SAMHSA Reports on Substance Use State by State
 California
and Wisconsin reported increases in underage alcohol
use in the past month between 2002 and 2004, while Michigan
and South Carolina showed decreases, according to a new
state-by-state report from SAMHSA.
The report, State
Estimates of Substance Use from the 2003-2004 National
Surveys on Drug Use and Health, estimates state
rates of illegal drug use, binge and underage drinking,
serious mental illness, and tobacco use. SAMHSA combined
2 years of data from the annual National Survey on Drug
Use and Health (NSDUH) to enhance the precision of estimates
for less populous states.
The report shows that California increased from 24.7
percent of persons age 12 to 20 using alcohol in the
past month to 26.3 percent, while Wisconsin increased
from 34.7 percent to 38.3 percent. Michigan and South
Carolina, however, showed decreases in underage drinking,
from 31.8 percent to 30.2 percent for Michigan and from
27.3 percent to 24.1 percent for South Carolina.
Illinois, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont,
and Virginia registered decreases in current illegal
drug use among youth age 12 to 17. There were no statistically
significant increases in current drug use among youth
in any state, and there were no increases in either the
18 to 25 age group or the 26 and older age group.
The estimates show that past month use of any illicit
drug in 2003-2004 ranged from a low of 5.8 percent in
Mississippi to a high of 11.8 percent in Alaska for all
persons age 12 and older. Four jurisdictions showed decreases
between 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 among persons age 12
or older in current use of any illicit drug: the District
of Columbia, Florida, Nevada, and Washington.
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Marijuana, Cocaine, Narcotic Pain Relievers
Seven jurisdictions had decreases in the past month
for use of marijuana between 2002-2003 and 2003-2004
for those age 12 and older: Colorado, the District of
Columbia, Florida, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, and
Washington.
Rhode Island had the highest percentage of persons age
12 or older using cocaine in the past year at 3.5 percent.
Ohio was the only state to show a decline in the use
of cocaine in the past year, changing from 2.5 percent
to 2.1 percent of persons age 12 and older.
In the District of Columbia and Hawaii in 2003-2004,
approximately 3.1 percent of persons age 12 or older
used narcotic pain relievers nonmedically, while 6.3
percent of those in Kentucky did. Washington and Kentucky
were in the highest one-fifth for use of prescription
pain relievers nonmedically in all three age groups (age
12 to 17, 18 to 25, and 26 or older).
Arkansas and Maine had increases among those age 12
to 17, while California, Montana, and New York had increases
in nonmedical use of prescription pain medications among
those age 18 to 25.
A decrease in nonmedical use of pain relievers was seen
among persons age 12 and older in Hawaii (from 3.9 percent
in 2002-2003 to 3.1 percent in 2003-2004).
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Psychological Distress
West Virginia had the highest rate of serious psychological
distress among persons age 18 and older during the past
year (12.7 percent) while Hawaii had the lowest rate
(7.1 percent). Increases in serious psychological distress
appeared in 10 states—Arizona, California, Florida,
Illinois, Iowa, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, West
Virginia, and Wyoming—and were generally the result
of increases among persons age 26 and older.
The full report is available on the SAMHSA Web site
at www.oas.samhsa.gov/2K4State/toc.htm. 
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