Illicit Drug Use Declines Except in Those 35 and Older

DRUG USE TRENDS July 1993

A recent survey shows illicit drug use in teenagers and adults is declining, with the exception of those 35 and older (AP, "Survey Indicates Decline In Use Of Illegal Drugs," Washington Post, 6/24/93, A16). Those 35 and older now make up 23 percent of all illicit drug users, compared to only 10 percent in 1979. About 11.4 million Americans age 12 and up were found to be illicit drug users in 1992, down 11 percent from about 13 million users in the 1991 survey. The survey was conducted by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).