Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: SAMHSA Press Office 
(301) 443-8956

ANNUAL NATIONAL DRUG SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED
Youth Drug Use Decreases; Overall Rates Remain Level

An estimated 9.9 percent of youths age 12-17 reported current illicit drug use in 1998, meaning they used an illicit drug at least once during the 30 days prior to the time of the survey interview.  This estimate represents a statistically significant decrease from the estimate of 11.4 percent in 1997.

Teen use of inhalants decreased significantly from 2.0 percent in 1997 to 1.1 percent in 1998.  The survey also found that the rate of youth reporting they tried marijuana for the first time declined significantly and the average age of first-time use went up.  The percentage of teenagers who were current users of marijuana declined from 9.4 percent in 1997 to 8.3 percent in 1998, although the decline was not statistically significant.

“For the past two years we have been cautiously optimistic as a series of encouraging reports seemed to indicate a leveling off and even a possible decline in drug use among teens after years of dramatic increases,” said Secretary Shalala.  “While it looks like we have turned the corner with today’s report, we must not rest.  Too many young people are still using drugs, and we must continue to build on our promising efforts to push the rate of drug use down even further.”

White House National Drug Policy Director Barry McCaffrey said, "The findings are good news demonstrating that America’s team effort is working.  However, we must not let down our guard.  This first major sign of success has occurred because parents, teachers, coaches, ministers, and community coalitions, are all working together in a comprehensive national and local effort.  The future should show additional improvements as well.  The fact that the numbers are best for the youngest (12-17) group is a harbinger that use will continue to fall as this group grows older.”
 
In 1998, an estimated 13.6 million Americans overall (6.2 percent of the U.S. population age 12 and older) were current users of illicit drugs.  That is not a statistically significant change from 1997 when the estimate was 13.9 million.  The number of current illicit drug users is about half its peak in 1979, when there were 25 million current users.
 
Marijuana continues to be the most frequently used illicit drug; about 60 percent of all illicit drug users reported using marijuana only, and another 21 percent reported marijuana use and some other illicit drug use.

The survey also showed that among youths age 12-17, the perceived risk of smoking marijuana once or twice a week remained unchanged between 1997 and 1998.  This may indicate a leveling off after years of decline in perceived risk of marijuana use, including “once a month” use, that has occurred since 1990.  The trend in perceived risk mirrors the trend in the use of marijuana among youth.  As the perceived risk decreased, use increased, and vice versa.  This measure provides an important correlate of drug use that can help explain the patterns and trends in substance use, particularly among youths.

The decline in teenagers' use of illicit drugs confirms the leveling off noted in the last two years of the Monitoring the Future Studies of 8th, 10th and 12th graders, released each December.  In particular, use of marijuana, the drug most widely used by teens, appears to be leveling off.

Dr. Nelba Chavez, administrator of HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which conducts the annual survey, said, "Our efforts in forging stronger partnerships with states, cities, and communities and focusing on more comprehensive drug prevention efforts -- which identify and address family, school, and mental health problems before they lead to substance abuse and other destructive behaviors -- appear to be paying off. "

According to today’s survey, an estimated 60 million Americans age 12 and older reported current cigarette use in 1998.  This estimate represents a rate of 27.7 percent, which is a statistically significant decline from the 1997 rate of 29.6 percent and the lowest rate ever recorded by this survey.  However, the rate of current cigar use among those 12 and older increased from 5.9 percent in 1997 to 6.9 percent in 1998, a statistically significant increase.

The survey also noted an estimated 2.1 million people began smoking cigarettes daily in 1997, the most recent year available.  More than half of these new smokers were younger than age 18, which translates to more than 3,000 new youth smokers each day.  In 1998, an estimated 4.1 million youth age 12-17 (18.2 percent) were current cigarette smokers.  There was no significant change in this rate from 19.9 percent in 1997.

Among youth age 12-17, the rate of current alcohol use was about 50 percent in 1979, fell to about 21 percent in 1992, and has remained relatively stable since then.  In 1998, the rate was 19.1 percent.  In 1998, the rates of binge drinking (31.7 percent) and heavy alcohol (13.8 percent) use among young adults age 18-25 were significantly higher than in 1997 (28.0 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively), but similar in 1998 to the rates observed in 1996 (32.0 percent and 12.9 percent, respectively).

The NHSDA provides annual estimates of the prevalence of illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use in the U.S. and monitors the trends in use over time.  It is based on a representative sample of the U.S. population age 12 and older, including persons living in households and in some group quarters such as dormitories and homeless shelters.  In 1998, a sample of 25,500 persons was interviewed for the survey. Additional 1998 survey highlights include:

Marijuana
 

• In 1998, 8.3 percent of youths age 12-17 were current users of marijuana.  Youth marijuana use reached a peak of 14.2 percent in 1979, declined to 3.4 percent in 1992, more than doubled from 1992 to 1995 (8.2 percent), and has fluctuated since then (7.1 percent in 1996, 9.4 percent in 1997, and 8.3 percent in 1998).

• An estimated 1.8 million (0.8 percent) Americans age 12 and older were current users of cocaine in 1998.  The estimate was 1.5 million (0.7 percent) in 1997 but the difference is not statistically significant.  Cocaine use reached a peak of 5.7 million (3.0 percent) in 1985.

• 113 million Americans (52 percent of the population) age 12 and older reported current use of alcohol in 1998.  Of these, about 33 million (29.2 percent) were engaged in binge drinking and 12 million (10.6 percent) were heavy drinkers.  The percentages of the population falling into these different groups have not changed since 1988.
  
  
• In 1998, 10.4 million (9.2 percent) current drinkers were age 12-20.  Of this group, 5.1 million (48.5 percent) engaged in binge drinking and 2.3 million (21.9 percent) were also classified as heavy drinkers.  There have been no statistically significant changes in the rates of underage drinking since 1994.

Tobacco
 

• The current rate of smoking among young adults age 18-25 has increased from 34.6 percent in 1994 to 40.6 percent in 1997 and 41.6 percent in 1998.
  
  
• Youths age 12-17 who currently smoked cigarettes were 11.4 times more likely to use illicit drugs and 16 times more likely to drink heavily than nonsmoking youths.
  
  
• The survey also found that drug use among youths was higher among those who were currently using cigarettes and alcohol, compared with youths not using these substances.
  
  
• An estimated 5.6 percent of youths age 12-17 were current cigar smokers in 1998.  This compares to 5.0 percent in 1997, not a statistically significant difference.

Perceived Risk
 

• Between 1997 and 1998, there was no change in the percentages of youths age 12-17 reporting great risk from using cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, or alcohol.

Because information on when people first used a substance is collected on a retrospective basis, information on first-time use or incidence is always one year behind information on current use.
 

• In 1997, an estimated 2.1 million persons first used marijuana, approximately 5,800 new marijuana users per day.  The rate of first use of marijuana among youths age 12-17 declined significantly from 79.3 per one thousand potential new users in 1996 to 64.4 per one thousand potential new users in 1997.  This is after years of rising incidence during the 1990s when the rate of new use among youth age 12-17 rose from 37 per one thousand potential users in 1991 to about 79.3 per one thousand potential users in 1996.

• An estimated 81,000 persons used heroin for the first time in 1997.  The rate of initiation for youths age 12–17 increased from below 1.0 per one thousand potential new users during the 1980s to 2.7 in 1996 and, while not statistically significant, dropped to 1.1 in 1997.

• There were an estimated 730,000 new cocaine users in 1997.   The rate of new use among youths age 12-17 increased from 4.1 per one thousand potential users in 1991 to 10.8 per one  thousand potential users in 1997.

• In 1997, there were an estimated 1.1 million new hallucinogen users.  The rate of first-time hallucinogen users among youths age 12-17 increased from 11.1 per one thousand potential new users in 1991 to 23.9 per one thousand potential users in 1997.

HHS’ efforts to reduce tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use in the U.S. include SAMHSA’s State Incentive Grants for Community-Based Action, awarded in 20 states and the District of Columbia to support planning for coordinated substance abuse prevention services, and Starting Early-Starting Smart Grants which examine the effectiveness of integrating substance abuse and mental health services into primary care settings and into early childhood service settings.  SAMHSA’s new Targeted Capacity Expansion Grants also assist local governments and Indian Tribal Governments to address serious, emerging drug problems at the earliest possible stage.

Additionally, HHS’ efforts to reduce marijuana use among America’s youth continue through its comprehensive Marijuana Initiative begun in 1995.  As part of this initiative, HHS has funded new research on the effects of marijuana, and launched major prevention-oriented campaigns -- such as the anti-marijuana campaign "Reality Check" -- to help parents educate children about the dangers of drugs.  Free materials, such as "Marijuana: What Parents Need to Know,”  "Tips for Teens," and “Keeping Youth Drug Free” can be obtained by calling 1-800-729-6686 or by accessing SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse for Drug and Alcohol Information web site http://www.health.org.

SAMHSA will expand its National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) to provide information on substance abuse at the state level in August/September 2000.   The expanded survey will report on 70,000 interviews each year, up from 18,000-25,000 in previous years.
 
Note: Summary Findings from the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.samhsa.gov.
 

Note: All HHS press releases are available on the World Wide Web at http://www.hhs.gov.

SAMHSA Contracts | SAMHSA's Budget | Employment | Site Map

SAMHSA Home  Contact the Staff  Accessibility  Privacy Policy  Freedom of Information Act  Disclaimer  Department of Health and Human Services  The White House  First Gov