In 2002, we had, what, 1.5 million drug arrests? And 30% of those were for cocaine and heroin, sale and possession (need a link?).
So, according to you, we have 4.5 million hard core, strung-out-over-one-third-of-the-time cocaine and heroin addicts, and we're arresting only 450,000 per year? 10%, if we're arresting each addict only once per year.
"the government flat out says the numbers you using are invalid"
Fine. You believe the government numbers. I don't.
They're based solely on estimates, and those estimates are applied to the testimony of arrested drug addicts.
They're based solely on estimates, and those estimates are applied to the testimony of arrested drug addicts.
DUF relies on urinalysis. You need to read this footnote:
"Because urinalysis will detect cocaine and heroin use within two to three days of its consumption, it is unlikely that urinalysis will fail to identify an individual who uses cocaine on at least a weekly basis. [~snip~] Arguably, the EMIT test used by DUF understates drugs in the urine of arrestees."
You believe the government numbers. I don't.
HA! You believe the SAHSMA numbers, which they themselves say are not valid for estimating stigmatized drug use.
OTOH, the USDOJ and Drug Czar General Barry McCaffrey stand behind the survey which produced the higher figures I quoted.