First Time Users of Sedatives (1965 - 2003)

Trends in Initiation of Non-Therapeutic Sedatives Use (1965 - 2003)

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health

Table 4.15A Numbers (in Thousands) of Persons Who Initiated Nonmedical Use of Sedatives 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 54 48 * 14.8 1.9 *
1966 49 * 40 21.8 * 1.1
1967 164 76 88 17.4 3.3 3.7
1968 182 89 93 18.3 4.1 3.6
1969 292 174 119 18.7 7.7 3.6
1970 387 228 159 17.4 9.9 5.8
1971 425 182 243 18.7 7.8 8.3
1972 450 154 296 18.9 6.6 10.5
1973 526 253 273 18.1 10.4 9.4
1974 551 242 309 18.7 10.1 9.8
1975 470 191 280 19.7 8.0 9.0
1976 478 231 247 19.0 9.8 7.5
1977 495 168 328 19.3 7.2 9.9
1978 460 210 250 19.5 9.2 6.6
1979 498 221 277 18.8 10.0 8.6
1980 398 154 243 19.7 7.1 6.7
1981 395 121 273 21.3 5.7 7.3
1982 367 111 256 21.6 5.2 6.2
1983 233 47 187 21.1 2.2 4.6
1984 194 50 144 21.0 2.4 4.0
1985 132 43 89 22.6 2.1 1.9
1986 94 28 67 22.2 1.3 1.8
1987 109 13 96 26.8 0.6 1.6
1988 80 10 70 24.8 0.5 1.2
1989 90 19 72 22.8 0.9 1.6
1990 101 21 80 23.5 1.0 1.6
1991 76 14 61 27.1 0.7 0.9
1992 96 34 62 23.5 1.6 1.1
1993 105 33 72 23.2 1.6 1.7
1994 91 23 68 23.3 1.0 1.3
1995 117 31 85 25.5 1.4 1.5
1996 115 42 73 22.3 1.7 1.8
1997 120 41 79 21.9 1.7 1.9
1998 147 49 98 25.7 2.0 1.9
1999 164 52 111 25.4 2.0 2.1
2000 191 66 125 22.8 2.6 2.2
2001 225 91 134 23.2 3.3 2.2
20022 267 87 179 28.0 3.1 2.2
20033 245 90 154 26.1 3.4 2.3
*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.

truth: the Anti-drugwar Anti-drugwar Arsenal Accept the $1 Challenge