Boomers Remain Stoners

Will baby boomers carry their love affair with drugs into old age? That’s the less-than-scientific suggestion of three researchers at the National Institute of Drug Abuse, who write in a recent issue of Neuropsychopharmacology that "several observations suggest that (the growing population of boomers) will likely be
accompanied by a precipitous increase in the abuse of drugs, including
prescription medications and illicit substances, among older adults." How do they know? The Scientific American reports that the scientists looked at hospital data showing the number of people aged 55 and
older who sought emergency-room treatment and mentioned using various
drugs. According to Sciam, the number of cocaine mentions rose from 1,400 in 1995 to almost
5,000 in 2002, an increase of 240 percent. Similarly, mentions of
heroin increased from 1,300 to 3,400 (160 percent), marijuana from 300
to 1,700 (467 percent) and amphetamine from 70 to 560 (700 percent).
Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health corroborate
those trends. In 2002 some 2.7 percent of adults between 50 and 59
admitted to illicit drug use at least once in the preceding year. By
2005 that number had increased significantly, to 4.4 percent. Once a year? Did they say once in the preceding year? Geezer is not ready to panic.  Read more in The Scientific American.