Alcohol still most abused; rates up for meth, pot, Rx drugs
By Cheryl Wetzstein
Published December 30, 2010
California, a national leader in medical marijuana use, saw admissions for treatment for marijuana dependence more than double over the past decade, the federal government said in a first-of-its-kind report.
The nationwide increase in marijuana cases — plus evidence that admissions for treatment of methamphetamine and prescription drug abuse skyrocketed between 1998 and 2008 — provides fresh insights into the nation’s struggles with substance abuse.
The report by the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration also showed that admissions to detoxification and drug-treatment centers for marijuana dependence nationwide rose 31 percent from 1998 to 2008, a period during which admissions for dependence on alcohol, cocaine and heroin all declined. (more…)
