SURVEY FINDS RISE IN ILLEGAL USE OF DRUGS

WASHINGTON - About 15.9 million people use drugs illegally, representing 7
percent of the population ages 12 or older, according to a government
survey that found increases in the use of marijuana, cocaine and pain
relievers.

Although the number of people using marijuana for the first time may have
remained about the same last year, health officials noted that the number
of people who perceived smoking marijuana once or twice a week as risky
dropped to 53 percent.

"As the perception that marijuana is dangerous goes down, its use goes up,"
observed Tommy Thompson, secretary of Health and Human Services, which
conducted the survey.

The number of people who use marijuana for the first time has been about
2.5 million per year since 1996. That figure isn't yet available for last year.

The survey also found an increase in the number of people who would benefit
from drug treatment.

The number of people needing drug treatment increased to 6.1 million, from
4.7 million in 2000, the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse estimated.
About 5 million of those drug abusers didn't get the treatment they needed
last year, the survey found, and most didn't recognize that they had a problem.

"Our current treatment system is not able to help all those in need of drug
treatment," Thompson said.