time Prevalence: 7th-12th Grades
The most general measure of drug use is "lifetime
prevalence," the question "Have you ever used?" (Table 1).
While this does not provide information on amount or
intensity of current use, it does yield an indication ofthe level
of exposure to a drug in a population. If lifetime prevalence
is high, the drug is clearly available and accessible.
The more commonly used drugs (alcohol, marijuana, and
inhalants) increased in use quite sharply between 1975 and
1981. A similar pattern is seen for many of the other drugs.
The interval from 1981 and 1985 was one of a general decline
in lifetime prevalence for the most commonly used drugs.
Marijuana use is illustrative, with a decrease from 74 per cent
to 57 per cent. Inspection of the last two reporting periods
suggests no further decline. Despite a slight rise for some
drugs in 1988, it is premature to interpret this as the beginning
of another period of increase.
The pattern showing a rapid increase in use of the most
commonly used drugs through about 1981 and a modest
decline after that is shared by both Indian and non-Indian
youth.8 This would suggest that young people of both races
are responding similarly to the broad scale societal forces that
influence drug use.