Posted on 09/07/2006 9:03:19 AM PDT by Incorrigible
By KEVIN FREKING,
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Some moms and dads might want to take a lesson from their kids: Just say no. The government reported Thursday that 4.4 percent of baby boomers ages 50 to 59 indicated that they had used illicit drugs in the past month. It marks the third consecutive yearly increase recorded for that age group by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Meanwhile, illicit drug use among young teens went down for the third consecutive year — from 11.6 percent in 2002 to 9.9 percent in 2005.
"Rarely have we seen a story like this where this is such an obvious contrast as one generation goes off stage right, and entering stage left is a generation that learned a lesson somehow and they're doing something very different," said David Murray, special assistant to the director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
The annual survey on drug use and health involves interviews of about 67,500 people. It provides an important snapshot of how many Americans drink, smoke and use drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine.
Overall, drug use remained relatively unchanged among Americans age 12 and older in 2005. About 19.7 million Americans reported they had used an illicit drug in the past month, which represented a rise from 7.9 percent to 8.1 percent. The increase was not only due to the boomers, but an increase was also seen among those 18-25, the age category that always ranks highest when it comes to illicit drug use.
Among the 18-25 group, drug use rose from 19.4 percent to 20.1 percent. Federal officials commenting on the report emphasized the drop in use among younger teens without citing the increase in the next older age group.
"The news today is there is a fundamental shift in drug use among young people in America," Assistant Surgeon General Eric B. Broderick said in a statement.
Murray called the 18-25 group the gauntlet through which everybody runs. He said the peak of drug use among youth in the United States occurred in the late 1970s.
"And they brought it with them like baggage when they hit 50 and 60," Murray said.
Drug use by baby boomers increased from 2.7 percent in 2002 to 4.4 percent last year. Marijuana was by far their drug of choice, Murray said.
That's true overall. There were 14.6 million people who reported using marijuana in the past month, about 2.4 million cocaine users and 6.4 million people who used prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes, such as pain relievers, tranquilizers or sedatives. In 60 percent of those cases, the drugs came from a relative or friend for free. Only 4.3 percent reported buying the drug from a drug dealer or other stranger.
While drug use went up slightly in '05, so did alcohol use. Slightly more than half of Americans age 12 and older reported being current drinkers of alcohol. That translates to 126 million people, up from 121 million people the year before.
Officials noted that alcohol use among those 12-17 did decline from 17.6 percent to 16.5 percent.
The percentage of Americans who acknowledged driving drunk at least once in the past year also dropped slightly in 2005 — from 13.5 percent to 13 percent.
Meanwhile, tobacco use held steady at about 29.4 percent, even though among youths 12-17, tobacco use did drop from 14.4 percent to 13.1 percent.
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On the Net:
Office of National Drug Control Policy: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/
Not for commercial use. For educational and discussion purposes only.
Also, I never call for backup and when I get FRmail offering backup, I decline, I don't want to be accused of not being able to hold my own, like some around here.
But you can always count on the three of them to show up and help you out, Peach, since you can never stand on your own two feet.
BTW...I didn't look up your posting history, it took someone else about 2 minutes to put it all together. I found it interesting that someone could set still for that long.
Too bad you're not young again; you could get gigantic college loans (at taxpayers' expense - but remember, THAT is not using up government entitlements) and buy yourself a computer and spend time online denigrating old people.
Oh, that's right. Sometimes it's hard to keep those stories straight. Maybe the drugs have addled the brain. LOL
Every Generation does.
redrock
p.s...and for all the idiots ranting and raving about each others generation...remember this.
In Vietnam....we were mostly Boomers.
In Iraq and Afghanistan...they are mostly Gen X.
Each generation does it's part.
Again, yes you can argue that some law changes were done by the parents... but your parents didn't run with Roe and use it as birth control... they didn't run with no fault and divorce at rates higher than anywhere else in the world.
Your parents weren't divorcing at record rates or thinking latch key parenting was a good thing... etc etc etc.
Boomers have been marketed to and pandered too their entire lives in terms of being told they are something special... hell even now as you start retiring Madison Avenue continues to play to your self dillusions of being something better than all of human history before... Forget which fund companies running that bunch of hooey.. but it still happens today.
The fact is, you still have a chance to end strong... unfortunately though, those us following up behind you, aren't holding our breath.
You were handed a moment of COMPLETE AND ABSOLUTE MORAL CLARITY on 9/11 and look where we are 5 years later.
Your parents would not be crying the Nazi's need to be understood and the war in Italy is not part of the war against them... or against the Empirial Japanese... They wouldn't be playing unabashed politics with the war for western civilization... yet your generation by and large can't seem to morally distinguish between a terrorist group intentionally targeting civilians and civilian deaths when a nation state targets terrorist operations.
Now, I know not all of your generation feels that way, and much of folks on FR would not... but of your generation there is a huge amount who do... because they have made relavatism thier view of choice, and it has indeed festered during your adult lives.
Divorce is ok, who cares if it screws up the kids, its better than me possibly having to compromise.
There is a reason that study after study has shown by and large Boomers kids are generally more conservative than their parents... We've grown up in the world of Dr. Spock and Feel Goodism and had to deal with societal aftermath of it.
You can lay claim that your generation wasn't the one passing the laws.. but your generation certainly did little to NOTHING to end them.. in fact, if anything they were embraced across the board.
Mothers entered the workplace abandoning their children to puppy factory day care because, hey, actually investing time in your children.. well we can't have that... that's a complete waste of our talents. And who cares if divorce and daddys not around for my daughter.... it won't hurt her any... or my son... etc etc etc...
Grotesquely higher drug use by teens and young adults is the absolute legacy of the boomers... You know damned well few of your generation have looked your parents in the eye, and said "Yea, but you did it".... My generation can't say the same.
When it was time to be adults, and yes 18 is adults, many just said, hey its legal, that means its OK... I don't agree with some of the things your parents did with the law, but your generations willing acceptance of it and even embracing of it is not your parents fault. Eventually the children leave the nest, they are exposed to things as ADULTS and even if they can be done, should not be done... and in many areas the boomer generation didn't even hesitate to do it, without questioning whether they should.
We could have been out, protesting and smoking dope.
Who knew!
Mineral Man,
I had no idea you were a boomer. Darn. lol. Seriously I don't have major problems with boomers. Heck my parents are boomers. However, when you have boomers who are in leadership roles such as Bill Clinton, Hillary, Nancy Peloci, Susan Surandon, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, The War Mother (can't think of that freaks name), Crazy lady from Georgia who just lost the primary, Rosie O'Donnell, etc....than what can you expect us respectful X'er citizens to think.... That is quite a statement that is making you think....Oh he is right! The X'ers do rule (or at least are a sane group). haha.
Hi, onyx. I know you are able to have a wonderful life thanks to you baby boomer husband. He wasn't such a slacker as this racist would like us to believe, huh?
Hmmmm - and here I thought they were all alike.
Have a great day.
I thought you never agreed to help from freepmails? Maybe that freeper was lying to you. You'd better do your own research before you start posting such crap.
Although we can all see, posting crap is what you DO.
Anyway, I get a kick out of watching you two compliment each other to make yourselves feel better. It is entertaining.....keep up the show!
It's not too late, is it? Maybe we should have a mid life crisis. LOL
LOL --- nope, I am the boomer. He's a decade my senior. See how that worked? Slacker boomer married UP!
I think what Xers are reacting to is the fact of being 1/2 as many in number as Boomers. And then, from below, the Yers are nearly as numerous as Boomers. I am on the cusp of Boomer and X. I cannot deny that having a large population of people 10 - 15 years older than me, growing up in the neighborhood, going through school and eventually into work, has not constituted a significant competitive challenge. Also, the largest ever generation, although certainly not in power since the late 60s, have been moving marketplaces since then - both the economic marketplace and the marketplace of ideas. The radical minority among older generations harnessed that and unleashed it during the 60s. And it was destructive.
Your posting history speaks for itself. Anyone can look at it. You will be here this evening long after I am gone and I am sure you will make your first post before 6:00 tomorrow morning.
We still don't.
;-)
That's how it is in my family too. I'm the boomer and my husband is 13 years older. We're so lousy that 2 years ago we gave my husband son a house. A nice house with sidewalks in front and quiet neighborhood with lots of trees and quiet and safe. You know - 'cause we're selfish SOB's. LOL
Why would it be a crisis?
To me, it would be enjoying the fruits of our labor! We're ENTITLED now to do what we want!
Ah yes, continue the same moral relavatism arguments... amazing.
Yes, the actions of 1 or 2 lone wolves are the equivalents of large scale riots and national organizations during your days... Abu Graibs = Saddams Regime.. amazing you are trying to make the same type argument here.
Even in your 50s you keep the same mindset going.
Yes most Boomers weren't in these groups, but you cannot argue the impact these groups have had on society, and that most of your generation sat by and did nothing while it was going on. You also can't try to equate these things to 1 or 2 lone wolves doing evil acts... but again, since Relativism is without question one of your generations legacies... not suprised you are relying on it here.
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