.c The Associated Press

Some findings from the 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse:

13 million Americans were using illegal drugs in 1996, about the same rate as
1995.

Illegal drug use among 12 to 17yearolds dropped from 10.9 percent in 1995
to 9 percent last year.

The rate for young adults, ages 18 to 25, was up to 15.6 percent in 1996,
from 13.3 percent in 1994.

About 9 million Americans under age 21 drank alcohol in 1996, including 4.4
million ``binge drinkers,'' who had at least five drinks on one occasion in
the last month.

Marijuana use, which accounts for threefourths of teen drug use, dropped
from 8.2 percent of teens to 7.1 percent, but the change was statistically
insignificant. Overall, 10.1 million Americans over age 12 or 4.7 percent
smoked marijuana.

Teen tobacco use remained flat at 18 percent, although use of smokeless
tobacco dipped from 2.8 percent to 1.9 percent. There were 62 million
American smokers of all ages 29 percent of the population.

The 1996 survey is based on interviews of 18,269 people ages 12 and up. It is
conducted by a division of Health and Human Services.

In a separate report, the Justice Department said fewer people arrested had
tested positive for cocaine in 1996, compared with 1987:

Overall, the rate fell from 55 percent in 1987 to 33 percent in 1996.

The most dramatic drop occurred in Detroit, where the percentage of 18 to
20yearolds testing positive dropped from 45 percent in 1987 to 5 percent in
1996.

In New York, the percentage for youths arrested dropped from 70 percent in
1987 to 21 percent in 1996.

In Philadelphia, it fell from 70 percent in 1988 to 21 percent in
1993.

In Washington, it fell from 64 percent in 1989 to 35 percent in 1996.

In Atlanta, Phoenix and St. Louis, high cocaine rates remained.

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