The Demographics of Drug Use and Addiction

A lot of people think that drug use is defined by gender or by income and where you live. Other people think that drug abuse occurs more often amongst teens and college students than adults. But the truth is that addictions to drugs know no boundaries. Addiction occurs all over the world, and all over the country, and it affects people of all income levels, ages, genders, and religions.

Marijuana Use Popular in College

Many college students start using marijuana and other drugs, and the numbers of college students affected by drug abuse has increased over the last ten years. Young adults between the ages of 18 to 29 have the highest rates of marijuana abuse, especially when compared to older adults.

Prescription Drug Abuse

In addition to illegal drugs, young adults throughout America have also become increasingly addicted to the abuse of prescription drugs. Again, even though older adults can be addicted to these same substances, research has shown the highest prevalence of this type of abuse occurs amongst young adults between the ages of 18 and 25.

A Mix of Races

It can’t be emphasized enough that every race suffers from drug abuse. Studies and research have found that white young adults actually have the highest reported amount of drug use, followed by African American youth and Hispanics. Therefore, there really is no reason to only think that a specific group of people are more prone to abusing drugs. In the end, addiction can happen to anyone, and all races are affected and need the help necessary to get clean for good.

Drugs of Choice Vary by Decade

Right now, it seems that marijuana is the drug of choice to abuse, with many young adults in college using the drug illegally. However, if you look back at the last few decades, you’ll find that each had its own drug of choice. For example, in the 1990s, ecstasy was the most widely abused drug, while cocaine was most prevalent during the 1980s and heroin was the illegal drug of choice in the ’70s. If you go all the way back to the 1960s, you’ll notice that LSD was the most popular drug that decade.

Having Parents That Abused Drugs Makes It More Likely That You Will Too

It turns out that young adults who use drugs may have had parents who also used drugs. In fact, if your parents abused drugs when they were younger, you have a higher predisposition towards drug addiction. This means that genetics plays a role, as does access to the drugs. And, again, it doesn’t matter how rich or poor you are, what neighborhood you live in, or what race or gender you are because anyone can have this genetic predisposition and become addicted if they have access to illegal substances or even prescription medications.

If you or someone you love is suffering with drug use and addiction, there’s hope. You can get clean, especially when you’re open to receiving medical detox and help from professionals like those at www.firststepdetox.com.

Writen by Guest Submitter