Utah Has Lowest
Illicit Drug Use Rate, Alaska Has Highest
Utah has the lowest rate of past-month illicit drug
use as well as the lowest rate for binge drinking in
the Nation, according to a new report based on SAMHSA’s
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Alaska
has the highest rate of illegal drug use, while North
Dakota has the highest rate for binge drinking. The Agency’s
Office of Applied Studies conducts the annual survey.
The report, State Estimates of Substance Use from
the 2002–2003 National Surveys on Drug Use and
Health, estimates state rates of illegal drug use,
binge drinking, serious mental illness, and tobacco use
by persons age 12 and older.
Marijuana
Tennessee had the lowest rate (7.4 percent) for marijuana
use in the past year, while Alaska had the highest rate
(16.7 percent). These rates compare to the national rate
of 10.8 percent for marijuana use in the past year. For
current use—that is, use in the past month—Utah
had the lowest rate (4.0 percent), and New Hampshire
had the highest rate (10.2 percent). The national current
use rate for marijuana was 6.2 percent.
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Other Illicit Drugs
Estimates of past-month use of any illicit drug ranged
from a low of 6.3 percent in Utah to a high of 12.0 percent
in Alaska for all persons age 12 and older. Any illicit
drug use includes marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including
crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or any prescription-type
psychotherapeutic used non-medically. Colorado, the District
of Columbia, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico,
Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont also displayed high
rates of past-month illicit drug use. The 10 states with
the lowest rates of past-month illegal drug use, including
Utah, were Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, New Jersey,
South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.
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Binge Alcohol
Utah had the lowest rate (15.9 percent) in the Nation
for binge alcohol use in the past month. Binge alcohol
use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the
same occasion on at least 1 day in the 30 days prior
to the survey. North Dakota had the highest rate (31.4
percent). Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana,
Nebraska, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Wisconsin also
had high rates of binge drinking. The 10 states with
the lowest rates of binge drinking, including Utah, were
Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma,
Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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Substance Dependence and Abuse
Tennessee had the lowest rate (6.0 percent) of past-year
alcohol dependence or abuse, and North Dakota had the
highest (10.8 percent). Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi,
and New Jersey had low rates (6.5 percent or less). Kansas
and Iowa had the lowest rate of past-year illicit drug
dependence or abuse (each with 2.5 percent). Massachusetts,
New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Vermont also had high rates
of illicit drug dependence or abuse in the past year,
while Alabama, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota,
Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming had low rates.
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Serious Mental Illness
NSDUH estimated serious mental illness for persons age
18 and older. Rhode Island had the highest rate (11.0
percent) in the Nation, and Hawaii had the lowest rate
(7.2 percent).
The report is available from SAMHSA’s National
Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, P.O.
Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345. Telephone: 1 (800)
729-6686 (English and Spanish) or 1 (800) 487-4889 (TDD).
The report is available on SAMHSA’s Web site at
www.oas.samhsa.gov.
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Percentages Reporting Past-Month Use of Any Illicit
Drug Among People Age 12 or Older, by State: 2002 and
2003
| State Name |
| 6.32 -
7.15 |
| 9.97 -
12.01 |
| 8.75 -
9.96 |
| 7.60 -
8.74 |
| 8.75 -
9.96 |
| 9.97 -
12.01 |
| 8.75 -
9.96 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 9.97
- 12.01 |
| 7.60
- 8.74 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 9.97
- 12.01 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 7.60
- 8.74 |
| 6.32
- 7.15 |
| 6.32
- 7.15 |
| 7.60
- 8.74 |
| 7.60
- 8.74 |
| 8.75
- 9.96 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 8.75
- 9.96 |
| 8.75
- 9.96 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 6.32
- 7.15 |
| 8.75
- 9.96 |
| 9.97
- 12.01 |
| 7.60
- 8.74 |
| 9.97
- 12.01 |
| 9.97
- 12.01 |
| 6.32
- 7.15 |
| 9.97
- 12.01 |
| 8.75
- 9.96 |
| 7.60
- 8.74 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 7.60
- 8.74 |
| 7.60
- 8.74 |
| 9.97
- 12.01 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 9.97
- 12.01 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 6.32
- 7.15 |
| 6.32
- 7.15 |
| 6.32
- 7.15 |
| 6.32
- 7.15 |
| 9.97
- 12.01 |
| 7.60
- 8.74 |
| 8.75
- 9.96 |
| 6.32
- 7.15 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
| 7.16
- 7.59 |
Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied
Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health,
2002 and 2003.
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