Minnesota Institute of Public Health

While in Washington DC recently, I was invited to the National Press Club for the press conference releasing the National Survey on Drug Use and Health: 2008 Findings. A stately building between the White House and the Capitol, the National Press Club hosted, as it does most days, a press conference on news that’s nice to know, and news we need to know.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) was news we need to know. Since 1999, over 67,000 persons annually were surveyed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), via computer-assisted communications. Previous to that, paper and pencil surveys were the vehicle for 25 years. SAMHSA’s Office of Applied Studies will share the full 300-page report in hard copy by calling 1-877-726-4727, or you can download it here.  

The survey is considered the primary source of information on the use of illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco by civilian, non-institutionalized U.S. citizens age 12 and older.

My “Cliff’s Notes” version of the findings is this:

• 20 million Americans 12 years or older currently used illicit drugs during the 30 days before being surveyed. This is 8% of that population, and 2008 results are similar to 2007. 

• Marijuana remains the most commonly used illicit drug.

• Cocaine use is at 0.7 of the population, same as 2007, but lower than the 1.0% in 2006.

• 2.5% or 6.2 million reported non-medical use of prescription drugs, slightly lower than 2007. I found this surprising.

• The number of methamphetamine users decreased by over 50% between 2006 and 2008. Meth use is a terrible development, but the epidemiology numbers don’t permit us to call it an epidemic.

• Slightly more than half of the 12 years and older Americans surveyed, or 129 million of us, report being drinkers of alcohol. 

• An estimated 70.9 million Americans based on survey extrapolation used tobacco.

The NSDUH 2008 report does interesting deep dives into incidence, prevalence, first-time use, depend use, treatment and mental health correlates; more certainly than can be referenced in a blog. 

But check out the survey findings. If our prevention work is to be data-driven, we need to stay current on the kind of behaviors we’re trying to prevent. 

To visit our one stop shop for Minnesota data visit here. 

-JJ