FED STATISTICS SHOW DROP IN ILLICIT DRUG USE AMONG YOUTHS

But Use By Coloradans Ages 18 To 25 Rose In The Period Ending In 2004-05.

The overall rate of illicit drug use by people 12 and older dropped
slightly from 2003-04 to 2004-05 in Colorado, although the state was
in the top five for illicit drug use, federal statistics show.

Small declines in illicit drug use occurred among those ages 12 to
17 and adults 26 and older, according to a report released Wednesday
by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

"We'd like to say it's because of the good work we are doing with
prevention and treatment, but there may also be issues with supply
and availability because of the crackdown on methamphetamine," said
Tamara Hoxworth, research analyst for the Colorado Drug and Alcohol
Abuse Division.

While the numbers dropped overall, illicit drug use by people in the
18-to-25 age bracket rose 3.5 percent from 2003-04 to 2004-05, the
report said.

Hoxworth said 18- to 25-year-olds are typically the group with the
highest use because it's an age where young people go off to college
or are independent from their families for the first time.

The federal report said Colorado was one of four states to see
marijuana use drop among those 12 and older. Cocaine use also
dropped in Colorado, one of only three states to see the decline.