Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

TABLE 1. Recent use a <strong>of</strong> illicit substances among adults in New York
State, 18 years and older, 1986: Comparison <strong>of</strong> “transients”
and household residents in New York City and the rest <strong>of</strong> the
State.
Drugs
Percent with
recent (past 6
months) use:
New York City Rest <strong>of</strong> the State
Transients
Household Transients Household
residents residents
% % % %
Marijuana 40 11 31 9
Cocaine 27 5 11 3
PCP (angel
dust)
Hallucinogens b
<strong>Inhalant</strong>s c
4 * 1 *
2 * 1 *
3 * 4 *
Heroin 9 * 2 *
Illicit
methadone
3 * 1 *
Example <strong>of</strong> how to read the table: In New York City, 27 percent <strong>of</strong> the
transients and 5 percent <strong>of</strong> household residents reported use <strong>of</strong> cocaine
during the past six months.
KEY: *
a
b
c
Less than 0.5 percent.
Recent use is in the 6 months prior to the survey.
Includes LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin.
Includes aerosol sprays, industrial solvents, and amyl/butyl
nitrites.
Another issue always <strong>of</strong> concern in surveys is the wording <strong>of</strong> questions.
In asking adults about behavior that may have occurred early in their
lives, such as the use <strong>of</strong> inhalants, the problem <strong>of</strong> recall and, perhaps, the
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