[TKDietz]

I was curious about the claim that Alaska has the highest drug addiction rates in the country so I tried to serach for proof of this claim. I did not find anything saying this specifically, but I did find some interesting data from our government's 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). When you look at the tables for people twelve or older or 26 and older you will see Alaska right up there with the states with the highest dependence and abuse rates for alcohol and drugs. When you look at children from ages 12 to 17, Alaska is near or at the bottom range on the tables as far as dependence and abuse goes. Alaska has a higher male to female ratio than any other state I believe and males are more apt to abuse drugs and alcohol than females, so I would expect Alaska to have high rates of addiction in relation to other states. I did not expect to see abuse and addiction rates to be among the lowest for children. It appears to me that the overall rates are skewed because Alaska has a relatively young population. Seniors don't tend to move there to retire, and when you look at these NSDUH statitics, people 54 and under are several times more likely to have used illegal drugs than people 65 and older. This explains why the overall addiction rates are higher than in much of the rest of the country where most of the elderly reside. But why is it that Alaska has such lax marijuana laws yet they have among the lowest addiction rates in the country for children 12 - 17 years of age?

[TKDietz]

Here's a link to the NSDUH tables I mentioned: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k2State/html/ch5.htm

[CSM]

Mr. Leroy, is that you?

(Anyone posting these articles must be Leroy, don't ya know!)

[robertpaulsen]

Already posted here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1195249/posts

[dead]

Generally, the words "pot" and "initiative" don't go well together.

[Onelifetogive]

Backers of a controversial ballot initiative want pot to be treated just like alcohol. If voters pass the measure, it would be legal to grow, smoke and sell any amount of marijuana so long as one is 21 years of age.

Can I "grow, smoke and sell any amount of alcohol" to anyone over 21???

[beachn4fun]

Hey Ma, you in on this? ;->

[Mudboy Slim]

"Alaska has a higher male to female ratio than any other state I believe and males are more apt to abuse drugs and alcohol than females, so I would expect Alaska to have high rates of addiction in relation to other states."

Plus, with no women around, you might as well just fire up a doobie...then again, perhaps women cause the tension that begs fer a bong hit...LOL!!

Go Alaska Go...MUD

[RightWhale]

Nobody would be surprised to find Alaska has the highest drug use of any state. Alcohol, too. It is an obvious big deal. But not everyone in Alaska is a pothead. In fact, there is an equal number who are teetotalers. Persons kind of have to follow their natural inclinations in Alaska since the social structure is relatively weak, so some go toward being stoned, at least for a while, and some go towards being stone sober.

[EUPHORIC]

I hope they legalize it just to see what the ads for it are like... :)

[Wolfie]

Alaskans are already free to grow their own. Personally, I think it should be left at that.

[houeto]

A question for any that know the answer.

Why is it legal to brew your own beer or make your own wine but it is illegal to make your own liquor?

[jimt]

The use of the words "addiction" and "marijuana" together are ludicrous. Marijuana is no more addictive than milk. It irritates the hell out of me when people blame their inability to control themselves on outside forces or things. That's the case of "marijuana" "addiction".

[ofthenight]

Alaska has the highest unemployment rate for obvious reasons...its alaska. Not many people reside there because of the lovely weather, climate, and daylight/nighttime ratio and not many visit for the same reasons...hence the education/job curve will be sharper than, say, california.

Watch these numbers turn around if they pass the legislature, along with population followed by corporate presence. Then watch each state follow suit as they are now with the medical agenda.