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Illicit Drug Use

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  • Description
    Illicit Drug Use reports the prevalence of the consumption of illicit substances by age range.
  • Full Description

    Illicit Drug Use reports an estimated average percent of people who consumed illicit substances by type of use and by age range. Illicit drugs include marijuana or hashish (unless otherwise specified as 'Not Including Marijuana'), cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens (including phencyclidine [PCP], lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD], and Ecstasy [MDMA]), inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used nonmedically, which include pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives, but does not include GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), Adderall, Ambien, nonprescription cough or cold medicines, ketamine, DMT (dimethyltryptamine), AMT (alpha-methyltryptamine), 5-MeO-DIPT (N, N-diisopropyl-5-methoxytryptamine, also known as 'Foxy'), and Salvia divinorum.

    Dependence is defined consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) definition as:

    • Spending a lot of time engaging in activities related to substance use
    • Using a substance in greater quantities or for a longer time than intended.
    • Developing tolerance (i.e., needing to use the substance more than before to get desired effects or noticing that the same amount of substance use had less effect than before)
    • Making unsuccessful attempts to cut down on use
    • Continuing substance use despite physical health or emotional problems associated with substance use
    • Reducing or eliminating participation in other activities because of substance use
    • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms

    Similarly, Abuse is also defined consistent with the DSM-IV definition as the following lifestyle symptoms due to the use of illicit drugs in the past 12 months:

    • Experiencing problems at work, home, and school
    • Doing something physically dangerous
    • Experiencing Repeated trouble with the law
    • Experiencing Problems with family or friends

    These data are collected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as part of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Substate Region Estimates by Age Group. This survey is conducted on a representative sample of U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized people ages 12 and older. Data are available for the state of Connecticut, substate regions within Connecticut, the Northeast region of the United States, and the Total United States.

  • Source
    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  • Suppression
    Low precision estimates for small geographic areas have been suppressed.
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