DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION EPIDEMIC IN THE U.S.

Recent survey found that 1 out of 10 have a problem

A report issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration estimated that 19.5 million people, ages 12 or older, have
used illegal drugs in the past month. SAMHSA interviewed 68,00 individual in
2002 and determined these statistics on census surveys. This means that more
than one in 10 Americans have substance abuse problems with drugs or
alcohol.

Out of the estimated 19.5 million people, 94 percent of them stated that
they did not believe that they needed any kind of treatment for alcohol or
drug abuse.

"Most people that use drugs or alcohol regularly don't even see that they
have a problem, but the people around them do realize it," KSU senior
Danielle Johnson said.

The report concluded that the number of young adults who have used marijuana
or cocaine is increasing. Marijuana is still the most commonly used drug in
the U.S. followed by the nonmedical use of prescription drugs. A positive
factor of the report told that the number of people smoking cigarettes has
decreased dramatically between 2000 and 2001.

In 2001, there were 166 arrests made by the KSU Department of Public Safety
relating to drugs or alcohol.

"The number of people being arrested for alcohol will only increase due to
student life in the dorms," KSU alumni Jonathon Harricharan said.

The KSU student handbook states that any activity contributing to the
overindulgence of alcohol is prohibited. The test administered by SAMHSA
proved that the overindulgence of alcohol is a problem amongst people ages
18 to 23, the majority age of KSU students.