Illegal drug use is higher than in nearly a decade:report finds

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

Use of meth, marijuana and ecstacy rose sharply since last year, government survey finds

The rate of illegal drug use rose last year to the highest level in nearly a decade, fueled by a sharp increase in marijuana use and a surge in ecstasy and methamphetamine abuse, the government reported Wednesday.

Gil Kerlikowske, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, called the 9 percent increase in drug use disappointing but said he was not surprised given "eroding attitudes" about the perception of harm from illegal drugs and the growing number of states approving medicinal marijuana.

"I think all of the attention and the focus of calling marijuana medicine has sent the absolute wrong message to our young people," Kerlikowske said in an interview.

The annual report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found marijuana use rose by 8 percent and remained the most commonly used drug.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39200536/ns/health-addictions/

[RKP5637]

1. I think many are looking for an alternative reality to the one each day. A lot of

people have to struggle day to day... but pick the wrong drug and it well might be a worse struggle IMO. I see nothing wrong with legal pot, however...

[mitchum]

2. Translation: "I don't want freedom and commonsense to screw me out of a lucrative job"

Kerlikowske is filth

[Taverner]

3. It's because reality sucks for many people right now

And yes, Kerlikowske is pond scum

[madrchsod]

4. blah,blah,blah so what else is new?

looks like it`s better to USE marijuana than to ABUSE meth and ecstasy.

gilly wants to keep his well paying do nothing job

[Fire1]

5. I've got news for dingbat! It's not just being used by

"young people."

[ixion]

6. Stop the madness: End the the so-called 'war' on drugs

and let's start to restore the social fabric.

[Proletariatprincess]

7. How can we possibly believe anything the government says about drugs?

There is so much politics and corruption about the so called War on Drugs that any "report" from the government must have a hidden agenda. Perhaps the California ballot initiative that will legalize Marijuana prompted this bit of handy propaganda. Im sure that this report will be cited repeatedly by the opposition to that measure.

whoops...this comment was intended to reply to the article. I fully agree with you, xion.

[Blacksheep214]

8. Xanax to get through the anxiety

Ambien to get to sleep and pot to go back to sleep when you wake up worrying about the bills. Can't take another Ambien, right? Generics all, except for the pot.

It's drug USE. Notice I didn't have alcohol in the mix!

[mjane]

9. and overall crime rates are down yet again

so, not only is the war on drug a FAILURE, but it (drug use) is simply not correlated with real crime.

I am concerned about people who victimize others.

What we choose to stick in our own bodies is our own damn business.

[krabigirl]

10. Well, the marijuana use is legal medically in so many states, but the feds count it as illegal.

Oh, and fuck Kerlikowske.

[CanonRay]

11. That war on drugs was a real winner of an idea

[Mnemosyne]

12. Oh! Oh! I know! Don't legalize it, build more prisons! Did I win?

And in case it's needed :sarcasm: