Summer2010
Vol.52
$rffiffi
I}UCATION
An Inform*Son*I Nerrsletter
KSUAIrohol snd Sther}rug Educc$cn$srvice
ooNationalSurvey on Drug Use and Health'o
The survey information listed below comesfrom a recent report by the SubstanceAbuse and Mental Health
ServicesAdministration. For more information about the survey,please visit http://ww**.oas.samhsa.gov.
{. ALCOHOL USE: Slightlymorethanhalf of all Americansaged12or olderreportedbeingcurrent
to anestimatedL29.0million people.
drinkersof alcohol(51.6percent).Thisfranslates
*
AGE: Among older age groups,the prevalenceof current alcohol use decreasedwith increasingage,
from 67 percent among 26 to 29 year olds, to 50 percentamong 60 to 64 year olds, and to 40 percent
among people aged65 or older.
{.
GENDER: 58 percentof males aged l2or older reportedbeing current drinkers, higher than the rate for
females (46 percent).However, among youths aged 12 to 17, the percentageof males who were current
drinkers (l4.2percent) was similar to the rate for females(15.0 percent).
*
RACE/ETHNICITY: Among persons aged 12 or older, whites were more likely than other
raciaVethnicgroups to report current use of alcohol (56 percent).Alcohol use rates were 47 percent for
personsreporting two or more races,43 percent for American Indians or Alaska Natives, 43 percent for
Hispanics, 42 percentfor blacks, and37 percent for Asians.
*
EDUCATION: Among adults aged 18 or older, the rate of past month alcohol use increasedwith
increasinglevels of education.Among adults with less than a high school education,37 percentwere
current drinkers, significantly lower than the 68 percent of college graduateswho were current drinkers.
*
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: The rate of past month alcohol use for people aged 12 or older was lower in
the South (47 percent) than in the Northeast (57 percent),Midwest (54 percent), or West (52 percent).
*
ASSOCIATION WITH ILLICIT DRUG USE: The level of alcohol use is highly associatedwith
illicit drug use. Among the 17.3 million "heavy drinkers" aged 12 or older, 29 percentwere also current
illicit drug users.Personswho were not current alcohol userswere much less likely to have used illicit
drugs in the past month (3 percent).
UNDERAGE USE: A majority of underagecurrent drinkers reportedthat their last use of alcohol in the
past month occurred either in someoneelse'shome (56 percent) or their own home (30 percent).
Funding in part provided by the City of Manhattan
TOBACCO
*
TOBACCO USE: An estimated70.9 million Americansaged 12 or older were cuffent usersof a
tobaccoproduct.This represents28 percentof the populationin that agerange.
*
AGE: Young adultsaged 18 to 25 had the highestrate of currentuse of a tobaccoproduct(41 percent)
comparedwith youthsaged 12 to 17 and adults aged26or older (11 and 28 percent,respectively).
Between2002 and2008,therewas a significantdecreasein the ratesfor currentuse of tobaccoproducts
and cigarettesamongyoung adults.
{.
GENDER: Currentuse of a tobaccoproductamongpersonsaged12 or older was reportedby a
higher percentageof males (34 percent)than females (22 percent).
{.
RACE/ETHNICITY: The prevalenceof currentuse of a tobaccoproductamongpersonsaged12 or
older was 14 percentfor Asians,21 percentfor Hispanics,29percentfor blacks,30 percentfor whites,
37 percentfor personswho reportedtwo or more races,and49 percentfor AmericanIndiansor Alaska
Natives.
rt
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: Current cigarettesmoking amongpersons aged12 or older was lower in the
West (21 percent)andNortheast(22percent)than in the South(25 percent)andMidwest(26 percent).
Use of smokelesstobaccowas alsohigher in the Midwest and South.
*
FREQUENCY OF CIGARETTE USE: Among the 59.8 million currentcigarettesmokersaged12 or
older, 36.9 million(62percent) usedcigarettesdaily. The percentageof daily cigarettesmokers
increasedwith age.About half (49 percent)of daily smokersaged12 or older reportedsmoking 16 or
more cigarettesper day. The percentageof daily smokerswho smokedat leastone pack of cigarettesper
day (20 cigarettes)increasedwith age.
RESOURCES
KSU Counseling Services
English/CounselingServicesBldg.
Phone: 532-6927
KSU Alcohol & Other Drug
Education Service
Director: Bill Arck
214 EnglisU Counseling Services B ldg.
Phone:532-6927
Alcoholics Anonymous
Noon Meeting (Mon.-Sat.)
Blue Valley United Methodist Church
835 ChwchAve.
Phone: 537-9260
Higher Educationis a publication of the KSU Alcohol and Other Drug
EducationService,English/CounselingSewicesBldg., KansasStateUniversity; Manhattan,KS 66506. (755)532-6927.An equal opportunity employer.
Director: Bill Arck. M.S.: AssistantDirector: Anna Beck. M.A.
Alcohol and Other Drug Education Service
2 l4 English/CounselingServicesBldg.
KansasStateUniversity
Manhattan.KS 66506-6503
(78s)s32-6927
The intent ofHigher Education is to provide
accurate, timely information representing the
current state ofalcohol/drug knowledge. Keep in
mind that research on these matters continues daily
and is subject to change. It is our intention to keep
you informed, not to diagnose or treat illness. For
personal alcohol and other drug problems, please
consult your physician or counselor
We send "Higher Education" newsletter to a cross section of faculty and staff in KSU departments with labels generated
through Human Resourcesin Edwards Hall. If a newsletter is addressedto someoneno longer employed in your departmenl,
pleaseforward it to someoneelsewho did not receive one. Thanks!