cannabisnews.com: Federal Drug Use Surveys and Fuzzy Math





Federal Drug Use Surveys and Fuzzy Math
Posted by CN Staff on September 21, 2004 at 22:31:12 PT
By Paul Armentano
Source: LewRockwell.com 
Here’s the good news. Only a tiny percentage of Americans indulge in the use of illicit, so called "hard" drugs like heroin and cocaine, according to annual survey data released this month by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).Here’s the bad news. The government’s figures are not to be taken seriously.
Nor should they be.In 2003, "an estimated 2.3 million (1.0 percent of the US population aged 12 or older) were current cocaine users, 604,000 of whom used crack," SAMHSA reported in its latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health. In addition, "Hallucinogens were used by 1.0 millions persons, and there were an estimated 119,000 current heroin users." Responding to the survey, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson called the data "encouraging."A more appropriate response might have been: "Balderdash!"While it’s virtually impossible to accurately estimate what percentage Americans engage in illicit drug use (or virtually any consensual, unregulated illicit activity), SAMHSA’s above mentioned numbers are particularly suspect. For starters, there’s the matter of the survey’s methodology."Conducted by the Federal Government since 1971, the survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their places of residence," authors explain.Disregarding that many of America’s more egregious drug users do not possess consistent, long-term "places of residence" (some are homeless or enrolled in substance abuse treatment programs, and many are incarcerated on drug-related or other criminal charges) and, thus, are never polled by SAMHSA’s researchers, the larger problem still remains. How likely is it that the average American drug consumer is going to truthfully admit to a representative of the federal government – one who is standing in their living room, no less – that they engage in illicit activity punishable by a lengthy prison term? Judging by the fact that of the 130,605 addresses screened by SAMHSA, more than half refused to answer their questions, the answer is: not likely.Additionally, among those who did respond, it’s arguable that a sizable percentage significantly underreported their illicit drug use. In fact, it would be hard to believe that they wouldn’t. According to a White House briefing paper analyzing SAMHSA’s figures regarding Americans alcohol and tobacco use, respondents have historically underreported their usage of these two legal substances by as much as 30 to 50 percent. (Revenues from alcohol and tobacco taxes allow researchers to cross check respondents admitted usage patterns with actual annual consumption rates; naturally, the prohibited status of controlled substances prevents researchers from conducting a similar comparative analysis on illicit drugs.) Based on this fact, one can only assume that respondents underreport their illicit drug consumption by similar or even greater margins.Annual arrest figures from the FBI cast further doubt on the Feds’ dubious figures. For example, of the nearly 1.6 million drug abuse violations reported annually, roughly 725,000 are for heroin and cocaine violations. (Federal statistics lump the two drugs together.) Put another way, if one is to accept SAMHSA’s survey data at face value, then approximately one-third of the nation’s total population of cocaine users and perhaps even a greater percentage of America’s heroin users have been arrested within the past year, and virtually every US cocaine and heroin user could theoretically be behind bars by 2005. Given that Americans’ illicit drug use has continued virtually unabated despite decades of ever-increasing anti-drug enforcement and prosecutions (more than 4.5 million Americans have been arrested for drug-related charges since 2000 and approximately 450,000 are now incarcerated on drug-related charges) one would have to assume that there exists a far larger pool of Americans engaging in the use of these substances than SAMHSA would like to admit.Interestingly, the lone figured touted by SAMHSA that appears to be based somewhat in reality is that 97 million Americans – " more than 40 percent of the US population age 12 or older – " have used marijuana during their lifetimes. (SAMHSA estimates the number of current marijuana users to be 14.6 million – a figure that appears low, but not absurdly low when checked against annual marijuana arrest data and interdiction data.) Perhaps this is because most respondents, like many politicians, have fewer misgivings about admitting to past transgressions than they do divulging recent or current behavior. Or perhaps it’s because marijuana consumption – particularly past use of the drug – carries far less of a social stigma than the use of other illicit substances.Whatever the case, it is apparent that Americans clearly delineate between the use of marijuana and the use of more dangerous substances like cocaine and heroin, with roughly one out of every two Americans self-identifying as having used the former (so much for any "deterrent effect" of prohibition) versus only a fraction of the population – though hardly as small a percentage as SAMHSA estimates – ever likely having used the latter.Predictably, federal officials remain unwilling to either cast criticism or objectively interpret the latest round of SAMHSA numbers. (For instance, what sense, if any, is there in selectively enforcing a law that criminalizes behavior engaged in by nearly one half of the American public?) Whatever figures the agency churns out – accurate or not – their response is unwavering: continuing doing more of the same (total federal and state anti-drug spending now totals more than $40 billion per year), only more so. Regrettably, that’s a strategy that history has repeatedly shown to be doomed to fail, regardless of how one chooses to interpret SAMHSA’s patently fuzzy data.Paul Armentano:  paul norml.org is the senior policy analyst for the NORML Foundation in Washington, DC. Source: LewRockwell.com (US)Author: Paul ArmentanoPublished: September 22, 2004Copyright: 2004 LewRockwell.comContact: lew lewrockwell.com Website: http://www.lewrockwell.com/NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/CannabisNews NORML Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NORML.shtml
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Comment #8 posted by Truth on September 23, 2004 at 22:46:53 PT
EARTHDANCE
Thanks ladies, It was the GRANDEST experience of my life so far. The birth of the first had a bigger impact, some of the 250 Grateful Dead shows I went to had better music, but never have I seen spiritual energy of the magnatude the we had that day.Never in the history of the world have so many people, from all over the world, unite at a common time and say a common prayer. The power was enormous. Some 200,000 worldwide inhabitants all praying for peace at the same time. We were drumming and praying for love and peace all together. It works....Bye bye bush.
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Comment #7 posted by afterburner on September 23, 2004 at 07:44:10 PT
Paul Armentano Roars Again
' Whatever the case, it is apparent that Americans clearly delineate between the use of marijuana and the use of more dangerous substances like cocaine and heroin, with roughly one out of every two Americans self-identifying as having used the former (so much for any "deterrent effect" of prohibition) versus only a fraction of the population ... ever likely having used the latter. ' (so much for the gateway/stepping stone theory, too.)Thanks again, Paul. Keep up the good work!
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on September 23, 2004 at 07:08:08 PT
Truth, Earthdance Drum Circle
I loved your description of the Drum Circle in Comment #1.That does sound incredible...and amazing...and wonderful...especially to have participated in it. Congratulations, Truth...that would, no doubt, be a grand experience, to say the least. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on September 22, 2004 at 20:55:33 PT
Truth
I checked out the web site and it must have been an event to behold. It sure made me smile. 
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Comment #4 posted by Truth on September 22, 2004 at 20:31:23 PT
FoM
Here's their web site, they're connected with Burning Man I think.http://www.gottribes.org/
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on September 22, 2004 at 07:07:42 PT
Truth
I never heard of Earthdance but just the name makes it sound like it was wonderful.
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Comment #2 posted by Truth on September 22, 2004 at 07:02:23 PT
typo
Like I said "it" was incredible, not "I"oops
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Comment #1 posted by Truth on September 22, 2004 at 06:59:58 PT
EARTHDANCE
Sorry about being off topic but I want to say good morning and tell everyone how much fun we had at EARTHDANCE this weekend. It was incredible. We actually set a world record, witnessed by Guiness, for the world's largest drum circle. The number of registered folks was 4100 but there were about 5000 folks there participating. We drummed for world peace and harmony and could feel the energy. Some 150 cities around the world cordinated with us in our common prayer. Like I said, I was incredible. I still have goosebumps. Bob Barsotti flew a circle over our drum circle and he said he could feel the drum beats on the wings of his plane. Neighbors of the Hog Farm, where our event was held, said they could watch the dust rise in wave frequencies. It was very magical.Love and Peace,Mark Mortensun
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