent of high school seniors have used PCP at least once; 1.3%
have used in the past year; and 0.6% have used in the past month.
- Nearly all high school seniors (92%) have had experience with alcohol and
two-thirds (66%) have used in the past month. Nearly 38% have had five or
more drinks in a row on at least one occasion in the past two weeks.
- Nearly one-fifth (18.7%) of high school seniors are daily cigarette
smokers by the time they leave high school.
- Among high school seniors, 87% disapproved of even trying cocaine and 97%
disapprove of regular cocaine use. Forty-eight percent of high school
seniors saw "great risk" of harm associated with trying cocaine once or
twice.
Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) (1986)
DAWN Emergency Rooms (ER)
- In 1986, ER's reported 119,263 drug abuse episodes; 13,343 (11.2%) of the
episodes involved patients 10-17 years old.
- Approximately 6 out of 10 of the youth ER visits were related to a suicide
attempt or gesture. The drugs mentioned most frequently by young ER
patients were aspirin, acetaminophen, alcohol-in-combination, marijuana
and cocaine.
DAWN Medical Examiners (ME)
- ME's reported a total of 4,138 drug abuse deaths; 55 involved decedents
10-17 years old.
- Approximately 46% of the ME cases for children under 18 were classified as
suicides. Alcohol-in-combination and cocaine were the drugs mentioned
most frequently in the ME cases.
###
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
FREQUENCY OF DRUG MENTIONS
IN DRUG-RELATED MEDICAL EMERGENCIES AND DEATHS IN 1986
The following tables list the twenty drugs most frequently mentioned in 1986
in emergency room (ER) visits and medical examiner (ME) reports of deaths
involving drug abuse. This data is collected by the National Institute on
Drug Abuse (NIDA), through the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) In 1986, a
total of 119,263 ER episodes and 4,138 deaths were reported. Examples of
commonly encountered brand names are listed with drug name where applicable.
1986 Most Frequently Reported Drugs In Emergency Rooms
Emergency Room Mentions
Drug
Rank
Drug Name
1986
1985
1986
1985
Cocaine
24,847
13,501
1
3
Alcohol-in-combination
21,801
21,090
2
1
Heroin/Morphine
15,832
14,696
3
2
Diazepam (Valium)
7,653
8,324
4
4
PCP/PCP Combinations
6,421
5,677
5
6
Marijuana
6,046
5,271
6
8
Acetaminophen
(Tylenol, Datril)
5,591
5,778
7
5
Aspirin
5,589
5,557
8
7
Alprazolam (Xanax)
3,403
2,727
9
9
Acetaminophen w/Codeine
2,671
2,553
10
10
Ibuprofen (Motrin, Nuprin)
2,491
1,712
11
18
Amitriptyline (Elavil)
2,150
2,290
12
11
Methadone
1,993
1,832
13
14
O.T.C. Sleep Aids
1,850
1,738
14
16
D-Propoxyphene (Darvon)
1,817
1,876
15
12
Flurazepam (Dalmane)
1,517
1,776
16
15
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
1,514
1,532
17
19
Hydantoin (Dilantin)
1,490
1,875
18
13
Oxycodone (Percodan)
1,484
1,467
19
21
Phenobarbital (Nembutal)
1,465
1,728
20
17
(more)
C-84-1
Revised April 1988
CAP 18
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
1986 Most Frequently Reported Drugs
From Medical Examiner Reports
Medical Examiner Mentions
Drug
Rank
Drug Name
1986
1985
1986
1985
Heroin/Morphine
1,549
1,315
1
1
Alcohol-in-combination
1,463
1,288
2
2
Cocaine
1,092
643
3
3
Codeine
434
351
4
4
Quinine
358
345
5
5
Diazepam (Valium)
317
315
6
6
Amitriptyline (Elavil)
263
252
7
7
Acetaminophen
(Tylenol, Datril)
255
197
8
9
D-Propoxyphene (Darvon)
246
234
9
8
PCP/PCP Combinations
245
195
10
10
Phenobarbital (Nembutal)
161
148
11
11
Desmethyldiazepam
158
101
12
18
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
140
114
13
13
Doxepin (Sinequan)
135
109
14
15
Lidocaine
134
91
15
20
Nortriptyline
134
109
15
15
Methadone
133
131
17
12
Aspirin
115
86
18
21
Methamphetamine (Speed)
114
64
19
24
Benzodiazepine (Lithium)
100
63
20
25
Source: Drug Abuse Warning Network (1985-1986)
NOTE:
Medical Examiner data from New York are not included in this table
because of incomplete reporting. Up to 4 drugs may be mentioned in a drug
related emergency room visit and up to 6 drugs in a drug related death.
Alcohol is reported only when it is used in combination with other drugs.
The DAWN system is a voluntary data collection system through which hospital
emergency room (ER) and medical examiner (ME) facilities report information on
medical crises and deaths related to the improper use of drugs. During 1986,
744 ER's and 75 ME facilities participated in the system. DAWN affiliated
ME's and ER's comprise a non-random sample and the majority are located in 27
metropolitan areas throughout the country. Only drug abuse episodes which
have resulted in a medical emergency or death are reported and therefore, DAWN
data do not reflect general prevalence levels of drug abuse.
###
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
Highlights of an Attitudes and Knowledge Survev
about Illegal Drug Use
On August 25-28, 1,001 Americans age 18 and older were surveyed by telephone about
their personal knowledge and beliefs about illegal drugs. The survey, sponsored by
NIDA, was conducted by the research firm of Royer Cook Inc. Following are highlights
of this survey:
Most adult Americans sampled (98%) considered illegal drug use to be an important
national problem: 73% described drug use as "one of the most serious problems
facing the country" while only 2% considered it not important.
Almost half of the adults sampled perceived an increase in cocaine users between
1981 and 1986: 43% reported knowing more people who use cocaine now, 8%
reported knowing fewer, 10% reported no change, and 39% said they never knew
any cocaine users.
The number of marijuana users was not perceived to change much in the last 5
years: 25% never knew any marijuana users, 22% reported that the number was the
same, 29% reported knowing more and 24% reported knowing fewer marijuana
users now.
While most Americans believed that both marijuana and cocaine are more
accessible now than 5 years ago, more considered it easier to obtain cocaine: 63%
thought it is easier to get cocaine now than in 1981.
0
Most Americans thought that people risk harming themselves by using marijuana,
cocaine or crack. Marijuana is perceived as less risky than cocaine and crack is
considered the most risky.
Occasional use of marijuana was considered a great risk by 49% of the adults and
regular use was considered a great risk by 73%.
Occasional use of cocaine was considered a great risk by 68% and regular use was
considered a great risk by 92%.
:
Any use of crack was viewed as very dangerous by 90% of the adults sampled.
C-86-12
****
November 1986
CAP 19
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE
1985 NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
Trend Analysis:
Current use of marijuana (past month use) decreased from 20.0 million in 1982 to
18.2 million in 1985. This represents a decrease in rate of use from 11% of the
household population aged 12 and older in 1982 to 10% in 1985.
Current use of cocaine (past month use) increased from 4.2 million in 1982 to 5.8
million in 1985. This represents an increase in rate of use from 2% of the
household population aged 12 and older in 1982 to 3% in 1985.
Compared with 1979 and 1982 levels, the 18-25 year-old-group was most likely to
have stabilized or decreased their use of most drugs in 1985. In contrast, the 26+
year-old age group was most likely to have increased their use of most drugs. The
increase in this age group is at least partially explained by the aging of individuals
who began using drugs in previous years.
1985 Analysis:
Overall, 70.4 million Americans age 12 or older (or 37% of the population) have
tried marijuana, cocaine or other illicit drugs at least once in their lifetime.
Nineteen percent of the of the household population aged 12 years and older (36.8
million people ) have tried marijuana, cocaine or other illicit drugs at least once in
the past year and 23 million people (12%) at least once during the month prior to
being surveyed in the 1985 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse.
Twenty-one percent of the cocaine users have used freebase and 8% have used
cocaine intravenously. Recent cocaine users are more likely to have ever used
freebase: 38% of the past month users compared with 20% of the past year users
and 10% of those last using cocaine over a year ago.
Among the employed 20-40 year olds, 29% reported use of an illicit drug in the
past year and 19% reported some illicit drug use at least once in the past month.
Among employed 20-40 year-olds, 16% reported using marijuana and 5% reported
using cocaine at least once in the past month.
Among 18-34 year-old women (i.e., in the primary childbearing ages), 30% used an
illicit drug at least once last year and 18% used an illicit drug at least once in the
past month.
C-86-13
(more)
November 1986
CAP 20
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse. and Mental Health Administration
Analysis by Drug
Cocaine
The number of current cocaine users increased from 4.2 million in 1982 to 5.8
million in 1985, a percentage increase from 2% to 3%. Furthermore, current and
frequent cocaine users were also more likely to report symptoms of dependency on
the drug.
Lifetime use of cocaine among youth (age 12-17) and young adults (age 18-25)
decreased from a high of 6.5% and 28.3% in 1982 to 5.2% and 25.2% respectively in
1982. The percent of older adults (age 26+), who had tried the drug, however,
increased by a full percentage point to its highest rate, from 8.5% to 9.5%.
Among youth, lifetime and past year prevalence of cocaine is highest for Hispanics
(7% and 6%) compared to Whites (6% and 5%) and Blacks (3% and 3%). Among
young adults, the rates are highest for Whites (28% and 18%) compared to
Hispanics (15% and 12 %) and Blacks (14% and 11%). Among older adults, these
rates are highest among Blacks (7% and 4%) as compared to Whites (4% and 1%)
and Hispanics (3% and 1%).
In 1985, for the first time, data were gathered about the ways cocaine was used.
Sniffing cocaine is by far the most popular route of administration: 95% of the
cocaine users reported taking cocaine by this route. While overall only 8% of the
cocaine users reported ever taking the drug intravenously, the relationship of
intravenous drug use to AIDS highlights the need to reduce the use of this route of
administration even further. Youth (3%) were least likely and older adults (13%)
were most likely to have taken cocaine intravenously-
Forty-four percent of youth using cocaine have smoked the drug, as compared to
21% of young adults and 19% of mid-adults (age 26-34). Furthermore, 38% of
those who had used cocaine in the past month report having smoked cocaine, as
compared to 10% of those who had used cocaine more than a year ago. (These data
were collected in 1985 and do not fully reflect the use of crack, which did not
appear nationally until late 1985). Because of the rapid and short duration of
effects, smoking freebase is dangerous and results in the rapid development of drug
dependency.
In addition, our survey finds that the more frequently people use cocaine, the more
likely they are to freebase. Only 7% of the respondents who had used cocaine one
or two times reported that they smoked it, as compared to 34% of those who had
used it 10-99 times, and 57% of those who had used cocaine 100 times or more.
Marijuana
Almost 62 million Americans (33%) have tried marijuana at least once in their
lives, an increase of 2% since 1982. A little over 5 million youth (24%), almost 20
million young adults (60%), and over 37 million older adults (27%), have tried the
drug.
(more)
Current use of marijuana (past month use) decreased from 11% in 1982 to 10% in
1985 which represents a reduction from 20 million to 18.2 million users.
The lifetime rate for youth is 3% lower than 1982; the rate for young adults is 3.6%
lower. Although not statistically. significant, this continues. the downward trend
that was first observed in 1982. The increase of 4.2% in lifetime rate among adults
26+, from 23% in 1982 to 27% 1985, is statistically significant. The increase in this
age group is partially explained by the aging of individuals who began using drugs in
previous years.
The lifetime rates for marijuana indicate that more Whites than Blacks or
Hispanics have tried marijuana, with the exception of older adults where 21% of
Blacks have tried the drug, as compared to 16% of Whites and 12% Hispanics.
Current use of marijuana is highest among Blacks in young and older adults, with
the exception of youth where the rate is highest for Whites (13%) followed by
Hispanics (10%) and Blacks (8%).
Many of the people who have tried marijuana have used: the drug extensively.
Among youth, 23% of males who reported having tried marijuana have used it at
least 100 times; the comparable number for females is 10%. Among young adult
males, 39% of those who had used marijuana have used it 100 or more times, and
the corresponding figure for females is 24%.
Current users of marijuana are more likely than persons not currently using
marijuana, to be current users of other drugs. For example, among young adults, at
least one-fourth (28% for male, 25% for female) of the current marijuana users are
also current users of cocaine, as compared with only 2% of current cocaine users
who did not use marijuana in the past month.
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens, which first gained prominence during the mid-sixties, include such
drugs as LSD, PCP, mescaline, and peyote. In 1985, only 3.2% of the youth have
ever tried hallucinogens, as compared to 5.2% in 1982. Declines were also noted
for use in the past year (from 3.6% to 2.6%). Similar trends were seen among the
other age groups.
Experience with hallucinogens is found largely among Whites: For example, 13% of
the Whites have ever tried an hallucinogen, compared with 6% of the Hispanics and
3% of the Blacks.
Inhalants
While too many youth (9%) have experimented with inhalants, current use is rare:
only 4% of youth, 1% of young and mid-adults, and less than 1/2 of 1% of older
adults have tried an inhalant in the month prior to the survey.
Experience with inhalants is more extensive among Whites than Blacks or
Hispanics. However, younger Hispanics are more likely than younger Blacks to
have ever used inhalants them in the past year.
Psychotherapeutic Drugs
The nonmedical use of psychotherapeutic drugs: sedatives, tranquilizers,
stimulants, and analgesics is not common. For sedatives, there was decreased
nonmedical use in all age groups, the only two. statistically. significant changes,
however, occurred in the 18-25 age group. First, the percent of 18-25 year-olds
who have ever taken a sedative for a nonmedical reason decreased from 19% in
1982 to 11% in 1985. And secondly, there was a significant decline in the
nonmedical use of sedatives in the past year, from 8.7% in 1982 to 5.1% in 1985.
Nonmedical use of stimulants declined among the two younger age groups but none
of the changes were statistically significant.
Significant increases occurred with the nonmedical use of tranquilizers and
analgesics among older adults. The percent reporting ever having used a
tranquilizer nonmedically increased from 3.6% in 1982 to 7.1% in 1985. Use in the
past year increased from 1.1% in 1982 to 2.8% in 1985. The percent reporting ever
having used an analgesic nonmedically increased from 3.2% to 5.6%. Use in the
past year increased from 1% in 1982 to 2.9% in 1985.
Cigarettes and Tobacco Products
More than three-quarters of the American population (76%) have tried cigarettes,
and almost a third (32%) are current smokers. Current use among youth is 16%;
among young adults is 37%; and among older adults is 32%.
Supporting the relationship between smoking and the use of other drugs, among
youth, 78% of male smokers are also current drinkers, as compared to 25% of
nonsmokers; 47% of male smokers use marijuana, as compared to only 7% of
nonsmokers; and 10% of male smokers use cocaine, as compared to less than 1/2 of
1% of the nonsmokers.
The data in the 1985 survey shows that 11% of both youth and young adults used
smokeless tobacco during the past year.
Among youth, more male (20%) than females (1%) report use of smokeless
tobacco. Among young adults, the comparable figures are 21% for males and 2%
for females.
Alcohol
Slightly more than half (56%) of the youth have tried an alcoholic beverage at some
time in their lives. Use in the past year (52%) is almost as high; and 32% have
consumed at least one drink during the past month. Among young adults, the
figures are substantially higher: 93% had tried alcohol, 87% had used alcohol in the
preceeding year, and 72% had used alcohol during the preceding month.
Among male youth, 57% of the current drinkers are also current marijuana users,
as compared to only 10% of the nondrinkers. Six percent of current male drinkers
also use cocaine, as compared to less than 1/2 of one 1% of the nondrinkers.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE, 1985
LIFETIME PREVALENCE OF DRUG USE: 1972-1985
Youth: age 12.17
Young Adults: age 18-25
Older Adults: age 28 +
'72 '74 '76 '77 '79 '82 '85
'72 '74 '76 '77 '79 '82 '85
'72 '74 '76 '77 '79 '82 '85
Drug
Percent
Percent
Percent
Marijuana & Hashish
14.0 23.0 22.4 28.0 30.9 26.7 23.7
47.9 52.7 52.9 59.9 68.2 641 605
14 99 12.9 153 19.6 230 272
Hallucinogens
48
60
5.1
4.6
7.1
5.2
3.2
-
16:6
17.3
198
251
21.1
115
-
13
16
26
4.5
6.4
6.2
Cocaine
1.5
3.6
3.4
4.0
5.4
6.5
52
9.1
127
13.4
191
27.5
28.3
25.2
16
09
16
26
4.3
8.5
95
Heroin
06
10
0.5
1.1
0.5
..
..
4.6
4.5
39
36
3.5
12
1.2
..
05
0.5
08
10
1.1
1.1
Public Health Service
(301) 468-2600
Nonmedical Use of:
Stimulents
4.0
5.0
4.4
5.2
3.4
6.7
5.5
12.0
17.0
16.6
21.2
10.2
18.0
17.3
30
30
5.6
4.7
5.8
62
7.9
Sedative
30
5.0
28
3.1
3.2
5.8
4.0
10.0
15.0
11.9
18.4
17.0
10.7
11.0
20
2.0
2.4
2.8
35
4.8
5.2
Tranquilizers
3.0
3.0
3.3
38
4.1
4.9
4.8
7.0
10.0
9.1
13.4
150
15.1
12.2
5.0
2.0
2.7
26
3.1
3.6
7.1
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
Analgesics
-
-
-
-
32
4.2
5.9
-
-
-
-
118
12.1
11.4
-
-
-
-
2.7
32
5.6
Alcohol
-
54.0
53.0
52.8
703
65.2
55.9
-
81.0
83.6
64.2
95.3
94.6
92.6
-
73.2
74.7
77.9
91.5
88.2
893
Cigarettes
-
52.0
45.5
47.3
54.1
49.5
45.3
-
68.8
70.1
67.6
82.8
76.9
76.0
-
65.4
64.5
67.0
830
78.7
80.5
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
- Not Avallable.
Less than one-half of 1 percent.
Source: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1985, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Division of Epidemiology
and Statistical Analysis.
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
NIDA Capsules
(more)
Revised November 1986
CAP
C-83-1(a)
ANNUAL DRUG USE: 1972-1985
Youth: age 12-17
Young Adults: age 18-25
Older Adults: age 26 +
'72 '74 '76 '77 '79 '82 '85
'72 '74 '76 '77 '79 '82 '85
'72 '74 '76 '77 '79 '82 '85
Drug
Percent
Percent
Percent
Marijuana & Hashish
- 18.5 18.4 22.3 24.1 20.6 20.0
- 34.2 35.0 38.7 46.9 40 4 37.0
- 3.8 5.4 6.4 9.0 108 9.5
Hallucinogens
3.6
4.3
28
3.1 4.7
30
2.6
-
6.1
6.0
6.4
9.9
69
3.7
:
:
..
-
05
0.8
1.0
Cocaine
1.5
2.7
2.3
2.8 4.2
4.1
4.4
-
8.1
7.0
10.2 19.6
188
164
..
-
0.6
0.9
20
3.8
42
Heroin
..
..
..
0.6
..
...
..
-
0.8
08
1.2
0.8
..
0.6
..
:
..
..
..
-
:
Nonmedical Use of:
Stimulants
-
30
2.2
37
29
5.6
4.4
-
8.0
88
10.4
10.1
108
10.4
:
-
0.8
0.8
1.3
1.7
27
Sedatives
-
20
1.2
20
2.2
37
3.1
-
4.2
5.7
8.2
7.3
8.7
5.4
..
-
0.8
:
08
14
2.0
Tranquilizers
-
2.0
1.8
2.9
2.7
33
3.7
-
4.6
6.2
7.8
7.1
5.9
67
:
-
1.2
1.1
09
1.1
2.9
Analgesics
-
-
-
-
2.2
37
4 4
-
-
-
-
5.2
4.4
6.7
-
-
-
-
0.5
10
3.1
Alcohol
-
51.5
49.3
47.5 53.6
47.3
520
-
77.1
77.9
79.8 86.6
83.4
87.4
I
62.7
64.2
65.8 72.4
68.3
736
Cigarettes
-
-
-
-
13.3*
24.8
26.0
-
-
-
-
46.7*
47.2
450
-
-
I
-
39.7*
38.2
36 2
- Not Available.
.
For 1979, Includes only persons who ever smoked at least 5 packs.
:
Less than one-half of 1 percent.
Source: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1985, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Division of Epidemiology
and Statistical Analysis.
(more)
CURRENT DRUG USE: 1972-1985
Youth: age 12-17
Young Adults: age 18-25
Older Adults: age 26 +
'72 '74 '76 '77 '79 '82 '85
'72 '74 '76 '77 '79 '82 '85
'72
'74
'76
'77
'79
'82
'85
Drug
Percent
Percent
Percent
Marijuana & Hashish
7.0
12.0
12.3
16.6
16.7
11.5
12.3
27.8
25.2
25.0
27.4 35 4
27 4
21.9
2.5
20
3.5
33
60
65
62
Hallucinogens
1.4
1.3
0.9
1.6
2.2
1.4
1.1
2.5
1.1
2.0
44
17
16
:
..
..
:
:
..
-
-
Cocaine
0.8
3.1
20
3.7
9.3
68
11
:
..
..
1.0
1.0
0.8
1.4
16
18
-
-
0.9
12
2.1
..
..
..
..
...
..
:
..
..
..
:
:
..
..
:
..
..
..
..
Heroin
-
-
Nonmedical Use of:
Stimulants
1.2
20
18
3.7
4.7
2.5
3.5
47
4.0
..
..
-
1.0
1.2
13
-
-
06
05
06
0.7
Sedatives
-
1.0
-
08
1.1
1.3
1.1
-
1.6
2.3
28
20
26
1.7
..
0.5
..
:
:
-
07
Tranquilizers
-
1.0
1.1
07
06
09
00
-
1.2
2.6
2.4
21
16
1.7
:
..
..
:-
..
-
1.0
Analgesics
-
-
-
-
06
0.7
-
-
-
-
10
10
21
:
:
19
-
1
-
-
09
Alcohol
-
34.0
32.4
31.2 37 2
26.9
31.5
-
69.3
69.0
70.0
75.9
679
71.5
I
54.5
56.0
549 61.3
567
607
Cigarettes
-
25.0
23.4
223 12.1°
14.7
15.6
-
48.6
49.4
47.3 42.6*
395
37.2
I
39.1
38.4
38 7 369°
346
32.8
- Not Available.
.
For 1979, Includes only persons who ever smoked at least 5 packs.
Less than one-half of 1 percent.
Source: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1985, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Division of Epidemiology
and Statistical Analysis.
U.S.
DRUG ABUSL STATISTICS 1985-Population Estimates
Division of Epidemlology and Statistical Analysis, NIDA
The following are estimates of the number of people 12 years of age and older who report they have used drugs
nonmedically. Drugs used under a physician's care are not included. The estimates are rounded and were
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service
developed from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1985, for the National Institute on Drug Abuse by
the Institute for Survey Research, Temple University.
12-17 years
18-25 years
26 + years
TOTAL ...
(pop. 21,640,000)
(pop. 32,490,000)
(pop. 136,660,000)
(pop. 190,790,000)
%
Ever Used
%
Current User
%
Ever Used
%
Current User
%
Ever Used
%
Current User
x
Ever Used
÷
Current User
Manjuana &
Hashish
24
5,130,000
12
2,660,000
60
19,670,000
22
7,110,000
27
37,130,000
6
8,430,000
33
61,940,000
10
18,190,000
.
Hallucinogens
3
690,000
1
250,000
12
3,740,000
2
520,000
6
8,440,000
-
1
12,880,000
1
960,000
Inhalants
9
1,970,000
4
770,000
13
4,150,000
I
320,000
5
6,620,000
I
850,000
1
12,940,000
I
1,940,000
Cocaine
5
1,120,000
2
390,000
25
8,170,000
8
2,510,000
9
12,950,000
2
2,850,000
12
22,240,000
3
5,750,000
.
.
.
.
.
Heroin
I
380,000
I
1,470,000
-
1
1,930,000
-
-
-
-
(301) 468-2600
Stimulants
6
1,180,000
2
380,000
17
5,610,000
4
1,300,000
a
10,820.000
I
1,010,000
9
17,610,000
1
2,690,000
Sedatives
4
870,000
1
230,000
"
3,580,000
2
550,000
5
7,090,000
1
930,000
6
11,540,000
I
1,710,000
Tranquilizers
5
1,030,000
1
140,000
12
3,960,000
2
560,000
1
9,760,000
1
1,490,000
8
14,750,000
I
2,180,000
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
Anälgesics
6
1,270,000
2
420,000
11
3,700,000
2
690,000
6
7,650,000
1
1,350,000
7
12,620,000
I
2,450,000
Alcohol
57
12,100,000
32
6,820,000
93
30,160,000
72
23,220,000
69
122,100,000
61
83,010,000
86
164,360,000
59
113,070,000
Cigarettes
45
9,790,000
16
3,370,000
76
24,710,000
37
12,080,000
80
110,000,000
33
44,830,000
76
144,510,000
32
60,280,000
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
Alcohol, Drug Abuse. and Mental Health Administration
Amounts of less than 0.5% are not listed.
Population estimates for this age group are weighted averages of the estimates for the 26-34 year old and
35 + year old age groups.
... Totals may not equal the sum of the three age groups because of rounding.
Terms:
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
NIDA Capsules
Ever Used: used at least once In a person's lifetime.
CAP22
Current User: used at least once In the 30 days prior to the survey.
C-84-3
HHHH
Revised November 1986
CURRENT DRUG USE: 1972-1985
Youth: age 12-17
Young Adults: age 18-25
Older Adults: age 26 +
'72
'74
'76
'77
'79
'82
'85
'72
'74
'76
'77
'79
'82
'85
'72
'74
'76
'77
'79
'82
'85
Drug
Percent
Percent
Percent
Marijuana & Hashish
7.0
12.0
12.3
16.8
16.7
11.5
12.3
27.8
25.2
25.0
27.4 35.4
27 4
21.9
25
20
3.5
33
60
6.5
62
Hallucinogens
1.4
1.3
0.9
1.6
2.2
1.4
1.1
-
2.5
1.1
2.0 4.4
1.7
1.6
:
..
-
Cocaine
0.0
1.0
1.0
0.8
1.4
1.6
1.8
-
3.1
2.0
3.7
9.3
6.8
7.7
..
:
..
-
09
12
2.1
Heroin
..
00
..
..
..
..
..
..
-
-
Nonmedical Use of:
Stimulants
1.0
1.2
13
1.2
26
1.8
3.7
4.7
2.5
3.5
4.7
4.0
..
..
-
-
-
0.6
0.5
06
0.7
Sedatives
-
1.0
-
0.8
1.1
1.3
1.1
-
16
2.3
2.8
28
26
1.7
:
0.5
..
..
I
0.7
Tranquilizers
-
1.0
1.1
07
0.6
0.9
0.6
-
1.2
2.6
2.4
2.1
16
1.7
00
..
..
..
-
1.0
Analgesics
-
06
0.7
1.9
1.0
10
2.1
..
:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
09
Alcohol
-
34.0
32.4
31.2 37.2
26.9
31.5
-
69.3
69.0
70.0 75.9
67.9
715
-
54.5
56.0
54.9 61.3
56.7
60.7
Cigarettes
-
250
23.4
22.3 12.1"
14.7
15.0
-
48.8
49.4
47.3 42.6*
39.5
37.2
I
39.1
38.4
38.7 36.9*
346
328
- Not Available.
*
For 1979, Includes only persons who ever smoked at least 5 packs.
Less than one-half of 1 percent.
Source: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1985, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Division of Epidemlology
and Statistical Analysis.
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345. Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR DRUG USE: 1975-1987
The following tobles show the percentage of high school seniors from the classes of 1975 through 1987 who have used drugs
of obuse. These numbers were gathered in annual natiomwide surveys conducted for the National Institute on Drug Abuse by
the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. The 1987 survey involved more than 16,000 high school seniors from
public and private schools.
High School Senior Survey
Trends in Lifetime Prevalence
Percent Who Ever Used
Class
Closs
Closs
Closs
Class
Class
Class
Class
Class
Closs
Class
Class
Class
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
Morijuana/Hashish
47.3
52.8
56.4
59.2
60.4
60.3
59.5
58.7
57.0
54.9
54.2
50.9
50.2
inhalants
NA
10.3
11.1
12.0
12.7
11.9
12.3
12.8
13.6
14.4
15.4
15.9
17.0
inhalants Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
NA
18.2
17.3
17.2
17.7
18.2
18.0
1&1
20.1
18.5
Amyl & Butyl Nitrites
NA
NA
NA
NA
11.1
11.1
10.1
9.8
8.4
8.1
7.9
8.6
4.7
Huflucinogens
16.3
15.1
13.9
14.3
14.1
13.3
13.3
12.5
11.9
10.7
10.3
9.7
10.3
Hollucinogens Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
NA
17.7
15.6
15.3
14.3
13.6
12.3
12.1
11.9
10.6
LSD
11.3
11.0
9.8
9.7
9.5
9.3
9.8
9.5
8.9
8.0
7.5
7.2
8.4
PCP
NA
NA
NA
NA
12.8
9.6
7.8
6.0
5.6
5.0
4.9
4.8
3.0
Cocaine
9.0
9.7
10.5
12.9
15.4
15.7
16.5
16.0
16.2
16.1
17.3
16.9
15.2
Crock
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
5.6
Other Cocaine
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
14.0
Heroin
2.2
1.8
1.8
1.6
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.2
1.2
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.2
Other Opiotes
9.0
9.6
10.3
9.9
10.1
9.8
10.1
9.6
9.4
9.7
10.2
9.0
9.2
Stimulants=
22.3
22.6
23.0
22.9
24.2
26.4
32.2
35.6
35.4
NA
NA
NA
NA
Stimulants Adjusted
NA
M
M
NM
NA
MA
NA
27.9
26.9
27.9
26.2
23.4
21.6
Sedatives*
18.2
17.7
17.4
16.0
14.5
14.9
16.0
15.2
14.4
13.3
11.8
10.4
8.7
Barbiturates*
16.9
16.2
15.5
13.7
11.8
11.0
11.3
10.3
9.9
9.9
9.2
8.4
7.4
Methoquolones
8.1
7.8
8.5
7.9
8.3
9.5
10.6
10.7
10.1
8.3
6.7
5.2
4.0
Tranquilizers*
17.0
16.8
18.0
17.0
16.3
15.2
14.7
14.0
13.3
12.4
11.9
10.9
10.9
Alcohol
90.4
91.9
92.5
93.1
93.0
93.2
92.6
92.8
92.6
92.6
92.2
91.3
92.2
Cigarettes
73.6
75.4
75.7
75.3
74.0
71.0
71.0
70.1
70.6
69.7
68.8
67.6
67.2
Inhalants Adjusted for underreporting of armyl and butyl nitries.
Hallucinogens Adjusted for underreporting of PCP.
Stimulants Adjusted to exclude inappropriate reporting of nonprescription stimulants.
Only use not under 0 doctor's orders included.
Terms:
Ever Used: Used at least one time.
Used in Lost Year: Used at least once in the 12 months prior to the survey.
Used in Past Month: Used at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey;
Used Daily: Used 20 or more times in the month before the survey.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse. Monitoring the Future Study. 1987
C-85-1
Revised April, 1988
CAP 23
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
High School Senior Survey
Trends in Annual Prevalence
Percent Who Used in Last Year
Closs
Closs
Closs
Class
Closs
Closs
Class
Class
Closs
Closs
Closs
Closs
Closs
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
38.8
36.3
Marijuana/Hashish
40.0
44.5
47.6
50.2
50.8
48.8
46.1
44.3
42.3
40.0
40.6
Inhalonts
NA
3.0
3.7
4.1
5.4
4.6
4.1
4.5
4.3
5.1
5.7
6.1
6.9
Inhalants Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
M
8.9
7.9
61
6.6
6.2
7.2
7.5
8.9
8.1
3.6
4.0
4.7
2.6
Amyl & Butyl Nitriles
NA
NA
NA
NA
6.5
5.7
3.7
3.6
4.0
Hallucinogens
11.2
9.4
8.8
9.6
9.9
9.3
9.0
8.1
7.3
6.5
6.3
6.0
6.4
Hallucinogens Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
NA
11.8
10.4
10.1
9.0
&3
7.3
7.6
7.6
6.7
LSD
7.2
6.4
5.5
6.3
6.6
6.5
6.5
6.1
5.4
4.7
4.4
4.5
5.2
PCP
NA
NA
NA
NA
7.0
4.4
3.2
2.2
2.6
2.3
2.9
2.4
1.3
Cocaine
5.6
6.0
7.2
9.0
12.0
12.3
12.4
11.5
11.4
11.6
13.1
12.7
10.3
Crock
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
4.0
Other Cocaine
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
9.8
Heroin
1.0
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.6
0.6
0.5
0.6
0.5
0.5
Other Opiotes*
5.7
5.7
6.4
6.0
6.2
6.3
5.9
5.3
5.1
5.2
5.9
5.2
5.3
Slimulants*
16.2
15.8
16.3
17.1
18.3
20.8
26.0
26.1
24.6
NA
NA
NA
NA
Slimulants Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
20.3
17.9
17.7
15.8
13.4
12.2
Sedatives
11.7
10.7
10.8
9.9
9.9
10.3
10.5
9.1
7.9
6.5
5.8
5.2
4.1
Barbiturates*
10.7
9.6
9.3
8.1
7.5
6.8
6.6
5.5
5.2
4.9
4.6
4.2
3.6
Methoqualones
5.1
4.7
5.2
4.9
5.9
7.2
7.6
6.8
5.4
3.8
2.8
2.1
1.5
Tranquilizers*
10.6
10.3
10.8
9.9
9.6
8.7
8.0
7.0
6.9
6.1
6.1
5.8
5.5
Alcohol
84.8
85.7
87.0
87.7
88.1
87.9
87.0
86.8
87.3
86.0
85.6
84.5
85.7
Cigarettes
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Inhalants Adjusted for underreporting of amyl and butyl minies.
Hallucinogens Adjusted for underreporting of PCP.
Slimulants Adjusted 10 exclude inappropriate reporting of nonprescription stimulants.
$ Only use not under 0 doctor's orders included.
Terms:
Ever Used: Used at least one time.
Used in Lost Year: Used at least once in the 12 months prior to the survey.
Used in Post Month: Used of least once in the 30 days prior to the survey;
Used Daily: Used 20 or more times in the month before the survey.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, Monitoring the Future Study. 1987
High School Senior Survey
Trends in 30-Day Prevalence
Percent Who Used in Past Month
Closs
Class
Closs
Closs
Class
Closs
Closs
Closs
Closs
Closs
Closs
Closs
Closs
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
Morijuana/Hashish
27.1
32.2
35.4
37.1
36.5
33.7
31.6
28.5
27.0
25.2
25.7
23.4
21.0
Inhalants
NA
0.9
1.3
1.5
1.7
1.4
1.5
1.5
1.7
1.9
2.2
2.5
2.8
Inhalonts Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
NA
32
2.7
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.6
3.0
3.2
3.5
Amyl & Butyl Nitrites
NA
NA
NA
NA
2.4
1.8
1.4
1.1
1.4
1.4
1.6
1.3
1.3
Hollucinogens
4.7
3.4
4.1
3.9
4.0
3.7
3.7
3.4
2.8
2.6
2.5
2.5
2.5
Hallucinogens Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
NA
5.3
4.4
4.5
4.1
15
3.2
3.8
3.5
2.8
LSD
2.3
1.9
2.1
2.1
2.4
2.3
2.5
2.4
1.9
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
PCP
NA
NA
NA
NA
2.4
1.4
1.4
1.0
1.3
1.0
1.6
1.3
0.6
Cocoine
1.9
2.0
2.9
3.9
5.7
5.2
5.8
5.0
4.9
5.8
6.7
6.2
4.3
Crock
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
1.5
Other Cocaine
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
4.1
Heroin
0.4
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
Other Opiotes
2.1
2.0
2.8
2.1
2.4
2.4
2.1
1.8
1.8
1.8
2.3
2.0
1.8
Stimulants*
8.5
7.7
8.8
8.7
9.9
12.1
15.8
13.7
12.4
NA
NA
NA
NA
Stimulants Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
10.7
8.9
23
6.8
5.5
5.2
Sedatives*
5.4
4.5
5.1
4.2
4.4
4.8
4.6
3.4
3.0
2.3
2.4
2.2
1.7
Barbiturates*
4.7
3.9
4.3
3.2
3.2
2.9
2.6
2.0
2.1
1.7
2.0
1.8
1.4
Methoquoiones
2.1
1.5
2.3
1.9
2.3
3.3
3.1
2.4
1.8
1.1
1.0
0.8
0.6
Tranquilizers*
4.1
4.0
4.6
3.4
3.7
3.1
2.7
2.4
2.5
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.0
Alcohol
68.2
68.3
71.2
72.1
71.8
72.0
70.7
69.7
69.4
67.2
65.9
65.3
66.4
Cigarettes
36.7
38.8
38.4
36.7
34.4
30.5
29.4
30.0
30.3
29.3
30.1
29.6
29.4
Inhalanis Adjusted for underreporting of amyl and butyl nitnies.
Hollucinogens Adjusted for underreporting of PCP.
Slimulants Adjusted 10 exclude inapprapriate reporting of nonprescription stimulants.
Only use not under o doctor's orders included.
Terms:
Ever Used: Used at least one lime.
Used in Lost Year: Used of least once in the 12 months prior to the survey.
Used in Post Month: Used at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey;
Used Daily: Used 20 or more times in the month before the survey.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, Monitoring the Future Study. 1987
High School Senior Survey
Trends in Daily Use
Percent Who Used Daily in Last 30 Days
Class
Closs
Class
Class
Class
Class
Closs
Class
Class
Class
Closs
Class
Class
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
Marijuana/Hashish
6.0
8.2
9.1
10.7
10.3
9.1
7.0
6.3
5.5
5.0
4.9
4.0
3.3
inhalants
NA
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.1
Inhalonts Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.4
0.4
0.4
Amyl & Butyl Nitrites
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.2
0.1
0.3
0.5
0.3
Hallucinogens
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Hallucinogens Adjusted
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.2
0.2
Q1
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.2
LSD
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.1
PCP
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.3
0.2
0.3
Cocoine
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.4
0.4
0.3
Crock
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.2
Other Cocaine
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.2
Heroin
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Other Opiates*
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Stimulents*
0.5
0.4
0.5
0.5
0.6
0.7
1.2
1.1
1.1
NA
NA
NA
NA
Stimulants Adjusted
NA
NM
NA
NA
M
NA
M
0.7
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.3
0.3
Sedatives
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Barbiturates*
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
Methoqualones
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Tranquilizers*
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.1
Alcohol
5.7
5.6
6.1
5.7
6.9
6.0
6.0
5.7
5.5
4.8
5.0
4.8
4.8
Cigarettes
26.9
28.8
28.8
27.5
25.4
21.3
20.3
21.1
21.2
18.7
19.5
18.7
18.7
Inhalants Adjusted for underreporting of amyl and buty/ nitrites.
Hallucinogens Adjusted for underreporting of PCP.
Stimulants Adjusted 10 exclude inappropriate reporting of nonprescription stimulants.
Only use not under 0 doctor's orders included.
Terms:
Ever Used: Used at least one time.
Used in Last Year: Used at least once in the 12 months prior to the survey.
Used in Post Month: Used at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey;
Used Daily: Used 20 or more times in the month before the survey.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, Monitoring the Future Study, 1987
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
FACTS ABOUT DRUGS IN THE WORKPLACE
Drug abuse affects all aspects of American life -- it threatens the workplace
as well as the home, the schools, and the community. Business leaders must
take a firm stance against illicit drug use. Workplace policies should be
based on the rationale that use of drugs, including alcohol in the workplace,
is unacceptable since it can adversely affect health, safety, and
productivity, as well as public confidence and trust. When drug abuse
interferes with an employee's efficient and safe performance of work
responsibilities and reduces the employee's dependability, it creates a
problem for the whole organization.
PREVALENCE Drug use is most prevalent among young adults - the segment of
our society entering the workforce. According to the most recent NIDA
National Household Survey, nearly 1 in 4 (24 percent) of employed males 18 -
24 years old and more than 1 in 5 (21 percent) employed 25 - 34 year old
males use marijuana at least once a month. Approximately 1 in 11 (9 percent)
in this group uses cocaine at least once a month. Clearly, there is
significant drug use by members of the American workforce, and such use
carries with it a risk of drug dependence and a host of problems related to
decreased job performance and productivity.
A recent Gallup survey found that 68 percent of large companies with drug
testing programs have had to deal with incidents of employee drug abuse in
the past year. When alcohol is included, as reported in surveys by Marquette
University, the percentage increases to 95 percent.
COSTS TO SOCIETY While estimates of the direct costs of drug abuse to
business have been difficult to obtain, studies suggest that the overall
impact of drug abuse on society is substantial. A Government study published
in 1984 estimated the overall annual costs to society of drug abuse to be $60
billion. Of this amount, over $33 billion was believed to result from
unrealized productivity due to drug use. The costs of drug use in the
workplace include not only lost productivity, but costs related to
absenteeism, accidents, health care, loss of trained personnel, theft, and
prevention, treatment, and deterrence programs.
The magnitude of these human and economic costs is difficult to estimate but
surely impact upon business in a substantial way. For example, according to
a recent study by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Pennsylvania, when substance
abuse occurs in families, both the substance abuser and members of the family
have increased rates of hospital utilization compared to other Blue Cross
Subscribers. Alcohol abuse results in hospitalization more than any other
drug; cocaine abuse is second.
(more)
C-87-2
Revised November 1988 CAP 24
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
-2-
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a
system for motivating and helping employees who have personal problems to
seek and accept appropriate help to solve their problems. EAPs are
particularly concerned with problems that adversely affect job performance.
These programs can serve as part of a comprehensive approach to combat drug
abuse in the workplace. EAPs can provide education of employees about
alcohol and other drugs as well as about personal problems that may affect
job performance; training for supervisors and other key employees to act as
referral agents; case consultation; problem assessment; referrals of
employees to counseling or treatment; followup on cases referred; and
feedback to management on services rendered. One recent review of evaluation
studies suggests that over 70 percent of employees referred to EAPs for
alcoholism are able to return to work and perform satisfactorily.
Another reason that employers are becoming more interested in substance abuse
programs is that 36 States now mandate that insurers offer substance abuse
coverage in their policies. However, currently only about 25 percent of the
workforce has access to an EAP.
An effective EAP program will consist of:
Top Management Support--indicating that those in authority agree with the
program and are willing to fund it.
Policy Statement--which clarifies the company's current needs; supports
management, union leaders, and other key personnel, and includes
provisions for administration and organization of EAP services.
Supervisory Training--to educate managers/supervisors to identify job
performance problems; to identify, document, confront and refer
employees needing assistance to the EAP; to understand
confidentiality limits to protect the rights of employees; and to
facilitate a positive return to work.
Client Services--through counselors that assess employees, refer
them to the appropriate professional help, and provide followup and
reintegration into the workforce.
External Linkages-for employee referral, such as with self-help groups,
treatment programs, and service organizations.
Employee Education-to to increase awareness of the problem and establish
norms for a drug-free workplace.
Evaluation-to to determine what changes might improve the program, whether
objectives are adequately met, and whether staff complies with
internal policies and procedures.
(more)
-3-
DRUG TESTING A NIDA report issued in 1986 states, "Urine screening can be
an effective tool in the early identification of employees with drug problems
and should be considered as a useful technique within the overall program."
Urinalysis for drug use is being used to screen job applicants by many of the
Nation's largest employers, including major corporations, manufacturers,
public utilities and transportation, and many small businesses. In general,
most companies have an established policy that they will not hire individuals
who present positive urines indicating recent use of illicit substances.
However, many of these companies also counsel applicants who fail the drug
screening to seek treatment and to reapply.
Many companies (1 in 5 one survey) are testing persons currently on the job,
up from 3 percent in 1984. The poll indicates that the majority of firms-83
percent--test their employees only when drug use is suspected. Safety is the
reason most often given for testing, followed by productivity improvement and
helping affected employees.
Several recent surveys (1986-1988) have collected information on drug testing
in industry. These surveys have varied in size, target populations, and
focus, but together give a picture of the status of testing in business and
industry. Overall, seven surveys have found that from 20-33 percent of
companies surveyed have a drug testing program, with significant differences
between companies of different types.
In general, the larger the company, the more likely it is to have a drug
testing program. One survey found that 15 percent of companies doing under
$15 million worth of business do testing, while 36 percent of companies doing
over $1 billion do some testing. Larger companies are leading in the
adoption of drug testing programs. Significant differences also exist by
type of industry, with federally regulated industries, such as utilities
(91 percent) and transportation (81 percent), being most likely to have drug
testing programs.
Implementing drug-testing programs to identify abusers is only part of the
process. A testing program needs to be combined with workplace education,
changes in attitudes and structures in the organization, and treatment and
rehabilitation alternatives available through EAPs for employees who are
discovered to have a problem.
NIDA's DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE INITIATIVE In February 1987, NIDA established
the Office of Workplace Initiatives TOWI). The OWI develops policies and
provides leadership for the implementation and administration of a national
program to eliminate illegal drug use in the workplace. Its programs include
research, treatment, training, and prevention activities as well as projects
related to the development of a comprehensive Drug-Free Workplace program
which includes policy development, supervisory training, employee education,
employee assistance, and drug testing components.
(more)
-4-
OWI has developed Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing
Programs which include Scientific and Technical Requirements and
Certification Standards for Laboratories Engaged in Urine Drug Testing for
Federal Agencies. In addition, OWI is:
fostering research to determine the extent and nature of drug abuse in
the workplace
performing cost-benefit analyses of comprehensive drug-free workplace
analyzing programs and recommending EAP policy models for employers
developing guidelines for a comprehensive federal EAP program
publishing and disseminating a drug abuse curriculum for EAP
practitioners filming and distributing a four-part videotape series on drugs at
work publishing and disseminating a directory of educational resources in
the employee assistance area.
RESOURCES
RESEARCH GRANTS NIDA supports research on the prevalence, impact, and
treatment of drug abuse in the workplace through its research grant program.
Information on the grant application process can be obtained from the Grants
Management Office, NIDA, Room 10-25, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.
Information and consultation on specific research topics can be obtained from
the Office of Workplace Initiatives, NIDA, Room 10-A-53, 5600 Fishers Lane,
Rockville, MD 20857.
NIDA'S WORKPLACE HELPLINE NIDA has established a toll-free "helpline" to
provide information to employers. The number is 800-843-4971, and operates
Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m Eastern Time. Staff members
provide consultation to employers about initiating a company policy which
covers such efforts as an employee education program, urine testing programs,
and establishing an EAP to deal with drug-related problems of employees.
NIDA also operates a toll-free Drug Abuse Information and Treatment Referral
Line - 1-800-662-HELP to provide individuals with drug related information,
and facilitate the placement of drug users in treatment programs.
VIDEOTAPES "Drugs at Work" is the first program in a four-part videotape
series on drug abuse in the workplace, promoting awareness of the important
issues involved and providing valuable information for the development of
effective workplace programs to address the problem of drug abuse on the
job. Policy development, drug testing, employee assistance programs,
prevention, and education are discussed.
"Getting Help" is the second program; it addresses the significant role of
EAPs in the reduction of drug abuse in the workplace. It describes the
responsibility of the workplace to the employee and the key components of an
effective EAP, including education, training, referrals, and followup
services.
(more)
-5-
PUBLICATIONS
Employee Drug Screening: Detection of Drug Use by Urinalysis. Aninformative
booklet in a question and answer format which addresses many of the most
asked questions about drug testing in the workplace.
Urine Testing for Drugs of Abuse. This publication (NIDA Research Monograph
No. 73) provides technical and scientific information that will assist in the
planning and implementation of drug testing programs. Chapters address the
methodology used for urinalysis, how to ensure accuracy in such analyses, and
the background to help in interpretation of assay results.
Guidelines for the Development and Assessment of a Comprehensive Federal
Employee Assistance Program. Presents goals for a comprehensive Federal
EAP to strive to achieve and a suggested model for many private sector
employees to use as applicable to their workplaces. The Guidelines, which
include a monitoring tool, will assist EAPs in verifying data, defining
problems, and implementing remedies.
Directory of Academic Institutions and Organizations: Drug, Alcohol, and
Employee Assistance Program Educational Resources. A national directory of
educational opportunities on subjects relevant to employee assistance,
covering academic institutions, national organizations, and State alcohol and
drug abuse agencies.
Drug Abuse Curriculum for Employee Assistance Professionals. Designed to
assist EAP professionals in understanding and addressing employee drug abuse
problems. Its purpose is to upgrade the knowledge and skills of EAP staff
regarding the role of the EAP in identification, referral, and treatment of
individuals evidencing problems associated with drug used, and to show them
how to use organizational initiatives for. prevention, education, and training
regarding drug abuse.
Strategic Planning for Workplace Drug Abuse Programs. A guide to help
employers through the process of planning and organizing anti-drug abuse
programs. The guide addresses the needs, rights, and responsibilities of
both employees and companies in attacking drug abuse.
Copies of these and other publications on drugs as well as the videotapes may
be obtained from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information,
PO Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852.
###
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
NIDA's DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE HELPLINE
1-800-843-4971
In January 1987, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) established a
toll-free Drug-Free Workplace Helpline to answer questions and provide
technical assistance to business, industry and unions about the development
and implementation of a comprehensive drug-free workplace program. Corporate
executive officers (CEO's), union representatives and managers responsible
for corporate policy are encouraged to call the Helpline for assistance in
assessing their needs and to prepare their organizations to deal with current
or potential problems caused by drugs in the workplace.
WHAT THE HELPLINE CAN DO FOR YOUR COMPANY
NIDA is in the unique position of communicating with corporate America about
workplace drug abuse concerns by providing a national focal point for the
dissemination of information. The Helpline provides telephone consultation,
resource referrals, networking services, and publications to assist in
planning, policy development and program implementation. Helpline
information specialists have been trained to give information specific to
your organization over the phone. Depending on the needs of the caller, the
Helpline staff provides information, publications and referrals on the
subjects of how to:
Assess drug abuse in an organization
Develop and implement a drug abuse policy
Choose an employee assistance program (EAP) model that is
compatible with their individual organizations
Implement employee education and supervisory training
Evaluate the effectiveness of a drug abuse program in terms of
cost and human factors
Understand the technical, legal and employee relations aspects
of drug testing
Identify signs and symptoms of drug abuse.
When appropriate, they suggest networking with other public and private
organizations who can serve as resources and provide additional services. In
addition, a variety of written information pertinent to the fight against
drugs in the workplace is available from the Helpline staff upon request.
There are 26 different publications currently being sent to organizations of
all sizes, the latest being Strategic Planning for Workplace Drug Abuse
Programs, published by NIDA.
-more-
C-87-01
Revised September, 1988
CAP 25
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
WHAT THE CALLS HAVE COVERED so FAR
The Helpline has received over 9,500 calls as of September 1988. It averages
more than 600 calls per month, and 62 percent of these have been from managers
and first line supervisors the decision makers of their organizations. Other
callers include employees and professionals from the employee assistance and
drug testing fields. Of those calling from the business world, the majority
are from companies with less than 250 employees.
While callers have different situations and questions, the most common
problems raised are drug testing, employee assistance programs and supervisory
training. Often a caller requests information about only one topic, such as
drug testing. But the Helpline staff will take the opportunity to talk about
related issues like corporate policy, EAPs and supervisory training, so that
the caller has a more realistic understanding of a comprehensive program.
HOW ORGANIZATIONS LEARN ABOUT THE HELPLINE
The Workplace Helpline has been advertised extensively in the media so that
employers may be aware of the Helpline and what it does. It is being promoted
through a national campaign sponsored by the Media-Advertising Partnership for
a. Drug-Free America. The Partnership aims to reshape social attitudes about
illegal drug use; as such, they develop and publish, as a public service,
full-page ads urging CEO's, union representatives, and managers to call the
Helpline. These ads appear weekly in such publications as the Wall Street
Journal and the New York Times.
The Helpline operates from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday
through Friday.
For further information about the Helpline, call the National Institute on
Drug Abuse, (301) 443-0802.
NIDA
Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
MANDATORY GUIDELINES FOR FEDERAL DRUG TESTING PROGRAMS
Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Drug Testing Programs, which prescribe
procedures and standards for conducting drug testing of Federal employees,
were published in the Federal Register on April 11, 1988.
The Guidelines establish comprehensive standards and procedures for all
aspects of drug testing, including procedures for collecting urine specimens,
the drugs employees may be tested for and eligibility standards for certifying
laboratories engaged in drug testing for Federal agencies.
The Guidelines were developed in accordance with Executive Order 12564,
Drug-Free Federal Workplace, issued by the President on September 15, 1986,
and Public Law 100-71, which establish requirements for Federal agencies and
employees in order to obtain a drug-free Federal workplace.
The Mandatory Guidelines incorporate the Scientific and Technical
Guidelines for Federal Drug Testing Programs (Guidelines) first released by
HHS in February 1987 and the proposed Standards for Certification of
Laboratories Engaged in Urine Drug Testing (Standards). In response to
PL 100-71, the Guidelines and Standards were published in the Federal Register
on August 14, 1987. Comments on the proposed Guidelines and Standards were
received from approximately 150 individuals, organizations and Federal
agencies. The comments were reviewed and considered in developing the final
Mandatory Guidelines.
Highlights of the Mandatory Guidelines include:
DRUGS TO BE TESTED -- The Guidelines require Federal drug testing programs
to test, at a minimum, for marijuana and cocaine and also authorize testing
for opiates, amphetamines and phencyclidine (PCP). When conducting tests
based on reasonable suspicion, accident or unsafe practice, an agency may test
for any drug listed in Schedule I or II of the Controlled Substances Act.
SPECIMEN COLLECTION PROCEDURES -- The Guidelines specify procedures for
collecting urine specimens to ensure privacy of employees, unless the agency
has reason to believe that an individual may alter or substitute the specimen
to be provided.
-More-
C-88-01
April, 1988
CAP 26
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public
Health
Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
LABORATORY ANALYSIS PROCEDURES -- The Guidelines specify standards which
require the use of the best available technology for ensuring the full
reliability and accuracy of drug tests and strict procedures governing the
chain of custody of specimens collected for drug testing. When an initial
screening test shows the presence of illegal dr gs, the Guidelines require a
confirmatory test of a specimen using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
techniques. Results will be reported as positive only when both the initial
and confirmatory tests are positive.
LABORATORY CERTIFICATION -- The Guidelines establish criteria for
certification and revocation of certification of laboratories performing drug
testing and appropriate standards and procedures for periodic review of
laboratories. Certification standards are included to ensure that
laboratories engaged in Federal employee drug testing achieve maximum accuracy
of test results to protect the rights of the Federal employees being
tested.
HANDLING TEST RESULTS -- The Guidelines also require each agency to have a
physician with knowledge of substance abuse disorders to serve as a Medical
Review Officer (MRO). The MRO will review all positive test results with the
employee to determine whether alternative medical factors could account for
the result. This review must occur prior to the transmission of results to
agency administrative officials. If alternative medical factors are found by
the MRO to be the cause of a positive test result, this test would be reported
as negative. The Guidelines require that employees with positive test results
be referred by the MRO to the Employee Assistance Program.
The Guidelines do not apply to drug testing under any legal authority
other than Executive Order 12564 and do not apply to testing of military
service personnel or applicants to the military.
###
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT-
Dependence on alcohol or other drugs is a chronic relapsing disease. The
1985 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse shows that about 23 million
Americans currently use illicit drugs. Over 6.5 million people are severely
dependent on heroin, other opiates, amphetamines, and cocaine. In addition,
about 1.2 million people who use intravenous drugs are at risk to HIV
infection or transmission through needle-sharing, sexual relations, or
perinatally. Those who are severely dependent most often need drug abuse
treatment to become healthy again.
To measure the effects of treatment, one must use graded measures of
change. It is reasonable to think in terms of remissions rather than
cures. Pneumonia can be cured. Successful treatment for arthritis,
diabetes, drug dependence and other chronic diseases can be measured by
reductions in symptoms, improvement in ability to function, or reductions in
costs to society.
There are many different types of drug dependent persons. Patients differ
in many ways, not just according to drug of choice. Some important
variables include presence or absence of psychiatric disorders such as
depression, anxiety or other illnesses. Other dimensions include
educational or occupational achievements, family/social support systems.
family history (genetics). Correct diagnosis is essential to selecting the
right treatment.
A wide range of treatments are available. A partial listing includes:
Drug-Free Treatments
Treatments Aided by Drugs
-Therapeutic Community
-Methadone Maintenance
-Self-help groups such as Alcoholics
-Naltrexone (nonaddicting
Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous
narcotic antagonist)
and others
-Antabuse (blocker of alcohol
-Psychotherapy of various types
metabolism)
including supportive-expressive.
-Psychoactive medication when
cognitive/behavioral, family
indicated
therapy and others
-Behavior Therapy specifically
aimed at prevention of relapse
Based on Presentation by Charles P. O'Brien, MD, Ph.D.,
Chief of Psychiatry, Philadelphia Veterans Medical Center,
June 23, 1988, Washington, D.C.
C-88-03
June 1988 CAP27
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
Treatment Effectiveness
Since the 1960's, four major treatment modalities have been developed to
treat heroin addiction. These modalities vary from program to program but
generally may be described as follows:
Therapeutic Communities: These are full-time, drug free resi-
dential programs. Time in treatment often extend well beyond a
year. These communities are highly organized and provide, for
example, peer support and confrontation, counseling, and
residential job functions. The goal of this treatment is to
persuade the client to abandon antisocial and self-destructive
behavior and pursue a mature and productive way of life.
Methadone Maintenance: This approach involves replacing street
heroin with methadone, a synthetic opiate that allows clients to
stabilize themselves physiologically such that they can explore
alternative ways of functioning. This modality is usually provided
on an outpatient basis. Time in treatment varies, although many
clients stay in treatment a year or more.
Outpatient Drug Free: This modality provides treatment for abusers
of both opioids and nonopioid drugs. Programs vary widely in
duration, goals, and content. At one extreme are highly organized
programs operated as daytime therapeutic communities, at the other
extreme are more relaxed programs that offer group therapy
sessions, recreational activities, and help with personal problems.
Detoxification: This may be inpatient or outpatient, but typically
is outpatient. It is intended help patients achieve abstinence
gradually (using methadone in decreasing doses) without severe
symptoms. Since 1974, detoxification programs involving methadone
were limited to 21 days (Narcotics Addicts Treatment Act of 1974,
P.L. 93-281). New legislation, however, has authorized detoxi-
fication regimens lasting up to 180 days to provide an opportunity
to engage patients into longer term treatment programs.
A number of studies evaluating the effectiveness of these modalities have
been conducted. In general, they confirm that a high percentage of
individuals show significantly improved behaviors consequent to leaving
treatment. The behavioral criteria used to evaluate treatment effectiveness
looks at: diminution in drug use, diminution in criminal activity. and
increased productive activity.
Patient Treatment Matching
As with all treatments in medicine and surgery, not all treatments work for
all patients. Rather a treatment should be selected based on the needs of
the specific patient. Also, combinations of treatment are often necessary.
Much more research is needed in this area, although we do have some data.
For example, opioid dependent patients with high severity psychiatric
disorders should not be treated in drug-free therapeutic communities. They
may actually worsen under certain treatments, but they respond well to
methadone maintenance with supportive psychotherapy and psychoactive
medication as needed. Opioid dependent patients without significant
psychiatric disorders do equally well on methadone maintenance with
nonprofessional drug counseling as with professional psychotherapy provided
by a psychiatrist or psychologist.
Training and Skill of Therapist
Although there is a wide range of effective treatments available, there is a
great lack of clinicians with training in the proper diagnosis and treatment
of addictive disorders. Also, some treatment programs are understaffed or
are staffed by poorly trained individuals. One study showed a ten fold
variation in the availability of physicians among methadone programs. It is
not surprising that not all methadone programs are equally effective. Good
methadone programs have been found to be highly effective because they
provide excellent counseling, psychotherapy and other treatments as needed.
Poorly staffed methadone programs or those staffed by untrained individuals
may be relatively ineffective.
Cost-Effectiveness Studies
The cost of substance abuse to our society is enormous. Treatment studies
now often measure the cost of treatment versus the gains in productivity when
the former patient returns to the work force. Relatively few studies have
been so far completed, but they support the economic benefits of substance
abuse treatment. One study conducted within the Veterans Administration has
actually shown the increased benefits and reduced cost of treatment (average
savings of $3700 per patient) when patients are matched to the correct
treatment.
Conservation of Treatment Resources
Not all patients need expensive inpatient treatment. Some can do just as
well with a brief period of inpatient care and then outpatient or day
treatment. Others can be treated completely as out patients. It is
imcortant to conserve the available treatment resources for the long term
prevention of relapse. Outpatient treatment is seven to ten times less
expensive than inpatient care. All patients should be seen for a minimum of
six months and preferably for two years or longer. With modern treatment,
patients can often return to work quickly and continue rehabilitation or
relapse-prevention treatment.
Cocaine Dependence
The widespread inexpensive availability of cocaine is a new phenomenon.
Treatment programs have not faced this kind of cocaine dependence before and
thus we have no backlog of experience and data to draw from. Our initial
results suggest that there are short term methods available to help patients
go into a remission from cocaine dependence and achieve a period of
abstinence. However, we already know that dependence is very common and
sometimes very rapid. Some of the new treatment techniques involve
medication which may help to correct some of the new biochemical disturbances
produced by heavy cocaine use. But we have no information about long term
success rates.
###
Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and distributed by the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 468-2600
HIGHLIGHTS OF NATIONAL ADOLESCENT SCHOOL HEALTH SURVEY
DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE
The National Adolescent School Health Survey was conducted in the Fall of 1987
and included approximately 11,000 eight and tenth grade students from public
and private schools. The survey included questions on illicit drug use,
cigarette and alcohol use, suicide and depression, violence, AIDS, sexually
transmitted diseases and nutrition. The following highlights pertain to
findings on illicit drug use, and cigarette and alcohol use.
CIGARETTE USE
O 51% of 8th grade students and 63% of 10th grade students report having
tried cigarettes, and 16% of 8th grade students and 26% of 10th grade
students report having smoked a cigarette during the past month.
Nearly equal numbers of boys and girls report ever trying cigarettes
(girls 58% boys 57%) as well as smoking during the past month (girls 23%
boys 20%).
12% of boys and 1% of girls reported having chewed tobacco or used snuff
during the past month.
O
Of those students who have tried cigarettes, 72% of the 8th grade
students and 41% of the 10th grade students report first use by grade 6
or before.
ALCOHOL USE
o 77% of 8th grade students have tried alcohol and of these, 55% report
first trying it by grade 6. 89% of 10th grade students report having
tried an alcoholic beverage; of these, 69% report first use by grade 8.
34% of 8th grade students and 53% of 10th grade students report having
had an alcoholic beverage during the past month.
26% of 8th grade students and 38% of 10th grade students report having
had five or more drinks on at least one occasion during the past two
weeks.
O
13% of 8th grade students and 18% of 10th grade students report using a
combination of alcohol and drugs on one or more occasions during the past
month.
C-88-04
August 1988
CAP 28
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
MARIJUANA USE
15% of 8th grade students report having tried marijuana and of these, 44%
report first use by grade 6. 35% of 10th grade students report having
tried marijuana with 56% of them reporting first use by grade 8.
6% of 8th grade students and 15% of 10th grade students report having
used marijuana during the past month.
Past month marijuana use was reported by 10% of the girls and 12% of the
boys.
4% of the students report having used marijuana 6 or more times during
the past month.
COCAINE USE
O 5% of 8th grade students and 9% of 10th grade students report having
tried cocaine. 2% of 8th grade students and 3% of 10th grade students
report having used cocaine during the past month.
Of those who have tried cocaine, approximately one-third have tried
crack. 2% of 8th grade students and 3% of 10th graders report having
tried the crack form of cocaine.
Of those students who have tried cocaine, 62% of the 8th grade students
report first trying it in grades 7 or 8, and 76% of the 10th grade
students report first trying it in grades 9 or 10.
INHALANT USE
O 21% of both 8th and 10th grade students report having tried inhalants
(glues, gases, sprays). Of those students who have tried inhalants, 61%
of the 8th grade students report first use by grade 6 and 78% of the 10th
grade students report first use by grade 8.
7% of the 8th grade students and 5% of the 10th grade students report
inhalant use during the past month.
PERCEPTION OF RISK
O 86% of the students perceive a moderate or great risk from smoking
cigarettes on a daily basis.
80% of the students perceive a moderate or great risk from the regular
use of alcohol.
81% of the students perceive a moderate or great risk from occasional use
of marijuana; 88% from cocaine powder; and 77% perceive a moderate or
great risk from occasional use of inhalants.
PEER DISAPPROVAL OF DRUG USE
76% of the students report that their close friends would disapprove if
they smoked a pack of cigarettes each day.
74% of the students report that their close friends would disapprove if
they drank alcohol regularly; however, slightly less than half (43%)
think that their close friends would disapprove if they drank alcohol
occasionally.
O
81% of the students report that their close friends would disapprove if
they smoked marijuana occasionally and 93% would disapprove if they used
cocaine occasionally.
OTHER FINDINGS
O 86% of the students report that it would be fairly or very easy for them
to get cigarettes, 84% for alcohol; 57% for marijuana: and 27% report
that it would be easy for them to get cocaine.
79% of the 8th grade students and 88% of the 10th grade students report
having received instruction in school on the effects of drugs and
alcohol.
Lifetime Prevalence for Selected Drugs Among
8th, 10th, and 12th Grade Students*
1987
Percent Who Ever Used
8th graders 10th graders 12th graders
Alcohol
77
89
92
Cigarette
51
63
67
Marijuana
15
35
50
Cocaine
5
9
15
Crack**
2
3
6
Inhalants
21
21
17
Data on 8th and 10th grade students is from the National Adolescent
Student Health Survey. Data on 12th graders is from the High School
Senior Survey.
Reflects a subset of any use of cocaine.
NIDA
50
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville. Maryland 20857
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
301-443-6245
ON DRUG ABUSE
Capsules
DRUG ABUSE IN THE WORKPLACE
VIDEOTAPE SERIES
Drugs At Work, Getting Help, and Drug Testing: Handle With Care, are three
videotapes in a series on drug abuse in the workplace.
Drugs At Work is a 23 minute educational documentary which describes costs of
drug use for the workplace, the individual, and the public; and examines
action being taken by government and private companies. It provides
information for developing effective drug abuse workplace programs through
policy development, drug testing, employee assistance programs, prevention,
and education. Interviews with drug users who have sought treatment and with
experts on drugs in the workplace are included; and government and industry
representatives describe federal and corporate programs currently underway.
Drugs At Work is an important program for all levels in the workplace, from
top management to line staff.
Getting Help presents detailed information about the use of Employee
Assistance Programs (EAPs) in addressing drug use in the workplace. The film
describes the value of EAPs to employees and employers through comments by
business, labor, and government leaders, and EAP professionals; presentation
of three model programs; and EAP client interviews. It encourages employers
to consider EAPs as a tool in combatting drugs at work, and provides
employees with reassuring information about the confidentiality and
effectiveness of an EAP program.
Drug Testing: Handle With Care describes the options available in designing
a drug testing component as part of a comprehensive drug-free workplace
program. Procedures addressing the needs of both the employer and the
employee, to ensure the accuracy and reliability of test results, for
specimen collection and laboratory analysis, and a discussion of the critical
role of the Medical Review Officer (MRO) are highlighted. Case studies of
public/private, unionized/nonunionized work environments with testing compo-
nents are presented.
Available in both employer and employee versions, the videotapes are designed
to be part of a comprehensive workplace drug abuse program. The fourth in the
series, drug abuse prevention and employee education, is expected to be
available this summer.
The videotapes are available on free loan from Modern Talking Picture Service
Scheduling Center, 5000 Park Street, North, St. Petersburg, FL 33709, (813)
541-5763. They are available for purchase from National Audio Visual Center,
Customer Service Section, 8700 Edgeworth Drive, Capital Heights, MD
20743-3701, (301) 763-1896.
###
C-88-07
Revised May 1989
Cap 29
U.S. DEPARTMENT or HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol. Drug Abuse. and Mental Health Administration
PULL
NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane. Rockville. Maryland 20857
(301) 443-6245
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG HISPANIC AMERICANS
Nearly 3.7 million Hispanics have used an illicit drug at least once in
their lifetimes. (Source: Household Survey)
Hispanic teenagers aged 12-17 years are more likely than white or black
youth to have used cocaine at least once during their lifetimes, during
the past year, or during the past month. (Source: Household Survey)
Drug abuse is an important factor associated with the high rate of school
dropouts among Hispanics. Hispanics who are high school dropouts are more
likely to use illicit drugs than those who are high school graduates.
(Source: Current Research)
AIDS is a severe problem among Hispanics due to intravenous drug use.
While 7% of the total U.S. population is Hispanic, 15% of all adult AIDS
cases and 23% of the pediatric AIDS cases are Hispanic. (Source: CDC)
Data on treatment admissions from 15 States show that in 1985, 30% of the
clients admitted to drug abuse treatment programs in 15 States were
Hispanic; 44% of the primary PCP clients were Hispanic. (Source: CODAP)
Hispanics who seek treatment are most likely to report problems with
heroin, marijuana, and cocaine. (Source: CODAP)
Hispanics accounted for 22% of emergency room episodes due to inhalants--a
significant over-representation of that ethnic group compared with their
numbers in the total population. (Source: DAWN)
"Speedballing" (combining heroin and cocaine) and other drug combinations
are a problem among Hispanics. (Source: DAWN)
Cross-cultural comparisons of drug use have shown that Mexican Americans
and Puerto Ricans are equally more likely than Cuban Americans to have
ever used marijuana, cocaine, and inhalants. (Source: HHANES)
NIDA's toll free Hispanic Hotline number for drug abuse treatment referral is
1-800-66-AYUDA.
Household Survey: 1985 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, NIDA.
HHANES: Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1982-4), NIDA, 1987.
Current Research: Drug Abuse Among Hispanic Youth (unpublished, 1989).
CDC: Centers for Disease Control, AIDS Surveillance Report (Feb. 20, 1989).
CODAP: Client Oriented Data Acquisition Process, 1985.
DAWN: Drug Abuse Warning Network, 1987.
FAVOR VOLTEAR PAGINA
C-89-02
PARA TRADUCCION EN ESPANOL
March 1989
cap 30
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse. and Mental Health Administration
ABUSO DE DROGAS ILICITAS EN LA POBLACION HISPANA
Aproximadamente 3.7 millones de Hispanos han usado substancias ilicitas por
lo menos una vez en sus vida. (Fuente: Household Survey)
E1 uso de la cocaína por 10 menos una vez en la vida, durante el ultimo año O
mes es mas frequente entre los jovenes Hispanos de 12 a 17 años de edad que
entre los jovenes americanos blancos y negros. (Fuente: Household Survey)
Se ha determinado que el abuso de drogas esta relacionado con el alto
porcentaje de estudiantes Hispanos que abandona sus estudios. Hispanos que
deserta sus estudios consume drogas mas frequentemente que aquellos que
termina sus estudios. (Fuente: investigación en progreso)
E1 SIDA es un problema severo entre la población Hispana debido a la
autoadministracióon de drogas por via endovenosa. Aunque el 7% de la
población estadounidese es Hispana, el 15% de los adultos y el 23% de los
niños diagnosticado con el SIDA son Hispanos. (Fuente: CDC)
Información sobre el número de admisiones a programas de tratamiento de
drogas en 15 estados de los Estado Unidos en 1985 indica que el 30% de los
clientes eran Hispanos. Ademas el 44% de los clientes admitidos a programas
de tratamiento por el abuso de PCP eran Hispanos. (Fuente: CODAP)
La mayoria de los Hispanos admitidos a programas de tratamiento de drogas son
consumidores de heroina, cocaína y marijuana. (Fuente: CODAP)
Hispanos representaron el 22% de admisiones a salas de emergencias en
hospitales debido al consumo de inhalables un porcentaje mas alto que el
promedio de la población Hispana en los Estados Unidos. (Fuente: DAWN)
E1 uso multiple de drogas como "Speedballing" (uso de heroina y cocaína en
combinación) es un problema entre la poblacion Hispana en los Estados
Unidos. (Fuente: DAWN)
Estudios sobre el uso de drogas en la población Hispana en los Estados Unidos
han determinado que personas de origen Mejicano o Puerto Riqueño usa la
marijuana, cocaína y los inhalables con mas frequencia que la población
Cubana. (Fuente: HHANES)
Para información sobre referencias a programas de tratamiento del abuso de
drogas favor llamar gratuitamente al teléfono 1-800-AYUDA del NIDA.
Household Survey: 1985 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, NIDA.
HHANES: Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1982-4), NIDA, 1987.
Investigación en progreso: Drug Abuse Among Hispanic Youth (unpublished, 1989).
CDC: Centers for Disease Control, AIDS Surveillance Report (Feb. 20, 1989).
CODAP: Client Oriented Data Acquisition Process, 1985.
DAWN: Drug Abuse Warning Network, 1987.
C-89-02
March 1989
PULLI NIDA Capsules
Issued by the Press Office of the National institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane. Rockville. Maryland 20857
(301) 443-6245
DRUG ABUSE WARNING NETWORK
Emergency Room Cocaine Mentions
The following table lists the frequency of cocaine-related emergency room
admissions and the percentage that involved smoking as the route of
administering cocaine in 1988 compared with 1985. This data is collected by
the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), through the Drug Abuse Warning
Network (DAWN), a voluntary data collection system through which hospital
emergency room (ER) and medical examiner (ME) facilities report information
on medical crises and deaths related to improper use of drugs. Cocaine-
related ER admissions listed below were reported from hospitals in 21
metropolitan areas throughout the country.
1988
1985
Total
Percent
Total
Percent
Cocaine
Involving
Cocaine
Involving
Mentions
Smoked
Mentions
Smoked
Cocaine
Cocaine
Atlanta
596
23
172
6
Baltimore
1018
7
248
1
Boston
1173
18
323
4
Buffalo
419
24
43
0
Chicago
4019
23
757
10
Dallas
1152
23
158
1
Denver
641
16
243
2
Detroit
3309
54
1088
16
Los Angeles
2956
29
1640
35
Miami
519
31
1038
16
Minneapolis
378
28
136
4
Newark
1339
30
346
6
New Orleans
2827
41
512
2
New York City
7457
40
3347
4
Philadelphia
5831
31
717
6
Phoenix
981
8
123
5
San Diego
219
17
172
6
San Francisco
719
33
411
7
Seattle
952
19
244
9
St. Louis
534
25
78
6
Washington, D.C.
4467
39
894
4
C-89-01
February 1989
Cap 31
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
NIDA
20%
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville Maryland 20857
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
301-443-6245
ON DRUG ABUSE
Capsules
Overcoming Barriers to Drug Abuse Treatment
In The Community
The cocaine addiction crisis of the last few years and the spread of AIDS
among intravenous drug users have focused attention on the increasing need
for drug abuse treatment services in the local community. But responding to
this need is not always easy even if financial resources are available.
Communities often resist the building of new drug abuse treatment facilities
despite the fact that many individuals in those communities need local,
affordable treatment for themselves or a loved one.
The goal of this NIDA project is to develop a flexible education model for
use by communities who have funding and want to establish drug treatment
facilities. Local drug treatment personnel will receive NIDA-sponsored
training to learn techniques that will help encourage support for and
acceptance of drug treatment programs in their communities. This model will
be used in communities to educate local people about drug treatment with the
goal of countering resistance to the establishment of new treatment
facilities.
The community education model program, which is to undergo a pilot test in
late summer, will have 4 key elements:
Critical theme-The model will be built on a critical theme
and supporting messages concerning drug treatment and siting
of facilities that are cohesive, well-documented, and
scientifically sound.
Flexible strategies--Drug treatment personnel will be able to
choose appropriate strategies for conveying messages to people
in their own communities about the need and importance of drug
abuse treatment. The model will include specific techniques
and background information on how to effectively implement the
model.
Media materials--A videotape documentary as well as radio, TV,
and print ads and brochures will help drug treatment personnel
educate community people about treatment.
Training and technical assistance--NIDA will provide training
to help communities use the model and its accompanying
materials effectively. In 1989, the model will be evaluated
after it undergoes a pilot test in four sites. During the
next two years, NIDA will deliver training and technical
assistance to implement the model in 20 sites.
C-89-03
May 1989
Cap 32
U.S. DEPARTMENT or HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration
-2-
Research has been conducted to obtain extensive input from experts and
practitioners in Federal, State, and local government; the private sector:
academia; and community-based programs and groups involved with drug
treatment; public affairs and media relations; community organizing; and
related fields. Specifically, the project has conducted:
Interviews with all 55 Single State Agency directors for drug abuse;
Interviews with 50 treatment programs across the country;
Discussions with State mental health directors;
Discussions with a wide variety of organizations active in the field;
Extensive literature review and analysis;
20 focus groups in five cities around the country with serious drug
A problems; 1 1/2 day meeting with practicing treatment experts to get
recommendations on the model.
All of these research tracks pointed to the same key findings about why
communities resist drug abuse treatment centers. The two biggest fears
related to:
Security--fear or concern that crime in the community will rise as a
result of an influx of drug users;
Property values--fear or concern that as a result of the treatment
facility, property values will decline.
ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, the research showed that when people learn about drug
abuse treatment and believe it works, they find centers more acceptable.
As this publication goes to press (May 1989), the project is starting to
develop media materials that will be used as part of the community education
model. These materials are focused on the theme that "drug treatment
benefits the community" and will include:
Videotape documentary;
Television public service announcements;
Radio public service announcements;
Print advertisements;
Brochures.
When the community education model is implemented, communities will be given
training and technical assistance to learn how to: conduct a needs
assessment; build networks and coalitions; work with community people and
groups; develop a public relations strategy, including techniques for working
with the press, and how to most effectively use the media materials.
For further information about the project, contact:
Project Officers: Susan Lachter David or Lynn J. Cave
National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane Room 10a-54
Rockville, MD 20857
(301) 443-1124
NIDA
19%
Issued by the Press Office of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville Maryland 20857
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
ON DRUG ABUSE
301-443-6245
Capsules
DRUG ABUSE AND PREGNANCY
Increasing numbers of women are abusing drugs during p'egnancy and thus
endangering the well-being and lives of their children as well as themselves.
The spreading abuse of phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, and its potent form
"crack," added to the more well-known addictive narcotics such as heroin, has
intensified concerns about the implications of maternal drug use for unborn
children.
Some harmful effects are generally recognized. Cocaine use, for example,
increases risk of hemorrhage and premature delivery, threatening the lives of
mother and child. Babies exposed to narcotics in the womb are frequently born
addicted, and the misery they suffer from withdrawal makes them difficult to
care for, creating special demands on mothers who are often unable to take
care of their children adequately. Other effects are less certain. Head size
is often smaller in infants exposed to narcotics. While growth erases some of
the physical differences, there may be subtle, long-term deficits in mental or
neurological functioning in infants exposed to drugs in the womb.
Scientists are just beginning to explore how various drugs may affect the
development of physical coordination, language, and emotional interactions.
NIDA, through its clinical, epidemiological, and basic research programs, is
increasing knowledge of immediate and long-term effects of drug use during
pregnancy. NIDA grantees and others are designing and evaluating therapeutic
programs to help these mothers and their children overcome the harm caused by
drugs.
SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM
Evidence of increasing drug use among pregnant women comes from many parts of
the country. NIDA estimates that of the women of childbearing age (15-44
years of age), 15 percent are current substance abusers. Approximately 34
million consume alcoholic beverages, more than 18 million are current
cigarette smokers, and more than 6 million are current users of an illicit
drug, of which 44 percent tried marijuana and 14 percent tried cocaine at
least once.
A 1988 survey conducted by the National Association for Perinatal Addiction
Research and Education, of 36 hospitals from across the country and
representing approximately 155,000 pregnancies annually, found that on
average, 11 percent of pregnant women used heroin, methadone, amphetamines,
PCP, marijuana, and most commonly, cocaine. The researchers estimate that
each year, as many as 375,000 infants may be affected by their mother's drug
use.
C-89-04
June 1989
Cap 33
U.S. DEPARTMENT or HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Alcohol Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration
-2-
Dr. Barry Zuckerman and his colleagues at Boston University School of Medicine
and Boston City Hospital conducted a study of 1,226 women who gave birth at
the hospital between 1986 and 1988. Of this group, 27 percent of the women
had smoked marijuana and 18 percent used cocaine. They found that marijuana
users gave birth to babies who are three ounces lighter and one-fifth of an
inch shorter than babies born to women who did not use marijuana, while the
cocaine use was associated with still shorter and lighter infants.
Dr. Loretta P. Finnegan, director of the Family Center of Jefferson Medical
College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia reports that in 1985,
7 percent of women at the center were found to have cocaine in their urine,
and now urine screens show that 58 percent are using the substance.
EFFECTS 'ON THE PREGNANT MOTHER AND THE FETUS
Until relatively recently. NIDA's research on the effects of maternal drug use
on fetal and infant development has focused on narcotics and drugs like
methadone that is used in the treatment of narcotic addiction. As the abuse
of cocaine, PCP, and other drugs grew, NIDA expanded this research program to
non-narcotic drugs. NIDA's research in this area is intended to estimate
incidence, prevalence, and patterns of use of illicit drugs among pregnant
women, to identify the consequences of maternal drug use on the newhorn, to
identify the mechanisms underlying organic and behavioral effects resulting
from exposure to drugs, and to develop strategies and procedures to prevent,
ameliorate, or reverse these toxic effects and their developmental
consequences.
A NIDA-supported study by Dr. Ira J. Chasnoff and his colleagues at
Northwestern University's Perinatal Center for Chemical Dependence found that
women injecting cocaine intravenously during pregnancy immediately experienced
complications, including premature separation of the placenta from the womb,
which causes hemorrhaging that threatens the lives of both mother and fetus.
Another study found that cocaine-addicted women were twice as likely to suffer
premature separation of the placenta as women dependent on other drugs and
four times as likely as drug-free women to experience this complication.
However, this risk is reduced if the pregnant woman discontinues cocaine use
early in pregnancy. Isolated cases of birth defects have been associated with
cocaine use during pregnancy; however, additional studies are needed to
confirm these observations.
Cocaine can also precipitate miscarriage or premature delivery because it
raises blood pressure and increases contractions of the uterus. Maternal
cocaine use also endangers the fetus directly. Studies show that the drug
constricts arteries leading to the womb. This constriction diminishes the
amount of blood, and hence oxygen that reach the fetus. In one extreme case,
cocaine apparently caused fetal stroke.
-3-
EFFECTS ON INFANTS
Knowledge of drug effects during the early months of life comes largely from
studies of children born to women dependent on narcotics. Infants exposed to
these drugs in the womb are often born addicted and undergo a characteristic
withdrawal sequence called the Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Newborns
with NAS show increased sensitivity to noise, irritability, poor coordination,
excessive sneezing and yawning, and uncoordinated sucking and swallowing
reflexes. If these symptoms persist, they require medication. NIDA-funded
researchers are testing carefully controlled doses of phenobarbital, tincture
of opium, and other substances to help infants withdraw from narcotics.
Research using ultrasound measurements also raises questions about the rate of
brain growth in narcotic-exposed babies. The head circumference tends to be
slightly smaller, although this difference soon disappears. By the time
infants are six months old, there is little difference between drug-exposed
babies and others in brain measurement. But concerns remain, since prenatal
harm to these areas of the brain could affect mental functioning, such as
memory, in later childhood. Some researchers find, moreover, that certain
differences between drug-exposed and other infants persist, adding to concerns
about long-term effects.
Other findings include increased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in
which incidence among cocaine exposed infants in the Chicago study was 17
percent as compared to 1.6 percent in the general population and four percent
in infants of mothers maintained on methadone. Assessment at four months of
age indicate that the cocaine-exposed infants are at considerable risk for
motor dysfunction. Data on 30 full-term cocaine-exposed infants and 50
full-term non-drug exposed infants indicate a significant difference in mean
total risk scores with 72 percent of the control group infants in the "no
risk" category, while 43 percent of the cocaine-exposed infants, were
designated "high risk" for motor developmental dysfunction. The infants will
be followed to three years of age.
LONG-TERM EFFECTS
The epidemic of drug abuse among pregnant women is recent enough that
investigators are only now having the opportunity to follow groups of children
over several years and thus generalize about more far-reaching effects. Some
of the preliminary findings are encouraging. Children at age two to five born
to methadone-maintained women seem comparable in intelligence to youngsters of
drug-free mothers. However, despite scoring in the normal range for overall
intelligence, these children seem to run increased risk of learning
disabilities and delayed motor, speech, and language development.
Effective drug intervention programs for drug-dependent mothers and their
children may be essential to promoting the youngster's emotional and
intellectual well-being. Dr. Judy Howard at the University of California, Los
-4-
Angeles, is assessing the benefits of a program using a pediatrician, a public
health nurse, and a social worker to contact homes regularly to offer
information, advice, and referrals to medical and other services. In
addition, an infant development specialist works with the children on
development skills while a specialist helps mothers and foster parents become
sensitive to the child's level of stress and state of well-being.
The increasing use of drugs by women of childbearing age, the greater numbers
of children being born to drug-abusing women, and the environment in which
these infants are reared all lend added urgency to conduct additional research
in these critical areas.
###
NCADI
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Informa tion
PO Box 2345, Rockville, Maryland 20852
(301) 468-2600
Lisa A. Swanberg
Library and Information Services
Director
A Service of the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
FACSIMILE TRANSMITTAL SHEET
NUMBER OF PAGES INCLUDING COVER 14
DATE 9-2
TO Jim Burke
FAX NUMBER (516) 537-3456
OFFICE NUMBER (516) 537 - 3456
COMMENTS I hope you like this draft
and I'm anxious for your comments.
Have a great Weekend. Thanks! Cmm
FROM Christina Martin
FAX NUMBER 202-456-6218
OFFICE NUMBER 202-456-7750
Christina
08/31/89 14:02:22
SPEECHWRITING AND RESEARCH OFFICES
Page: 1
DAILY PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH SCHEDULE
EVENT/LOCATION
DATE
PROJ. OFFICER
WRITER/RESEARCH
C.W. DRAFT
STAFFING
TO POTUS
Drug Speech
09/05/89
Davis
08/25/89
08/28/89
08/28/89
Tuesday
Martin
Friday
Monday
Monday
American Legion 71st Conven.
09/07/89
Smith
08/24/89
08/25/89
08/28/89
Thursday
Blessey
Thursday
Friday
Monday
Baltimore, M.D.
National Baptist Convention
09/08/89
Davis
08/25/89
08/29/89
08/30/89
Friday
Martin
Friday
Tuesday
Wednesday
New Orleans, Louisiana
U.S. Hispanic C of C
09/08/89
Smith
09/05/89
09/06/89
09/07/89
Friday
Blessey
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Treasury Depart. 200th Anniv.
09/11/89
McGroarty
09/05/89
09/07/89
09/08/89
Monday
Dooley
Tuesday
Thursday
Friday
Treasury Building
United Way Video
09/11/89
McGroarty
09/07/89
09/08/89
09/08/89
Monday
Dooley
Thursday
Friday
Friday
Vocational Education Event
09/11/89
S.Siv
Grant
09/05/89
09/06/89
09/07/89
Monday
Simon
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Rose Garden
Schools Speech
09/12/89
Lange
09/05/89
09/07/89
09/08/89
Tuesday
TBD
Tuesday
Thursday
Friday
D.A.R.E. Event
09/13/89
Davis
09/06/89
09/08/89
09/11/89
Wednesday
Martin
Wednesday
Friday
Monday
08/31/89 14:02:26
SPEECHWRITING AND RESEARCH OFFICES
Page: 2
DAILY PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH SCHEDULE
EVENT/LOCATION
DATE
PROJ. OFFICER WRITER/RESEARCH C.W. DRAFT STAFFING TO POTUS
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia
09/14/89
B. Scowcroft
Smith
09/07/89
09/11/89
09/12/89
Thursday
Blessey
Thursday
Monday
Tuesday
Presidential S.E.S. Awards
09/14/89
D. Bates
McNally
09/07/89
09/11/89
09/12/89
Thursday
Simon
Thursday
Monday
Tuesday
Constitution Hall
A. Sioux Falls Centennial
09/18/89
McNally
09/11/89
09/13/89
09/14/89
Monday
Simon
Monday
Wednesday
Thursday
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
B. Montana Centennial
09/18/89
McGroarty
09/11/89
09/13/89
09/14/89
Monday
Dooley
Monday
Wednesday
Thursday
Spokane Washington
09/19/89
Lange
09/12/89
09/14/89
09/15/89
Tuesday
TBD
Tuesday
Thursday
Friday
Young America Medals
09/21/89
Davis
09/14/89
09/18/89
09/19/89
Thursday
Martin
Thursday
Monday
Tuesday
Rose Garden
200th Anniv. Attorney General
09/22/89
McNally
09/11/89
09/13/89
09/14/89
Friday
Simon
Monday
Wednesday
Thursday
Department of Justice
Courter Fundraiser
09/22/89
Smith
09/15/89
09/18/89
09/20/89
Friday
Blessey
Friday
Monday
Wednesday
New Jersey
08/31/89 14:02:29
SPEECHWRITING AND RESEARCH OFFICES
Page: 3
DAILY PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH SCHEDULE
EVENT/LOCATION
DATE
PROJ. OFFICER
WRITER/RESEARCH
C.W. DRAFT
STAFFING
TO POTUS
Red Mass Luncheon
09/23/89
Grant
09/15/89
09/18/89
09/20/89
Saturday
Martin
Friday
Monday
Wednesday
Boston, Mass.
U.N. General Assembly
09/25/89
McGroarty
09/06/89
09/18/89
09/20/89
Monday
Dooley
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
New York City
Amer. Film Institute
09/26/89
Studdert/Demare
Smith
09/19/89
09/21/89
09/22/89
Tuesday
Blessey
Tuesday
Thursday
Friday
Pension Building
Governors Educational Summit
09/27/89
Davis
09/13/89
09/14/89
09/15/89
Wednesday
Martin
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
TBD
World Bank/Intern. Monetary
09/27/89
D. Bates
McNally
09/20/89
09/22/89
09/25/89
Fund Annual Meeting
Wednesday
Simon
Wednesday
Friday
Monday
Sheraton Washington Hotel
Retirement Adm. Crowe
09/29/89
McGroarty
09/22/89
09/25/89
09/26/89
Friday
Dooley
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
Midland Community Award
10/00/89
TBD
TBD
TBD
NRSC Inner Circle Gala
10/02/89
Andy Card
09/25/89
09/27/89
09/28/89
Monday
Monday
Wednesday
Thursday
Union Station
08/31/89 14:02:33
SPEECHWRITING AND RESEARCH OFFICES
Page: 4
DAILY PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH SCHEDULE
EVENT/LOCATION
DATE
PROJ. OFFICER
WRITER/RESEARCH
C.W. DRAFT
STAFFING
TO POTUS
Salinas State Dinner
10/03/89
B. Scowcroft
Smith
09/26/89
09/28/89
09/29/89
Tuesday
Blessey
Tuesday
Thursday
Friday
Coleman Fundraiser
10/04/89
Smith
09/27/89
09/29/89
10/02/89
Wednesday
Blessey
Wednesday
Friday
Monday
N. Virginia
Cossiga State Visit
10/11/89
McGroarty
10/04/89
10/06/89
10/09/89
Wednesday
Dooley
Wednesday
Friday
Monday
Italian Society Dinner
10/14/89
McGroarty
10/06/89
10/10/89
10/11/89
Saturday
Dooley
Friday
Tuesday
Wednesday
RGA President's Dinner
10/17/89
A.Card
10/10/89
10/12/89
10/13/89
Tuesday
Tuesday
Thursday
Friday
TBD
International Drug Conference
10/27/89
McNally
10/20/89
10/24/89
10/25/89
Friday
Simon
Friday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Costa Rica
Governor Martinez Funder
12/01/89
Andy Card
11/24/89
11/28/89
11/29/89
Friday
Friday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tampa, Florida
NAACP Fundraising Gala
12/15/89
12/08/89
12/12/89
12/13/89
Friday
Friday
Tuesday
Wednesday
New York City, New York
08/31/89 14:02:37
SPEECHWRITING AND RESEARCH OFFICES
Page: 5
DAILY PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH SCHEDULE
EVENT/LOCATION
DATE
PROJ. OFFICER WRITER/RESEARCH C.W. DRAFT STAFFING TO POTUS
President D. Eisenhower B-day 10/14/90