Pubdate: Thu, 8 Jul 2004 Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) Column: Worth Noting Copyright: 2004 Richmond Newspapers Inc. Contact: http://www.timesdispatch.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/365 Note: Compiled by A. J. Hostetler, Richmond Times-Dispatch Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Growing Habit MORE SMOKING MARIJUANA: More U.S. adults, especially young minorities and baby boomers, are habitual users of marijuana. The prevalence of marijuana abuse or dependence climbed from 1.2 percent of adults in 1991-92 to 1.5 percent in 2001-02, or an estimated 3 million adults 18 and older. That represents an increase of 22 percent, or 800,000 people, according to data from two nationally representative surveys that each queried more than 40,000 adults. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, the rate remained stable among whites but surged by about 220 percent among black men and women, to 4.5 percent of that population, and by almost 150 percent among Hispanic men, to 4.7 percent. Among all adults ages 45 to 64, the rate increased by 355 percent, to about 0.4 percent of that population. For information on marijuana and the numbers, go to www.marijuana-info.org/ - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake