1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse

Table 19. Percentages Reporting Past Month Use of Any Illicit Drug, by Age Group and Demographic Characteristics:  1997 and 1998  

	AGE GROUP (Years)
	12-17		18-25		26-34		35 and Older		Total
Demographic Characteristic	1997	1998	1997	1998	1997	1998	1997	1998	1997	1998
TOTAL	11.4a	9.9	14.7	16.1	7.4	7.0	3.6	3.3	6.4	6.2
RACE/ ETHNICITY
White, non-Hispanic	11.8	10.3	15.1	17.6	8.4	7.1	3.6	3.2	6.4	6.1
Black, non-Hispanic	11.0	9.9	15.5	17.1	7.0	9.4	4.4	4.8	7.5	8.2
Hispanic	10.5	9.9	10.5	11.1	3.8	5.4	3.7	3.5	5.9	6.1
Other, non-Hispanic	10.4	6.2	17.9	8.4	3.2	4.3	*	1.7	5.4	3.8
GENDER
Male	12.3a	10.3	19.6	20.5	9.6	9.8	5.0	4.4	8.5	8.1
Female	10.6	9.5	9.6	11.7	5.2	4.3	2.3	2.4	4.5	4.5
POPULATION DENSITY1
Large Metro	11.8	10.0	14.8	15.0	8.6	7.7	3.2	3.8	6.5	6.4
Small Metro	12.7	10.6	16.9	18.9	5.7	7.4	4.4	3.4	7.1	7.0
Nonmetro	9.0	8.8	10.8	12.8	7.3	4.7	3.0	2.3	5.2	4.6
REGION
Northeast	10.5	10.7	12.7	15.6	4.3	7.2	2.5	2.9	4.7	5.8
North Central	12.2	11.6	13.6b	21.3	9.7	7.0	4.3	2.6	7.3	6.7
South	10.7b	7.8	13.6	13.1	6.2	6.6	3.1	3.2	5.8	5.5
West	12.7	11.0	19.2	16.0	9.3	7.6	4.6	4.7	8.1	7.3
ADULT EDUCATION2
<High School	N/A	N/A	17.9	20.6	9.6	9.8	3.7	2.7	6.8	6.5
High School Grad	N/A	N/A	15.0	16.1	6.8	8.2	3.8	3.4	6.0	6.2
Some College	N/A	N/A	14.2	16.3	9.3	6.7	3.7	3.8	6.9	6.9
College Graduate	N/A	N/A	8.7	7.3	5.0	4.8	3.1	3.2	3.8	3.7
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT2
Full-time	N/A	N/A	13.5	15.6	7.2	6.9	4.8	4.3	6.5	6.4
Part-time	N/A	N/A	16.1	17.1	8.5	10.4	2.7	2.3	7.7	7.4
Unemployed	N/A	N/A	19.2a	28.2	15.5	14.7	10.3	14.4	13.8	18.2
Other3	N/A	N/A	14.0	12.9	4.6	3.4	1.6	1.4	3.0	2.8

*Low precision; no estimate reported.

N/A: Not applicable.

NOTE: Any Illicit Drug indicates use at least once of marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), inhalants, hallucinogens (including PCP and LSD), heroin, or any prescription-type psychotherapeutic used nonmedically. Any Illicit Drug Other than Marijuana indicates use at least once of any of these listed drugs, regardless of marijuana/hashish use; marijuana/hashish users who also have used any of the other listed drugs are included.

¹ Population density is based on 1990 MSA classifications and their 1990 Census of Population counts.

² Data on adult education and current employment not shown for persons aged 12-17. Estimates for both adult education and current employment are for persons aged > 18.

³ Retired, disabled, homemaker, student, or "other."

^aDifference between 1997 and 1998 is statistically significant at the .05 level.

^bDifference between 1997 and 1998 is statistically significant at the .01 level.

Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1997 and 1998.

90714 (41B)

This page was last updated on June 01, 2008.

SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.