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Survey: Drug use among older adults hits all-time peak

LOS ANGELES TIMES

September 18, 2008

Drug use among older adults in the United States has hit its highest point ever, according to data from the federal government's National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

In the government's latest report - reflecting drug use in 2007 - 1 in 20 Americans ages 50 to 59 told researchers they had used illicit drugs in the last month. More than one-half of these older users still like their street drugs, including marijuana and cocaine.

But as older users contend with the aches and pains of aging, they are adding prescription drugs to their mix, according to the September report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Researchers with the federal substance abuse agency said they remain uncertain if boomer drug users continued to do drugs into adulthood or, rather, returned to a youthful habit as they aged. By contrast, the younger generation of drug users isn't waiting to reach middle age to add prescription drugs to its portfolio of abuse, the report says.

Among teenagers and young adults ages 12 to 25, one-third of those who use illicit drugs say they recently have abused prescription drugs - including painkillers, tranquilizers and stimulants.

Among kids 12 to 17, 3.3 percent had abused prescription psychotherapeutic drugs in the past month. And among 17- to 25-year-olds, 6 percent had abused prescription drugs in the same period.

These generational trends are driving a significant change in the landscape of American drug abuse. After years of declining use of street drugs - cocaine, hallucinogens and marijuana - prescription medications have begun moving front and center as the nation's drug of choice.