Alcohol

• Alcohol as a primary substance accounted for just over two-fifths (42 percent) of all TEDS admissions in 2003, down from approximately three-fifths (57 percent) in 1993. However, 44 percent of primary alcohol admissions reported secondary drug abuse as well [Table 2.1b].
   

• Alcohol admission rates generally were highest in the New England, Pacific, and West North Central States. For the United States as a whole, the alcohol admission rate declined by 29 percent between 1993 and 2003, from 451 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 319 per 100,000. Rates declined in 39 of the 46 States reporting in both years [Table 2.3b and Figure 3].
   

• About three-quarters of admissions for abuse of alcohol alone and for abuse of alcohol with secondary drug abuse were male (75 percent and 74 percent, respectively) [Table 3.1a].
   

• Almost three-quarters (70 percent) of alcohol-only admissions were non-Hispanic White, followed by non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics (13 percent and 12 percent, respectively). Among admissions for alcohol with secondary drug abuse, 59 percent were non-Hispanic White, followed by 26 percent who were non-Hispanic Black and 11 percent who were Hispanic [Table 3.1a].
   

• For alcohol-only admissions, the average age at admission was 39 years, compared with 35 years among admissions for primary alcohol with secondary drug abuse [Table 3.2a].

Heroin

• TEDS admissions for primary heroin abuse increased from 12 percent of all admissions in 1993 to 15 percent in 2003, and have exceeded admissions for primary cocaine abuse since 1999 [Table 2.1b].
   

• Heroin admission rates were highest in the Middle Atlantic and New England States. For the United States as a whole, the heroin admission rate increased by 18 percent between 1993 and 2003, from 96 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 113 per 100,000. Heroin admission rates increased in 29 of the 45 States reporting in both years, decreased in 12 States, and were unchanged in 4 States [Table 2.4b and Figure 4].
   

• About two-thirds (68 percent) of primary heroin admissions were male [Table 3.1a].
   

• Nearly half (47 percent) of primary heroin admissions were non-Hispanic White, followed by 25 percent who were non-Hispanic Black and 24 percent who were Hispanic [Table 3.1a].
   

• For primary heroin admissions, the average age at admission was 36 years [Table 3.2a].
   

• Sixty-one percent of primary heroin admissions reported injection as the route of administration; 34 percent reported inhalation, and 2 percent reported smoking [Table 3.4].

Cocaine/Crack

• The proportion of admissions for primary cocaine abuse declined from 17 percent in 1993 to 14 percent in 2003 [Table 2.1b].
   

• Cocaine admission rates were generally highest in the South Atlantic and Middle Atlantic States. For the United States as a whole, the cocaine admission rate declined by 25 percent between 1993 and 2003, from 138 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 104 per 100,000. Cocaine admission rates decreased in 31 of the 46 States reporting in both years, but increased in 14 States, and were unchanged in 1 State [Table 2.6b and Figure 6].
   

• Smoked cocaine (crack) represented 72 percent of all primary cocaine admissions in 2003 [Table 2.1a].
   

• Fifty-nine percent of primary smoked cocaine admissions were male, compared with 66 percent of primary non-smoked cocaine admissions [Table 3.1a].
   

• Among primary smoked cocaine admissions, 55 percent were non-Hispanic Black, 35 percent were non-Hispanic White, and 7 percent were Hispanic. Among primary non-smoked cocaine admissions, 49 percent were Non-Hispanic White, followed by non-Hispanic Blacks (31 percent) and Hispanics (16 percent) [Table 3.1a].
   

• For primary smoked cocaine admissions, the average age at admission was 37 years, compared with 34 years for non-smoked cocaine admissions [Table 3.2a].
   

• Among primary non-smoked cocaine admissions, 76 percent reported inhalation as the route of administration; 13 percent reported injection, and 9 percent reported oral [Table 3.4].

Marijuana/Hashish

• The proportion of admissions for primary marijuana abuse increased from 7 percent in 1993 to 15 percent in 2003 [Table 2.1b].
   

• Marijuana treatment admission rates showed substantial increases across a large number of States, and were generally highest in the Pacific and West North Central States. For the United States as a whole, the marijuana admission rate increased by 115 percent between 1993 and 2003, from 55 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 118 per 100,000. Marijuana admission rates increased in 39 of the 46 States reporting in both years, decreased in 5 States, and were unchanged in 2 States [Table 2.7b and Figure 7].
   

• Three-quarters (75 percent) of primary marijuana admissions were male [Table 3.1a].
   

• Over half (54 percent) of primary marijuana admissions were non-Hispanic White, followed by 29 percent who were non-Hispanic Black and 12 percent who were Hispanic [Table 3.1a].
   

• For primary marijuana admissions, the average age at admission was 23 years [Table 3.2a].

Methamphetamine/amphetamine and Other Stimulants

• The proportion of admissions for primary abuse of methamphetamine/amphetamine and other stimulants increased from 2 percent to 7 percent between 1993 and 2003 [Table 2.1b].
   

• Methamphetamine/amphetamine treatment admission rates were generally highest in the Mountain and West North Central States. For the United States as a whole, the methamphetamine/amphetamine admission rate increased by 307 percent between 1993 and 2003, from 14 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 57 per 100,000. Methamphetamine/amphetamine admission rates increased in 40 of the 46 States reporting in both years, decreased in 4 States, and were unchanged in 2 States [Table 2.8b and Figure 8].
   

• Over half (55 percent) of primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions were male [Table 3.1a].
   

• Three-quarters (73 percent) of primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions were non-Hispanic White, followed by 16 percent who were Hispanic and 3 percent each who were Asian/Pacific Islander and non-Hispanic Black [Table 3.1a].
   

• For primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions, the average age at admission was 31 years [Table 3.2a].
   

• Fifty-six percent of primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions reported smoking as the route of administration, 22 percent reported injection, and 15 percent reported inhalation [Table 3.4].

Race/Ethnicity

Among all racial/ethnic groups except Puerto Ricans, alcohol (alone or in combination with other drugs) was the most frequently reported primary substance at treatment admission. However, the proportion reporting primary use of the other four most common substances varied considerably by racial/ethnic group.

• Among non-Hispanic Whites, alcohol (46 percent) was followed by opiates (16 percent), marijuana (14 percent), stimulants (9 percent), and cocaine (9 percent) [Table 3.1b].
   

• Among non-Hispanic Blacks, alcohol (33 percent) was followed by cocaine (28 percent), marijuana (19 percent), opiates (16 percent), and stimulants (1 percent) [Table 3.1b].
   

• Among persons of Mexican origin, alcohol (39 percent) was followed by stimulants (18 percent), opiates (17 percent), marijuana (17 percent), and cocaine (8 percent) [Table 3.1b].
   

• Among persons of Puerto Rican origin, opiates (48 percent) were followed by alcohol (28 percent), marijuana (11 percent), cocaine (10 percent), and stimulants (1 percent) [Table 3.1b].
   

• Among persons of Cuban origin, alcohol (34 percent) was followed by cocaine (23 percent), opiates (20 percent), marijuana (16 percent), and stimulants (3 percent) [Table 3.1b].
   

• Among Alaska Natives, alcohol (62 percent) was followed by opiates (17 percent), marijuana (9 percent), cocaine (6 percent), and stimulants (5 percent). [Table 3.1b].
   

• Among American Indians, alcohol (62 percent) was followed by marijuana (14 percent), stimulants (9 percent), opiates (7 percent), and cocaine (5 percent) [Table 3.1b].
   

• Among Asian/Pacific Islanders, alcohol (33 percent) was followed by stimulants (26 percent), marijuana (19 percent), cocaine (11 percent) and opiates (9 percent) [Table 3.1b].

Adolescent Substance Abuse

• The number of adolescents aged 12 to 17 admitted to substance abuse treatment increased 61 percent between 1993 and 2003 [Table 5.1a].
   

• The increase in adolescent substance abuse treatment admissions was largely accounted for by the increase in the number of adolescent primary marijuana admissions (222 percent between 1993 and 2003). The proportion of adolescent primary marijuana admissions grew from 32 percent of adolescent admissions in 1993 to 65 percent in 2003 [Tables 5.1a and 5.1b].
   

• In 2003, more than half (53 percent) of adolescent admissions were referred to treatment through the criminal justice system. Sixteen percent were self- or individual referrals, and 12 percent were referred through schools [Table 5.2a].
   

• The number of adolescent substance abuse treatment admissions referred through the criminal justice system increased by 114 percent between 1993 and 2003, while admissions referred through other sources increased by 25 percent between 1993 and 2003 [Table 5.4a].