Pete Guither has read the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. It finds that over 100 million Americans have used an illegal drug at some time. This leads Pete to coin this slogan:
WE can win the War on Drugs! Just lock up 100,000,000 more Americans.
He also notes;
Over 80% of people who have used drugs are not current drug users, let alone abusers (so much for the certain enslavement properties of drugs).
One more thing I see in this table, a solid majority of people under the age 50 have used illegal drugs, and that trend is holding solid. This is why I have hope that the War on Drugs has a limited life expectancy.
Posted by Walter at October 29, 2003 07:12 AMright on walter......keep on bloggin'........dk
Posted by: Doug Kenline at October 29, 2003 06:24 PMTO: Walter
RE: Statistics
"Over 80% of people who have used drugs are not current drug users, let alone abusers (so much for the certain enslavement properties of drugs)." -- Walter [citing data form a study and adding comment]
Perhaps that high figure is because a goodly number of the former drug users are 'former drug users' because they are no longer amongst the 'quick'.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[You don't see many OLD drug users.]
Chuck -- you seem to falling for the notion that most (or even a significant percentage) of drug use results in death. And no 'old' drug users? Well, the baby boomers are not yet officially 'old', and they're the first generation to smoke pot and such in significant numbers. Methinks they'll be toking up at Steely Dan/Rolling Stones concerts ten years from now, as they've come to understand the benign effects of the stuff. Look forward to a future of doddering William Burroughs-types.
Posted by: B.P. at October 30, 2003 11:33 AM Chuck, the numbers come from a survey, one of those things where they ask people questions. Unless they've been asking questions of dead people then obviously those 80% only count as the surviving portion of drug users.
Now look at the numbers again. 55% or so of people under age 50 have used illegal drugs at one time. We can extrapolate then that 44% of those under 50 have used drugs in the past but no longer do so. If you wish to argue that drug use commonly leads to death then you must have some study showing a significant number of people have under 50 have died. I'll wait for your numbers.
Wow, Walter, you've got a comment troll now? Cool. How can I get one?
A former 44 percenter
Posted by: Aubrey LaVentana at October 31, 2003 09:49 PMNah, that comment doesn't qualify as trolling. Dissenting opinions are welcome.
Posted by: Walter at November 1, 2003 07:27 AMTO: Walter
RE: Surveys Anyone?
"...the numbers come from a survey, one of those things where they ask people questions." -- Walter
Walter, you're either preaching to the choir or condescending about surveys. You know...trying to tell people things they've known, probably since before you were born. [Note: Admittedly you don't know me. So you wouldn't know better.]
And, as you aptly point out, surveys require people who CAN answer them. That leaves the dead by OD or some other drug-related reason 'out in the cold' so to speak.
RE: The Numbers Game
"...look at the numbers again. 55% or so of people under age 50 have used illegal drugs at one time." -- Walter
First off, the lumping of everyone into 'under 50' is interesting. Generally speaking good surveys do a better job of breaking out their demographics. One group of people 21-30 years of age has a much different outlook on life than does the 31-40, 41-50 or so on groups.
Secondly, the question not addressed in what I've seen is how many are still active users? "One time"? Or how about a hundred times? Set theory says that if you are in the second set you are also a member of the first.
RE: Enslavement
"Over 80% of people who have used drugs are not current drug users, let alone abusers (so much for the certain enslavement properties of drugs)." -- report as cited by Walter
It depends on the drug, doesn't it?
RE: Just for Perspective
I'm in favor of legalizing marijuana and other naturally occurring, i.e., the stuff grows like that, things. My understanding is that God made it like that. We should use it with that respect. [Note: Issues about impaired responses, i.e., early 80s train wreck over US 36 because the crew was high, are addressed separately, like drunk driving.]
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[Who declares the twisted tendrel as a snare?
If a blessing, we should use it.
And if a curse, why then, who put it there? -- Omar K.]
TO: B.P.
RE: Boomer Babies
" Well, the baby boomers are not yet officially 'old', and they're the first generation to smoke pot and such in significant numbers. Methinks they'll be toking up at Steely Dan/Rolling Stones concerts ten years from now, as they've come to understand the benign effects of the stuff." -- B.P.
True. We ain't there just yet. But give us time.
The question remains, how many make it to being "old"? And what are the statistics on what caused those who failed to not 'make the grade'?
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Posted by: Chuck Pelto at November 2, 2003 11:29 AM