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This report presents an overview of the key findings from the Monitoring the Future 2002 nationwide survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. A particular emphasis is placed on recent trends in the use of licit and illicit drugs. Trends in the levels of perceived risk and personal disapproval associated with each drug--which this study has shown to be particularly important in explaining trends in use--are also presented, as well as trends in perceived availability of the various drugs. A separate section is then presented for each class of drugs. These sections contain graphs showing trends in past-year use. They also show trends in perceived risk, disapproval, and perceived availability of marijuana, inhalants, LSD, cocaine, crack cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, methamphetamine, tranquilizers, barbiturates, club drugs (ecstasy and rohypnol), alcohol, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and steroids. The surveys generated a more positive picture than has been seen in recent years. Quite a number of illicit drugs showed broad declines, most notably ecstasy for the first time; cigarette smoking dropped sharply in all grades; and drinking alcohol and getting drunk were down in all grades. (Contains 9 tables.) (GCP)

The report aims to describe chronic drug users, emerging drugs, new routes of administration, varying use patterns, changing demand for treatment, drug-related criminal activity, drug markets, and shifts in supply and distribution patterns. Pulse Check regularly addresses four drugs of serious concern: heroin, crack cocaine/powder cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. Additionally, due to their spread across the country, it continues to monitor the problems of "ecstasy," the diversion and abuse of OxyContin, and other drugs of concern. This report is based on discussions with 78 epidemiologists, ethnographers, law enforcement officials, and methadone and non-methadone treatment providers from 20 Pulse Check sites. Telephone discussions with these individuals, conducted between late June and early August 2002, reveal that overall, when comparing spring 2002 with the previous fall period, the majority of "Pulse Check" sources believe their communities' drug abuse problem to be very serious but stable, although a substantial percentage believe the situation to be somewhat worse. Five appendixes present the research methodology, population demographics, national level data sources, Pulse Check sources, and discussion areas by source type. (GCP)

This report presents an overview of the key findings from the Monitoring the Future 2001 nationwide survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. A particular emphasis is placed on recent trends in the use of licit and illicit drugs. Trends in the levels of perceived risk and personal disapproval associated with each drug--which this study has shown to be particularly important in explaining trends in use--are also presented, as well as trends in perceived availability of the various drugs. A separate section is then presented for each class of drugs. These sections contain graphs showing trends in past-year use. They also show trends in perceived risk, disapproval, and perceived availability of marijuana, inhalants, LSD, cocaine, crack cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, methamphetamine, tranquilizers, barbiturates, club drugs (ecstasy and rohypnol), alcohol, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and steroids. Key findings show that the overall illicit drug use among teens remained steady in 2000 in all three grades as well as for specific drugs such as marijuana, amphetamines, hallucinogens other than LSD, tranquilizers, barbiturates, and alcohol. Key findings mixed results, as did the 1999 and 2000 surveys. The primary drug showing an increase in 2001 was ecstasy, which had been rising sharply since 1998. In contrast to this increase, a number of other drugs showed evidence of some decline in 2001. One of the most important such declines involved heroin, which had been at or near peak levels in recent years. (Contains 9 tables.) (GCP)

The annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) tracks consumers' attitudes about illegal drugs. PATS consists of two nationally projectable samples: a teen sample for students in grades 7-12 and a parent sample. The 2002 PATS, conducted in homes and schools, collected data using self-report surveys. Results indicate that after a decade of rising adolescent drug use, anti-drug attitudes are strengthening, and teen drug use is declining. African American teens are leading the decrease in teen use of marijuana. They also led the increase in teen use of marijuana in the early 1990s. The lower drug use among African American teens is consistent with leading research showing that African American youth have substantially lower rates of use of most licit and illicit drugs than do Whites and Hispanics. Areas of possible concern include the weakening of the perception of risk in inhalant abuse among white teens and the weakening of the perception of risk in heroin use among African American and Hispanic teens. Data are presented on marijuana, ecstacy, cocaine/crack, methamphetamines, inhalants, heroin, LSD, GHB and ketamine, prescription drug abuse, alcohol and cigarette use, general attitudes toward illegal drugs, reasons for use, exposure, intervention/treatment, advertising, sources of information about drug risks, computer use, and discussions with parents. (SM)

This report serves as a source of information on drug abuse and drug markets. It aims to describe drug-abusing populations; emerging drugs; new routes of administration; varying use patterns; changing demand for treatment; drug-related criminal activity; and shifts in supply and distribution patterns. It is not designed to be used as a law enforcement tool but rather serves as a research report presenting findings on drug use patterns to assist counselors and educators involved in drug education and prevention. It addresses four drugs of serious concern: cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine. This issue focuses on changes between 1999 and 2000 and provides information on the emerging problem of methamphetamine and other club drugs. Data was collected from law enforcement, epidemiologists, and ethnographers. Based on that information, two conclusions were drawn about the current drug situation: (1) an emerging club scene continues to grow across the nation; and (2) heroin has increased in supply; purity; and number of users in some cities. This issue also reflects the latest efforts to enhance the project by expanding study sites, adding new sources for information, and enhancing data collection. (Contains 6 appendixes and 54 exhibits.) (Author/JDM)

The rise in heroin use in the 1990s is attributed to an increase in snorting and smoking heroin as opposed to earlier epidemics that relied on intravenous use. An increase in purity has also added to the addiction problem. The trend towards use by young people was confirmed by the 2000 Monitoring the Future Study, which reported that 10.6% of high school seniors had tried heroin. This document discusses problems faced by the Caron Foundation in treating this new wave of heroin use. It includes profiles of addiction as well as the current trends in heroin use. There is extensive information about the biological, psychological, and social issues surrounding heroin, heroin use, its pharmacological impact, and various treatment protocols. (Contains 15 figures and 53 references.) (ADT)

This publication presents an overview of the 2000 survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students, with a particular emphasis on recent trends in the use of various licit and illicit drugs. It also shows trends in the levels of perceived risk and personal disapproval associated with each drug, which this study has shown to be particularly important in explaining trends in use. The first section presents trends in the overall proportions of students at each grade level reporting illicit drug use. A separate section is then presented for each class of drugs. These sections contain graphs showing trends in past-year use. They also show trends in perceived risk, disapproval, and perceived availability of marijuana, inhalants, LSD, cocaine, crack cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, tranquilizers, barbiturates, club drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and steroids. Key findings show that the overall illicit drug use among teens remained steady in 2000 in all three grades as well as for specific drugs such as marijuana, amphetamines, hallucinogens other than LSD, tranquilizers, barbiturates, and alcohol. (Contains 9 tables.) (JDM)

This survey, monitoring levels of substance abuse in the United States, serves as a tool for researchers and policymakers to better understand and control substance abuse problems. It provides information on 25,500 participants' use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco among the civilian, noninstutionalized population. Trends for the years, 1979, 1985, and 1991 through 1998 are included. For each drug (marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, non-medical use of psychotherapeutics, alcohol, cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco), there are tables arranged to facilitate group comparisons. Data for the total population is presented for each of four age groups, and then compared by sex, race/ethnicity, population density, region, adult education, and current employment. Data on drug use among special populations (drug use and criminal behaviors, drug use and pregnancy, drug use among adolescents exposed to drug education messages) is also included. Seven appendixes detail procedures: Appendix A contains definitions of key terms; Appendixes B, C, and D include information on the quality of data and testing procedures; Appendix E explains the adjustment procedure that was applied to the 1979-1993 NHSDA estimated in order to facilitate long-term trend analysis; Appendix F contains answer sheets for 1998 NHSDA questionnaire; Appendix G contains pages from the questionnaire. (Contains 124 references.) (Author/JDM)

This report highlights the important trends in adolescent drug use. Although the focus is on the abuse of alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and inhalants, it is important to remember that adolescents abuse a wide range and combination of drugs. This report also addresses state-of-the-art treatment methods, and summarizes research on risk factors and prevention efforts conducted over the past decade. The information on trends and treatment outcomes provides the critical information needed to direct new strategies for decreasing adolescent drug use in the 21st century. (Contains 13 figures and 49 references.) (ADT)

This booklet presents an overview of the findings pertaining to eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade students from the 1999 Monitoring the Future Study. This overview focuses on recent trends in the use of various licit and illicit drugs. It also examines trends in the levels of perceived risk and personal disapproval associated with each drug, which this study has shown to be important in explaining trends in use. The first section of findings presents trends in the overall proportions of students at each grade level reporting illicit drug use of any kind. A separate section is then presented for each class of drugs. These classes are: marijuana; inhalants; LSD; cocaine; crack cocaine; amphetamines; methamphetamine and ice; heroin, tranquilizers; barbiturates; club drugs--rohypnol and ecstasy; alcohol; cigarettes; and steroids. These sections contain graphs showing tends in past-year use and trends in perceived risk, disapproval, and perceived availability. The statistics underlying the trend lines contained in these graphs are given in the tables at the end of the report. These tables contain data on lifetime prevalence, thirty-day prevalence, and daily prevalence. They also indicate, for each prevalence period, which one-year changes are statistically significant. (MKA)

Males are more likely to use, abuse, and be dependent on alcohol or illicit drugs than females. The 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) asked questions of persons aged 12 or older to assess their use of alcohol and illicit drugs, as well as their symptoms of substance dependence or abuse during the past year. NSDUH defines "any illicit drug" as including marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, or prescription-type drugs used nonmedically. This report looks at substance use, abuse, and dependence among females and males across age groups.