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Just the Facts Main
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Illicit Drug
Abuse Facts |
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National Illicit Drug Abuse Facts
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| Cocaine,
Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Marijuana Are Greatest Drug
Threats to U.S. — Adapted by Cesar from National Drug
Intelligence Center, "National Drug Threat
Assessment 2002," 2001. Table
showing drug, availability, demand, production and
distribution. (pdf file) |
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Source: CESAR FAX, March 11, 2002 |
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| Commonly
Abused Drugs — NIDA (National Institute on Drug
Abuse) Table of Information, including substance
category and name; examples of commercial and street
names, DEA schedule; how administered and intoxication
effects/potential health consequences. |
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— Source:
NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) |
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| NIDA
(National Institute on Drug Abuse) — Community Drug
Alert Bulletin — Some
Facts about Club Drugs — contains drug names,
slang or street names and method of use. |
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Source: NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) |
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| In
2000, an estimated 14 million Americans were
current illicit drug users, meaning they had used
an illicit drug during the month prior to
interview. This estimate represents 6.3% of the
population 12 years old and older. |
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Source: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse,
2001. |
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Chronic use of MDMA was found, first in laboratory
animals and more recently in humans, to produce
long-lasting, perhaps permanent, damage to
the neurons that release serotonin, and consequent
memory impairment. |
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Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1999.
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Emergency room visits involving ecstasy grew
nine-fold from 1996 to 1999 (319 to 2,850); most
patients were under the age of 25. |
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Source: Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
(April 6, 2001) Prevention Alert, 4 (7).
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| From
1998 to 1999, figures from the Drug Abuse Warning
Network for deaths from ecstasy increased 400%. |
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Source: Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
(April 6, 2001) Prevention Alert, 4 (7). |
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Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug.
It is used by 76% of current illicit drug users.
Approximately 59% of current illicit drug users
consumed only marijuana, 17% used marijuana and
other illicit drugs and the remaining 24% used an
illicit drug but not marijuana in the past month.
Therefore, about 41% of current illicit drug users
in 2000 (an estimated 5.7 million Americans) use
illicit drugs other than marijuana and hashish,
with or without using marijuana as well. |
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Source: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse,
2001. |
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