NCJ Number
202848
Date Published
August 2003
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This document provides national statistics on youth hallucinogen use.
Abstract
The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) asked respondents aged 12 or older to report their lifetime use of hallucinogens, as well as their age of first use. Respondents were analyzed by racial and ethnic subgroups for comparative purposes. Hallucinogens include LSD, PCP, MDMA (Ecstasy), peyote, mescaline, and psilocybin (mushrooms). The results showed that, in 2001, almost 1.4 million youths aged 12 to 17 had used hallucinogens at least once in their lifetime. Ecstasy and LSD were the most commonly used hallucinogens. Among youths, Blacks were less likely than Whites, Asians, or Hispanics to have used any hallucinogen in their lifetime. White and Asian youths had similar rates of hallucinogen use. Whites were much more likely than Asians to have used PCP or psilocybin at least once in their lifetime. Respondents aged 12 to 17 were asked how much they thought people risk harming themselves physically and in other ways when they try LSD once or twice and use it once or twice a week, as well as how difficult or easy it would be to get some LSD if they wanted some. Blacks and Hispanics were more likely than Whites and Asians to perceive great risk in trying LSD once or twice. White youths were more likely than Hispanic, Asian, and Black youths to perceive great risk in using LSD once or twice a week. White youths were more likely than all other youths to think that LSD was fairly or very easy to obtain, and Hispanic youths were more likely than Black or Asian youths to think that LSD was fairly or very easy to obtain. 3 figures, 1 table, 2 endnotes