Baby Boomer Drug Use
Efforts to curb illegal drugs often focus on the young—with good reason. While more than 20 percent of 18-to-20-year-olds used illicit drugs last year, only about 6 percent of 50-to-54-year-olds did.
But illegal drug use among young people is decreasing. Cocaine and methamphetamine use among young adults dropped over the past year, according to a recent report, although abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise. Meanwhile, there has been a spike in illicit drug use among baby boomers.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2007 survey on drug use found that the rate of illicit drug use in the past month among those ages 50 to 54 increased from 3.4 percent in 2002 to 5.7 percent in 2007. The confidential survey of 67,500, which included in-person interviews conducted in respondents' homes, found that among those between the ages of 55 and 59, illicit drug use more than doubled from 1.9 percent in 2002 to 4.1 percent in 2007.
The authors of the report say these trends may partially reflect the aging into these age groups of the baby boomers, whose lifetime rates of illicit drug use are higher than those of older age groups.
Tags: drugs | baby boomers | senior citizens
Tools: 
Share
|
| Comments (3) | Print
Reader Comments
Baby boomer drug use
Interesting statisics but you fail to mention what type of 'illicit' drugs they are using. If it is marijuana, then the numbers aren't impressive. Pot has medicinal uses which are recognized in some states.
As cancer rates increase, I would expect marijuana use to increase, too. Is marijuana illicit is my question or is this study referring to cocaine, heroin, and meth? If so, then I am shocked.
Drugs and Baby Boomers
Many people in the baby boomer generation are starting to feel depressed and part of the reason for this is that if they lose a spouse or significant other they tend to isolate theirselves from the rest of the world. We're also living a lot longer than previous generations. Let's face it in our younger days there was so much going on....we witnessed President Kennedy being assassinated. We had the Vietnam war in which all of us pretty much lost loved ones for a war that most people didn't support. We had the advent of the birth control pill and we lived in constant fear of the Cold War with Russia and in my case a very real fear of Cuba and the missle crisis as I grew up in S. Florida. Our generation were trail blazers.I can't really say with positive proof why drug use is up but I suspect very strongly that once the numbers are tallied up for 2008 if people are truly honest they will be astounded by the numbers. I say this because I think we are going to see that all across the board drug and alcohol use are both going to be way up. Most of us have seen our life savings disappear, we've been at war with Iraq for what seems like forever, crime is way up, people are terrified to spend their money (what's left of it) for a much needed getaway because we all feel too guilty to spend anything except for the bare necessities. I also think suicide rates are going to go up, strokes, heart attacks and depression is running rampant. All one needs to do is go anywhere these days and the mood is somber at best. It's very difficult to go out these days and yuck it up when unemployment is going up, incomes are going down, positions are being "eliminated" even for folks that have been very loyal employees for 30+ years at the companies that have decided that their services aren't needed any longer. You don't have to look very hard to find someone that has been impacted by all of this. People are losing their jobs, their houses and many have lost their entire life savings. How can you walk around and feel good and optimistic (no matter how upbeat you may be) when you know the next person to lose their job just might be you?
And because the economy is in such a slump it seems to be that a lot of police officers are being encouraged to pull everyone over and get them for something that in the past might have just been a warning. It's like a cash cow now. So, a lot of people don't want to (or feel they can't) even go out and socialize because all of that cost money so I think more people will start drinking and doing drugs at home just to self medicate because they've lost hope. It's very very tragic. I would be more surprised to read that drug and alcohol use have gone down. Most of us have seen about 40% of our life savings vanish and the equity in our homes (if there is any equity left!!!!!). Let's hope things get better and the sooner the better.
drugs and baby boomers
I do appreciate all these commentaries...esp...drug use. Perhaps there is a drop in use of younger people...Maybe boomers are depressed. That seems to be another major topic..among other unflattering boomer comments. I do think drinking is more prevalent as the kids are gone..so kick back and have a few belts (best at home)..and enjoy life...carol stanley author of For Kids 59.99 & Over.
advertisement
