First Time Users of Heroin (1965 - 2003)

Trends in Initiation of Heroin Use (1965 - 2003)

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health

Table 4.4A Numbers (in Thousands) of Persons Who Initiated Heroin Use in the United States, Their Mean Age at First Use, and Rates of First Use (Per 1,000 Person-Years of Exposure): 1965-2003, Based on 2002-2004 NSDUHs
YEAR NUMBER OF INITIATES (1,000s) MEAN AGE AGE-SPECIFIC RATES1
All Ages Under 18 18 or Older 12-17 18-25
1965 * * * * * *
1966 * * * * * *
1967 33 * 17 * * 0.8
1968 78 51 27 16.8 2.3 1.1
1969 35 * 30 19.3 * 1.1
1970 88 31 57 22.2 1.3 1.5
1971 117 26 90 19.4 1.1 3.2
1972 150 18 132 19.7 0.8 4.6
1973 166 36 129 20.1 1.4 4.0
1974 170 36 134 20.3 1.5 4.1
1975 79 21 58 20.1 0.9 1.7
1976 80 * 68 20.9 * 1.9
1977 98 9 89 22.2 0.4 2.4
1978 81 18 63 20.0 0.8 2.0
1979 70 17 53 20.6 0.8 1.4
1980 67 * 53 20.7 * 1.5
1981 90 13 77 20.6 0.6 2.2
1982 55 * 51 22.7 * 1.3
1983 66 * 60 23.3 * 1.3
1984 89 17 72 23.0 0.8 1.5
1985 37 * 35 24.1 * 0.7
1986 67 * 49 22.8 * 1.0
1987 82 8 73 25.2 0.4 1.6
1988 94 * 83 22.9 * 1.9
1989 82 * 76 24.6 * 1.5
1990 50 * 46 26.4 * 0.6
1991 63 * 61 25.3 * 1.2
1992 109 10 99 26.9 0.5 1.1
1993 59 8 51 25.2 0.4 0.8
1994 79 14 65 25.5 0.7 0.9
1995 111 30 81 23.0 1.4 1.3
1996 140 24 117 23.7 1.1 2.8
1997 114 35 79 22.3 1.5 1.9
1998 140 29 112 22.7 1.2 2.7
1999 121 29 92 22.8 1.2 2.2
2000 114 36 77 20.8 1.4 2.1
2001 154 38 116 22.8 1.6 2.9
20022 147 33 115 22.3 1.2 2.5
20033 96 39 57 20.2 1.5 1.6
*Low precision; no estimate reported.
-- Not available.
NOTE: Comparisons between years, particularly between recent estimates and those from 10 or more years prior, should be made with caution due to potential bias from reporting and other sources.
1 The numerator of each rate is the number of persons in the age group who initiated use of the drug in the specified year, while the denominator is the person-time exposure of persons in the age group measured in thousands of years.
2 Estimated using 2003 and 2004 data only.
3 Estimated using 2004 data only.
Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002, 2003, and 2004.

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