National Survey Reveals Increases in Substance use from 2008 to 2009

After years of declining use, overall youth drug use among those 12 and older rose by 9 percent in 2009 – jumping from 8 percent in 2008 to 8.7 percent in 2009. That's according to the latest results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), unveiled today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The rise in overall drug use was driven in large part by increases in marijuana use.

The annual NSDUH survey, released by SAMHSA at the kickoff of the 21st annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, also shows that among 12 to 17-year-olds, marijuana use increased by 9 percent—going from 6.7 percent in 2008 to 7.3 percent in 2009. Among those 12 and older, marijuana use increased by 8 percent between 2008 and 2009. Overall past-month illicit drug use among young adults aged 18-25 increased from 19.6 percent of young adults in 2008, to 21.2 percent in 2009. This rise in use was also driven in large part by the use of marijuana.

Equally concerning was that the nonmedical use of prescription drugs rose from 2.5 percent of the population in 2008 to 2.8 percent in 2009. Additionally, the estimated number of past-month ecstasy users rose from 555,000 in 2008 to 760,000 in 2009, and the number of methamphetamine users rose from 314,000 to 502,000 during that period.

“As an organization that strives to prevent and reduce substance use and abuse among youth, we are gravely concerned about the recent findings from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Drug use is up in almost all categories, with more youth now using ecstasy, marijuana, methamphetamine, and abusing prescription drugs, than they were in 2008,” said Gen. Arthur T. Dean in a statement. Click here to view Gen. Dean's full statement.

R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), called the findings “very troubling.” “Today’s findings are disappointing, but not surprising, because eroding attitudes and perceptions of harm about drug use over the past two years have served as warning signs for exactly what we see today,” Kerlikowske said.

He said part of the blame for the increase in overall drug use and in marijuana use among youth has to go to the increasing discussions throughout the country about marijuana as medicine. “Associating marijuana as medicine sends them [youth] the wrong message,” Kerlikowske told the audience at the press conference on Thursday, adding that kids need to be getting the message that drug use is wrong from everyone in their lives, especially parents.

“Our efforts must be reinforced and supported by the messages kids get from their parents. Past month marijuana use was much less prevalent among youths who perceived strong parental disapproval for trying marijuana or hashish once or twice than among those who did not — 4.8 percent versus 31.3 percent, respectively,” he said.

In addition to increases in use, the survey also found that the level of youth perceiving great risk of harm associated with smoking marijuana once or twice a week dropped from 54.7 percent in 2007 to 49.3 percent in 2009, marking the first time since 2002 that less than half of young people perceived great harm in frequent marijuana use. The rate of current tobacco use or underage drinking among this group remained stable between 2008 and 2009.

Despite some troubling trends, the 2009 NSDUH shows continued progress in lowering levels of tobacco consumption among people aged 12 years and older. Current cigarette use among this population has reached a historic low level at 23.3 percent. However, even in this case, the pace of improvement is stagnating. The use of cocaine among those aged 12 or older has also declined 30 percent from 2006.

As in previous years, the 2009 NSDUH shows a vast disparity between the number of people needing specialized treatment for a substance abuse problem and the number who actually receive it. According to the survey, 23.5 million Americans aged 12 or older (9.3 percent of this population) need specialized treatment for a substance abuse problem, but only 2.6 million (or roughly 11.2 percent of them) receive it.

The complete survey findings are available on the SAMHSA website. More information about the NSDUH Survey, including ONDCP Director Kerlikowske's remarks and a video message, are available on the ONDCP's NSDUH page.