Drug Use and Abuse – National Statistics

It seems that even if a drug is deemed to be "illegal," it can still be found and purchased rather easily. While some substances may be harder to obtain than others,illegal drugs are frequently used and abused. In fact, recent data collected by the U.S. HHS department indicates that drug usage in the United States shows no signs of slowing down.

Popular Illegal Drugs

* Price and availability* are two factors that usually affect whether or not a substance is being used and abused. After all, if a specific drug is too expensive, or is unavailable on the street, then it could be a struggle to obtain said drug. According to NIH, the following is a list of popular illegal drugs:

• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Heroin
• Prescription Drugs
• Methamphetamine

When consumed, each substance will create a different type and degree of high. Depending on how much a particular drug is consumed, it will cause short and long term damage to the body. Knowing which drugs you or a loved one uses, allows you to educate yourself on the dangers of those drugs, and how best to prevent or stop an addiction. Being informed and educated can help you make informed decisions about your own health and wellness.

The Survey

Conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2011, the nationwide survey detailed below provides invaluable insight on current drug use habits in the United States. Among the findings of the survey were adult drug usage statistics for various types of substances. The survey found that:

• Use marijuana
  • 9.4 percent of adults aged 18 or older
• Use cocaine
  • 1.2 percent of adults aged 18 or older
• Use heroin
  • .01 percent of adults aged 18 or older

Though any amount of drug usage is detrimental, both on users and society in general, the survey does provide some glimmers of hope. Of the drugs outlined above, those that are most dangerous – cocaine and heroin – are used the least. Nonetheless, drug usage in the United States is still a huge problem, especially the ever increasing use of prescription drugs. Such hurdles can be addressed with the help of an Online Drug Class.

Illegal Drug Facts

A 2010 National Survey on drug use and health provides the following facts regarding illegal drug use and abuse:

• In 2010, an estimated 22.6 million Americans over the age of 12 admitted to currently or formerly using an illegal drug.
• In 2010, 17.4 million Americans admitted to using marijuana (making it the most commonly used illegal drug, followed by prescription drugs and cocaine).
• Since 1980, the amount of those who had died due to a drug overdose had risen over 540 percent.
• In America, over six million children live with at least one parent who abuses drugs.

If you or someone you know is currently abusing drugs, we urge you to seek professional assistance, immediately. At Online Drug Class, we can help. Our online educational programs can provide you with the resources you need to overcome addiction and make sound decisions that help improve your quality of life. Enroll today and start taking advantage of these helpful tools now!