U.S. Leads The World In Illegal Drug Use

Survey Says People With Higher Incomes More Likely To Use Legal And Illegal Drugs, Marijuana Use Widely Reported In U.S.

(WebMD)  Despite tough anti-drug laws, a new survey shows the U.S. has the highest level of illegal drug use in the world.

The World Health Organization's survey of legal and illegal drug use in 17 countries, including the Netherlands and other countries with less stringent drug laws, shows Americans report the highest level of cocaine and marijuana use.

For example, Americans were four times more likely to report using cocaine in their lifetime than the next closest country, New Zealand (16% vs. 4%),

Marijuana use was more widely reported worldwide, and the U.S. also had the highest rate of use at 42.4% compared with 41.9% of New Zealanders.

In contrast, in the Netherlands, which has more liberal drug policies than the U.S., only 1.9% of people reported cocaine use and 19.8% reported marijuana use.

"Globally, drug use is not distributed evenly and is not simply related to drug policy, since countries with stringent user-level illegal drug policies did not have lower levels of use than countries with liberal ones," researcher Louisa Degenhardt of the University of New South Wales, Australia, and colleagues write in PLoS Medicine.

U.S. Leads Drug Use

In the study, researchers surveyed more than 54,000 adults in the Americas (Colombia, Mexico, and the United States), Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Ukraine), Middle East and Africa (Israel, Lebanon, Nigeria, South Africa), Asia, (Japan, China) and Oceania (New Zealand).

The survey included questions about legalized drug use, such as alcohol and tobacco, and illegal drug use, including cocaine and marijuana, during the participant's lifetime.

Overall, alcohol had been used by most of those surveyed in the Americas, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand compared with much smaller proportions in the Middle East, Africa, and China.

Tobacco use was also most common in the U.S. (74%), followed by Lebanon (67%) and Mexico (60%).

Researchers found gender and socioeconomic differences in both legal and illegal drug use. For example, men were more likely than women to have used legal and illegal drugs, and younger adults were more likely than older adults to have used drugs of all kinds.

Single adults were more likely than married adults to report tobacco, marijuana, and cocaine use but not alcohol use. People with higher incomes were also more likely to use both legal and illegal drugs.

"The use of drugs seems to be a feature of more affluent countries. The U.S., which has been driving much of the world's drug research and drug policy agenda, stands out with higher levels of use of alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis, despite punitive illegal drug policies, as well as (in many U.S. states), a higher minimum legal alcohol drinking age than many comparable developed countries," write the researchers.

[rushman71]

Another bogus survey.

Legalize Marijuana!!! For a better, peaceful America!!!

[cdfoxtrot]

At least the US continues to lead the world in SOMETHING.

[feelfree4u]

cdfoxtrot,

You beat me to it.

[thricelost]

We''re number one! We''re number one! We''re number one!

[ojustgiveitu]

How incredibly unsurprising. We all see it when we go to college - the level of binge drinking drops off substantially when people turn 21. It''s no longer a rebellious thing to do, so that portion of the fun is removed. This is just anecdotal evidence of course, and anecdotes are not conclusive, but you can logically find a trend underlying an anecdote, and apply that trend to the larger issue. Drugs are a way to escape and a way to rebel. It doesn''t really matter what people are rebelling against, their parents, their government, their religion, whatever it is they feel is repressing them. When a drug is no longer a way to rebel, such as alcohol, which, despite being one of the more dangerous drugs is *extremely* accepted in our society, its allure is diminished.

What a joke this report is. The US Medical Community leads the world in drug abuse, however there purpose is profit. Death by Medical Intervention is the leading cause of death in the US. The evidence is so overwhelming no other argument can be made.

[minter9]

The US Govt created alot of evils via cannabis prohibition. Like, demand for the "forbidden fruit", organized crime, murder, corruption, lawlessness, over-flowing prisons, militarized police and a multi-Billion/yr price tag. They gave control over cannabis to criminals. Just like with Alcohol prohibition. The only answer is legalization. Read the report. This study was paid for by the NIDA. Our anti-cannabis propaganda agency. The only way out of this mess is via legalization. This study was done to justify ever harsher penalties and the continued war on cannabis users. What it inadvertantly proved was that prohibition is a complete failure. That the US Government''s policies have back-fired. High cannabis use is not due to affluence. It''s due to Government meddling and making cannabis attractive to sell, buy and use. Our leader''s continue to pave the road to Hell with their good intentions. But, they learned nothing from their Puritan prohibition of alcohol and it''s eventual repeal.

[forasongca]

The money we''re spending to lose the War on Some Drugs would buy a whole lot of school books and after-school programs for our youth.

[jkorun]

Are there any politicians paying attention to this? Are there any willing to stand up to end the war on drugs?

[fiestafarm]

B.S. Do 43% smoke pot? Hell no. 16% doing coke. Hell no! I''ve seen so many different stats on this and there are the highest I''ve ever seen. The writers have an agenda!!