cannabisnews.com: U.S. Leads World in Substance Abuse, WHO Finds





U.S. Leads World in Substance Abuse, WHO Finds
Posted by CN Staff on July 01, 2008 at 09:59:55 PT
By Reuters
Source: Reuters
Washington, DC -- The United States leads the world in rates of experimenting with marijuana and cocaine despite strict drug laws, World Health Organization researchers said on Tuesday.Countries with looser drug laws have lower rates of abuse, the researchers report in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.
The survey of 54,000 people in 17 countries found that 16 percent of people in the United States had used cocaine in their lifetimes -- far higher than the next highest rate, found in New Zealand, where 4.3 percent of people reported having used cocaine.More than 42 percent of Americans admitted to having tried cannabis, closely followed by 41 percent in New Zealand, Dr. Louisa Degenhardt of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and an international team of colleagues found.Americans were also the most likely to have smoked, with 74 percent saying they used tobacco at some time in their lives, although current smoking rates are far lower at 21 percent.The next-highest lifetime smoking rate was found in Lebanon at 67 percent, with 60 percent of Mexicans and the 61 percent of Ukrainians having ever smoked."Globally, drug use is not distributed evenly and is not simply related to drug policy, since countries with stringent user-level illegal drug policies did not have lower levels of use than countries with liberal ones," Degenhardt's team wrote.Alcohol was by far the most common substance used, the researchers found in their face-to-face interviews with people."Alcohol use by age 15 years was far more common in European countries than in the Middle East and Africa," they wrote.By the age of 21, up to 99 percent of Europeans, 92 percent of Japanese, 94 percent of New Zealanders and 93 percent of people in the Americas had tasted alcohol."Estimates were lower in the Middle East and Africa (40 percent to 63 percent)" the researchers wrote."In the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, and New Zealand, more than 60 percent of young people had started to drink by age 15 years," they added."These findings add to our understanding of substance abuse world-wide, and suggest that drug use is still a major problem in this country, pointing to the need for more effective prevention interventions," U.S. National Institutes of Health director Dr. Elias Zerhouni added in a statement.The researchers said their findings shed light on drug, alcohol and smoking policy."The use of drugs seems to be a feature of more affluent countries," they wrote."The United States, which has been driving much of the world's drug research and drug policy agenda, stands out with higher levels of use of alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis, despite punitive illegal drug policies, as well as (in many U.S. states), a higher minimum legal alcohol drinking age than many comparable developed countries," they added."The Netherlands, with a less criminally punitive approach to cannabis use than the U.S., has experienced lower levels of use, particularly among younger adults."Reporting by Maggie Fox, Editing by Michael Kahn and David WiesslerSource: Reuters (Wire)Published: July 1, 2008Copyright: 2008 Thomson ReutersCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on July 02, 2008 at 12:30:27 PT
McCain Sees Progress Against Drug Shipments
In Colombia, McCain Sees Progress Against Drug ShipmentsJuly 2, 2008Excerpt: “We have a long way to go to stem the flow of drugs into the United States of America,’’ Mr. McCain said at a news conference here after he sped through the waters of this Caribbean resort city. Nonetheless, he said, “the progress that I’ve seen since previous visits here has been substantial and positive.’’URL: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/02/in-columbia-mccain-sees-progress-against-drug-shipments/
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on July 02, 2008 at 09:20:32 PT
Hope
I agree it is working. If we measure success by reaching a given end we won't ever believe we have done anything that was successful. We have come a long way since Prop 215. 
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on July 02, 2008 at 08:53:17 PT
More and more and more
people are saying and seeing the truth of the wrongness and waste of the war on cannabis everyday.There was a time when hardly anyone said anything. They are "mentioning" it now.It's working.
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Comment #11 posted by Hope on July 02, 2008 at 08:50:54 PT
Truth and Light
Repeat it often enough. Let it shine often enough. Multiply it. Repeat it. Multiply it. Eventually it will be seen and heard. Over and over and multiplied and multiplied, it will eventually be heeded as the common knowledge that it is.Persistence. Diligence. Over and over again. Eventually it cannot be ignored.
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on July 02, 2008 at 06:34:03 PT
Rays of light in dark places...
Europe: Cannabis Safer Than Alcohol or Tobacco, Says Studyhttp://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n632/a03.html?397
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Comment #9 posted by OverwhelmSam on July 01, 2008 at 20:02:09 PT
How About An Awards Ceremony
Let's hold an annual awards ceremony to recognize outstanding mules, every day dealers on the street, and farm operators. The people on the streets an highways who work so hard to provide us a little smoke for Independence Day! All awards accepted anominously of course. That would turn conventional thought on it's ear.
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 01, 2008 at 18:14:42 PT
Just a Comment
I agree the drug war will go on for many years. The majority of people aren't for drug legalization or at least not from my observations over the years. I do believe we will see a shift to treatment for hard drugs more then prison. Marijuana is different. It has risen in acceptability over the years no matter how hard they fight against it. 
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Comment #7 posted by john wayne on July 01, 2008 at 17:40:47 PT
observer is 100% correct
Has there ever been a government program that worked as well and met its goals as splendidly as the war on drugs? I think not. From sea to shining sea, the drug war is widely accepted and wholly funded. The WOD has built in safeguards against decline in that if drugs become scarcer, then the warriors can claim that it's working, now is the time for more funds. If drugs become more plentiful, then warriors can claim they just don't have enough funds to fight drugs, please allocate more. Has this strategy ever run into serious opposition, save for a couple of blips here and there? Again, I think not. By the way, whomever is elected to office this November on whatever level of government will make sure that he or she is seen as solidly behind the drug war. I guarantee it.
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Comment #6 posted by observer on July 01, 2008 at 16:41:39 PT
Prohibition is Working Just Fine - as Make-Work
The United States leads the world in rates of experimenting with marijuana and cocaine despite strict drug laws, World Health Organization researchers said on Tuesday.Prohibition (the "war on drugs") has failed? Oh no, m'boy! Prohibition is working just fine. It is a splendid public make-work project to maintain full employment for police, prosecutors, and jailers. Not to mention a perpetual source of free "I'm-oh-so-tough" brownie points for politicians. It is a wonderful chance for all to show everyone just how purely they love the children. Not like all those others, you see, who aren't as tough on drugs. Yes siree, that drug war is working as designed. 
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Comment #5 posted by OverwhelmSam on July 01, 2008 at 15:15:07 PT
WOO WHO!
I would like to personally thank the many hours of relentless toking by devoted associates in order to achieve this golden mile marker. I would also like to thank transportation, the distributors, the producers, ...
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Comment #4 posted by Hope on July 01, 2008 at 11:38:01 PT
The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandaz
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2008/ballad/preview.htmlProhibitionists kill, maim, and destroy out of arrogance, self-righteousness, and sheer, perverted idiocy. People are worthy to be truly despised, not for consuming the fruits of this earth, but for consuming their fellow man. Prohibitionists' vile and detestable addiction is consuming people and their lives.They call people "Bad" that consume a substance... yet they are blind to their own crime... which is consuming people.
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Comment #3 posted by HempWorld on July 01, 2008 at 10:55:39 PT
Mission Accomplished!
U.S. Leads World in Substance Abuse.Mission Accomplished!Now in view of what Florida and Canada have recently done; greatly increase penalties for marijuana. Thus, more to come ...This is really what they (our rulers/masters) want!See: www.Zeitgeistmovie.com
On a mission from God!
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 01, 2008 at 10:07:33 PT
U.S. Leads The World In Illegal Drug Use
July 1, 2008http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/01/health/webmd/main4222322.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 01, 2008 at 10:04:23 PT
Related Article From Bloomberg.com
U.S. Leads 17 Countries in Cocaine, Marijuana Use, Survey Finds July 1, 2008http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=ad9KEFJ5wox4&refer=us
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