Posted on 09/10/2004 8:05:17 AM PDT by cryptical
Washington, DC: Three out of four illicit drug users in the United States are marijuana smokers, according to survey data released today by the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to the department's annual "National Survey on Drug Use and Health," an estimated 19.5 million Americans currently use illicit drugs (as defined as use within the past month). Of these, 14.6 million - or 75 percent - self-identify as marijuana smokers.
By comparison, only 2.3 million Americans reported using cocaine, approximately one million reported using LSD, and fewer than 120,000 said that they currently use heroin.
In addition, an estimated 97 million Americans - slightly more than 40 percent of the US population age 12 or older - have used marijuana during their lifetimes, the study noted.
NORML Foundation Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said that the prevalence of marijuana consumers compared to other illicit drugs begs for a change in the federal law. "Americans clearly delineate between the use of marijuana and the use of more dangerous substances like cocaine and heroin," he said. "Like the use of alcohol and tobacco, marijuana use is an acknowledged part of the American culture and economy. It is consumed by tens of millions of Americans, relatively few of which suffer significant deleterious health consequences due to their use. It is time for our public policies to reflect this reality and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco."
For more information, please contact either Allen St. Pierre or Paul Armentano of the NORML Foundation at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health is available online at:
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda.htm#NHSDAinfo
OK DAN. Is this another one of YOUR stories?
Democratic Voters Comprise 75% Of Illicit Drug Users, Federal Study Says...
And from my experience 100% of the pot users are against the Patriot Act because they are so paranoid Bush is going to come after their stash!
It doesn't say if they are EXCLUSIVELY pot smokers. Maybe a good % of the pot smokers are also the coke users. Not sure.
Watch for Kerry to support legalizing illicit drugs.
We are, after all, talking about an almost entirely underground market.
"Three out of four illicit drug users in the United States are marijuana smokers"
3 out of 4 illicit drug users are also Doritos eaters.
I think the original poster sounds like someone who believes in the radical notion of a smaller, less intrusive government.
What money is that? What resources are those?
We're talking "use", not arrests, incarcerations, drug programs, etc.
I bet we can cut down on the number of DWI's by making it legal and arresting those drunk drivers only after they've actually broken some law (like speeding, accidents, etc.).
"...100% of the pot users are against the Patriot Act..."
If that is the case, then it seems to me that there is an easy way to add 14.6 million new supporters of the Patriot Act and save a TON of money to boot.
I think we really have to think about drug use in general and pot in particular in a new way. Too many people have had experience with pot and they know that it didn't lead to "Reefer Madness". We need to focus more on illegal behaviors that actually affect others.
That said, I can certainly see the tax benefits from pot as well as the jobs that would be generated in rural America from growing it (and it's related products).
Quite a drop, I'd say.
Let the states/countys/municipalities decide whether they want to legalize it's sale within their borders.
It would have to be allowed to be possesed and used in the privacy of your own home, or possibly, even in a privately owned business.
Without the field test I say keep it, at least, a misdemeaner and heavier penalties if used in conjunction with other crimes.
Do you just drop a postcard in the mail to participate in these polls? There aren't exactly a lot of sales receipts around.
Yes, I know that would be illegal, but the marijuana traffickers and dealers have to do something.
Wait a minute ... if we're enforcing against exports instead of imports, where's the savings? Hmmmm.
You've made a totally BS comparison, and I'm nearly positive you are intelligent enough to know that it is BS.
Alcohol is legal, but there are regulations on its usage that no-one really objects to (except of course when they are pulled over for DWI).
Or how 'bout the money and resources spent on this situation reported a week or so ago? What do you think was really accomplished?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1204895/posts
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.