NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE: alcohol patterns

1997 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse

Discussion

The most common pattern of use of alcohol and other drugs in the lifetime, past year, and past month was alcohol only, while about 1% used illicit drugs only in these three time periods. About one-third reported use of alcohol and illicit drugs in their lifetime compared with about 10% in the past year and 5% in the past month. The most common pattern of use of alcohol and illicit drugs was use of alcohol and marijuana.

Over half of the 216 million people represented in the 1997 NHSDA (53%) used at least one substance during the past month, and nearly two-thirds used at least one substance in the past year (65%). One-tenth of the surveyed population used more than one substance in the past year, and one of these substances was almost always alcohol. Estimated average ages of drug use initiation continued to show earlier use of cigarettes, alcohol, inhalants, and marijuana than use of hallucinogens, cocaine, and heroin. Finally, lifetime needle use was relatively more common among males and adults aged 18 or older, and less common among college graduates.

Table 10.1 Percentage Reporting Types of Drug Use in Their Lifetime, by Age Group: 1997


Types of Use	Age Group in Years				Total
Types of Use	12-17	18-25	26-34	35+	Total

Alcohol Only	19.4	39.3	39.0	55.8	47.1

Illicit Drugs¹ Only	3.4	1.1	0.8	0.3	0.8
Marijuana only	1.1	0.4	0.4	0.1	0.3
Psychotherapeutics² only	1.0	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.3
Other drugs and drug combinations	1.3	0.3	0.2	*	0.2

Alcohol and Illicit Drugs	20.4	44.3	49.9	31.2	34.8
Alcohol and marijuana only	8.5	20.4	22.0	15.4	16.4
Alcohol and psychotherapeutics only	0.8	1.7	1.1	1.4	1.4
Alcohol and other drugs and drug combinations	11.0	22.2	26.8	14.4	17.1

Used Only 1 Substance³	22.2	40.2	39.6	56.0	47.8

Used 2 Substances	11.3	23.5	24.2	17.1	18.5

Used 3 or More Substances	9.6	20.9	25.9	14.1	16.4

Note: Due to improved procedures implemented in 1994, these estimates are not comparable with those presented in NHSDA Main Findings prior to 1994.

*Low precision; no estimate reported.

¹ Use of marijuana or hashish, cocaine (including crack), inhalants, hallucinogens (including PCP and LSD), heroin, or nonmedical use of psychotherapeutics at least once.
² Nonmedical use of any prescription-type stimulant, sedative, tranquilizer, or analgesic; does not include over-the-counter drugs.
³ A "substance" is defined as any one of the following types of drugs: alcohol, marijuana, hallucinogens, cocaine, heroin, inhalants, and nonmedical use of prescription-type psychotherapeutics.
Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1997.

Table 10.2 Percentage Reporting Types of Drug Use in the Past Year, by Age Group: 1997


Types of Use	Age Group in Years				Total
Types of Use	12-17	18-25	26-34	35+	Total

Alcohol Only	18.0	50.7	61.6	58.8	54.0

Illicit Drugs¹ Only	2.8	0.9	1.2	0.8	1.1
Marijuana only	1.1	0.5	0.2	0.3	0.4
Psychotherapeutics² only	0.5	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.3
Other drugs and drug combinations	1.1	0.1	0.6	0.2	0.3

Alcohol and Illicit Drugs	16.0	24.4	13.1	5.2	10.1
Alcohol and marijuana only	7.6	12.7	7.2	2.8	5.3
Alcohol and psychotherapeutics only	0.6	1.2	1.1	0.7	0.8
Alcohol and other drugs and drug combinations	7.8	10.5	4.8	1.8	4.0

Used Only 1 Substance³	20.0	51.5	62.6	59.5	54.9

Used 2 Substances	9.8	15.2	9.4	4.1	7.0

Used 3 or More Substances	6.9	9.4	3.9	1.3	3.3

Note: Due to improved procedures implemented in 1994, these estimates are not comparable with those presented in NHSDA Main Findings prior to 1994.

Table 10.3 Percentage Reporting Types of Drug Use in the Past Month, by Age Group: 1997


Types of Use	Age Group in Years				Total
Types of Use	12-17	18-25	26-34	35+	Total

Alcohol Only	11.7	45.0	54.0	50.1	46.1

Illicit Drugs¹ Only	2.7	1.2	1.2	0.8	1.1
Marijuana only	1.3	0.8	0.5	0.4	0.6
Psychotherapeutics² only	0.4	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3
Other drugs and drug combinations	1.0	0.3	0.4	0.2	0.3

Alcohol and Illicit Drugs	8.8	13.5	6.2	2.7	5.3
Alcohol and marijuana only	4.9	8.5	4.1	1.7	3.3
Alcohol and psychotherapeutics only	0.3	0.6	0.4	0.3	0.3
Alcohol and other drugs and drug combinations	3.5	4.3	1.8	0.7	1.7

Used Only 1 Substance³	13.9	46.0	55.0	50.8	47.0

Used 2 Substances	6.1	10.0	4.9	2.4	4.2

Used 3 or More Substances	3.1	3.7	1.5	0.4	1.3

Note: Due to improved procedures implemented in 1994, these estimates are not comparable with those presented in NHSDA Main Findings prior to 1994.

¹ Use of marijuana or hashish, cocaine (including crack), inhalants, hallucinogens (including PCP and LSD), heroin, or nonmedical use of psychotherapeutics at least once.
² Nonmedical use of any prescription-type stimulant, sedative, tranquilizer, or analgesic; does not include over-the-counter drugs.
³ A "substance" is defined as any one of the following types of drugs: alcohol, marijuana, hallucinogens, cocaine, heroin, inhalants, and nonmedical use of prescription-type psychotherapeutics.
Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1997.

Table 10.4 Average Age at First Use of Cigarettes, Alcohol, and Other Drugs, by Age Group: 1997

Drug Total

Age Group in Years All Ages (Unweighted n)

12-17 18-25 26-34 35+

Cigarettes 12.4 14.9 15.0 16.0 15.5 (14,248)

Alcohol 13.1 15.9 16.5 18.3 17.4 (16,822)

Marijuana/Hashish 13.7 16.6 16.5 20.4 18.4 (7,730)

Inhalants 13.0 16.0 16.7 19.6 17.3 (1,613)

Cocaine 14.7 18.0 19.7 24.2 21.9 (2,251)

Hallucinogens 14.5 17.5 18.7 19.8 18.6 (2,268)

Heroin 14.4 17.7 21.3 19.9 19.5 (237)

Nonmedical Use of Any
Psychotherapeutic Drugs 13.9 17.0 19.6 22.5 20.4 (1,993)

Stimulants
14.5 16.8 18.0 20.4 19.3 (885)

Sedatives
13.9 16.4 17.2 20.8 19.5 (309)

Tranquilizers
14.5 18.0 20.8 23.5 21.2 (650)

Analgesics
13.9 17.0 20.8 25.9 21.6 (1,207)

Note 1: Due to improved procedures implemented in 1994, these estimates are not comparable with those presented in NHSDA Main Findings prior to 1994.
Note 2: Entries are the average (mean) ages of first use of the drugs among those who have used the drug.
Note 3: The mean age should not be used to compare birth cohorts (i.e., groups of individuals born in different historical periods, such as age groups 12 to 17, 18 to 25, and others in this table) because data on the distribution of initiation ages are censored (i.e., unavailable beyond a specified age) for recent cohorts, and the age of censoring depends on the cohort. Thus, comparisons of the mean age across cohorts are biased.
Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1997.

Table 10.5 Percentage Reporting Drug Use with a Needle in Their Lifetime, by Age Group and Demographic Characteristics: 1997

Demographic
Characteristic Age Group in Years Total

12-17 18-25 26-34 35+

Total 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.2 1.1

Gender

Male
0.5 1.0 1.4 2.0 1.6

Female
0.3 0.6 1.0 0.5 0.6

Race/Ethnicity¹

White, non-Hispanic
0.5 1.0 1.4 1.2 1.1

Black, non-Hispanic
0.1 0.4 0.7 0.9 0.7

Hispanic
0.1 0.4 0.9 1.5 1.0

Population Density

Large metro
0.4 0.6 0.6 1.0 0.8

Small metro
0.3 0.8 2.0 1.7 1.5

Nonmetro
0.7 1.2 1.5 0.7 0.8

Region

Northeast
0.3 * 1.0 1.1 0.9

North Central
0.4 1.1 0.8 0.4 0.6

South
0.5 0.5 1.3 1.3 1.1

West
0.3 1.4 1.8 1.9 1.7

Adult Education²

Less than high school
N/A 1.2 3.1 1.5 1.7

High school graduate
N/A 0.8 1.1 0.8 0.9

Some college
N/A 0.6 1.4 2.3 1.8

College graduate
N/A 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.5

Current Employment³

Full-time
N/A 0.7 0.9 1.6 1.3

Part-time
N/A 0.5 2.4 0.9 1.0

Unemployed
N/A 2.0 2.3 0.8 1.5

Other⁴
N/A 0.9 1.4 0.8 0.9

Note: Due to improved procedures implemented in 1994, these estimates are not comparable with those presented in NHSDA Main Findings prior to 1994.

*Low precision; no estimate reported.
N/A: Not applicable.

¹ The category "other" for race/ethnicity is not included.
² Data on adult education are not applicable for youths aged 12 to 17. Total refers to adults aged 18 or older (unweighted n=16,661).
³ Data on current employment are not applicable for youths aged 12 to 17. Total refers to adults aged 18 or older (unweighted n=16,661).
⁴ Retired, disabled, homemaker, student, or "other."
Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1997.

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Drug					Total
	Age Group in Years				All Ages	(Unweighted n)
	12-17	18-25	26-34	35+	All Ages	(Unweighted n)

Cigarettes	12.4	14.9	15.0	16.0	15.5	(14,248)
Alcohol	13.1	15.9	16.5	18.3	17.4	(16,822)
Marijuana/Hashish	13.7	16.6	16.5	20.4	18.4	(7,730)
Inhalants	13.0	16.0	16.7	19.6	17.3	(1,613)
Cocaine	14.7	18.0	19.7	24.2	21.9	(2,251)
Hallucinogens	14.5	17.5	18.7	19.8	18.6	(2,268)
Heroin	14.4	17.7	21.3	19.9	19.5	(237)
Nonmedical Use of Any Psychotherapeutic Drugs	13.9	17.0	19.6	22.5	20.4	(1,993)
Stimulants	14.5	16.8	18.0	20.4	19.3	(885)
Sedatives	13.9	16.4	17.2	20.8	19.5	(309)
Tranquilizers	14.5	18.0	20.8	23.5	21.2	(650)
Analgesics	13.9	17.0	20.8	25.9	21.6	(1,207)


Demographic Characteristic	Age Group in Years				Total
Demographic Characteristic	12-17	18-25	26-34	35+	Total

Total	0.4	0.8	1.2	1.2	1.1

Gender
Male	0.5	1.0	1.4	2.0	1.6
Female	0.3	0.6	1.0	0.5	0.6
Race/Ethnicity¹
White, non-Hispanic	0.5	1.0	1.4	1.2	1.1
Black, non-Hispanic	0.1	0.4	0.7	0.9	0.7
Hispanic	0.1	0.4	0.9	1.5	1.0
Population Density
Large metro	0.4	0.6	0.6	1.0	0.8
Small metro	0.3	0.8	2.0	1.7	1.5
Nonmetro	0.7	1.2	1.5	0.7	0.8
Region
Northeast	0.3	*	1.0	1.1	0.9
North Central	0.4	1.1	0.8	0.4	0.6
South	0.5	0.5	1.3	1.3	1.1
West	0.3	1.4	1.8	1.9	1.7
Adult Education²
Less than high school	N/A	1.2	3.1	1.5	1.7
High school graduate	N/A	0.8	1.1	0.8	0.9
Some college	N/A	0.6	1.4	2.3	1.8
College graduate	N/A	0.2	0.3	0.5	0.5
Current Employment³
Full-time	N/A	0.7	0.9	1.6	1.3
Part-time	N/A	0.5	2.4	0.9	1.0
Unemployed	N/A	2.0	2.3	0.8	1.5
Other⁴	N/A	0.9	1.4	0.8	0.9