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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce the proportion of adults who used drugs in the past month — SU‑07 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology  |  History

About the National Data

Data

Data Source:  National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), SAMHSA

Baseline: 12.0 percent of adults aged 18 years and over reported use of illicit drugs in the past 30 days in 2018

Target: 12.0 percent

Numerator
Number of adults aged 18 years and over who report use of any illicit drugs during the past 30 days.
Denominator
Number of adults aged 18 years and over.
Target-setting method
Maintain the baseline
Target-setting method justification
This method was used because the trend was moving away from the desired direction. Maintaining the baseline is the desired target because the Healthy People 2030 Workgroup Subject Matter Experts viewed maintaining the baseline as an ambitious yet achievable target.

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

(For additional information, please visit the data source page linked above.)

From the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health:

Numerator:

[The following questions are asked separately for each illicit drug: marijuana or hashish; cocaine; 'crack'; heroin; LSD, also called 'acid'; PCP, also called 'angel dust' or Phencyclidine; Peyote; Mescaline; Psilocybin; 'Ecstasy', also called MDMA; any other hallucinogens besides the ones that have been listed; Amyl nitrite, 'poppers,' locker room odorizers, or 'rush'; Correction fluid, degreaser, or cleaning fluid; Gasoline or lighter fluid; Glue, shoe polish, or toluene; Halothane, ether, or other paint solvents; Lighter gases, such as butane or propane; Nitrous oxide or 'whippets'; Spray paints; or Other aerosol sprays.]

Have you ever, even once, used [marijuana or hashish]?

  1. Yes
  2. No
How long has it been since you last used [marijuana or hashish]?
  1. Within the past 30 days — that is, since [DATE]
  2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
  3. More than 12 months ago

[The following question is asked separately for non- medical use of the following: Darvocet, Darvon, or Tylenol with codeine; Percocet, Percodan, or Tylox; Vicodin, Lortab, or Lorcet]

Have you ever, even once, used [Darvocet, Darvon, or Tylenol with codeine] that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

  1. Yes
  2. No
Please look at the pain relievers shown below the red line on Card A. [List on Card A: Codeine; Demerol; Dilaudid; Fioricet; Fiorinal; Hydrocodone; Methadone; Morphine; Oxycontin; Phenaphen with Codeine; Propoxyphene; SK-65; Stadol; Talacen; Talwin; Talwin NX; Tramadol; Ultram.] Have you ever, even once, used any of these pain relievers when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?
  1. Yes
  2. No
Which of the pain relievers shown below the red line on Card A have you used when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

Have you ever, even once, used any other prescription pain reliever, besides the ones shown on Card A, when it was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

  1. Yes
  2. No
How long has it been since you last used any prescription pain reliever that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?
  1. Within the past 30 days - that is, since [DATE]
  2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
  3. More than 12 months ago

[The following question is asked separately for non- medical use of the following tranquilizers: Klonopin or Clonazepam; Xanax, Alprazolam, Ativan, or Lorazepam; Valium or Diazepam]

Have you ever, even once, used [Klonopin or Clonazepam] that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

  1. Yes
  2. No

Please look at the tranquilizers shown below the red line on Card B. [List on Card B: Atarax; BuSpar; Equanil; Flexeril; Librium; Limbitrol; Meprobamate; Miltown; Rohypnol; Serax; Soma; Tranxene; Vistaril.]

Have you ever, even once, used any of these tranquilizers when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

  1. Yes
  2. No
Which of the tranquilizers shown below the red line on Card B have you used when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

Have you ever, even once, used any other tranquilizers, besides the ones shown on Card B, when it was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

  1. Yes
  2. No
How long has it been since you last used any prescription tranquilizer that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?
  1. Within the past 30 days - that is, since [DATE]
  2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
  3. More than 12 months ago

[The following question is asked separately for non- medical use of the following stimulants: Methamphetamine, Desoxyn, or Methedrine; prescription diet pills, such as Amphetamines, Benzedrine, Biphetamine, Fastin, or Phentermine; Ritalin or Methylphenidate]

Have you ever, even once, used [Methamphetamine, Desoxyn, or Methedrine] that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

  1. Yes
  2. No
Please look at the stimulants shown below the red line on Card C. [List on Card C: Cylert; Dexedrine; Dextroamphetamine; Didrex; Eskatrol; Ionamin; Mazanor; Obedrin - L.A.; Plegine; Preludin; Sanorex; Tenuate.] Have you ever, even once, used any of these stimulants when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?
  1. Yes
  2. No
Which of the stimulants shown below the red line on Card C have you used when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

Have you ever, even once, used any other prescription stimulant, besides the ones shown on Card C when it was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

  1. Yes
  2. No
How long has it been since you last used any prescription stimulant that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?
  1. Within the past 30 days - that is, since [DATE]
  2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
  3. More than 12 months ago

[The following question is asked separately for non- medical use of the following prescription sedatives: Methaqualone, Sopor, or Quaalude; barbiturates such as Nembutal, Pentobarbital, Seconal, Secobarbital, or Butalbital; Restoril or Temazepam]

Have you ever, even once, used [Methaqualone, Sopor, or Quaalude] that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

  1. Yes
  2. No
Please look at the sedatives shown below the red line on Card D. [List on Card D: Amytal; Butisol; Chloral Hydrate; Dalmane; Halcion; Phenobarbital; Placidyl; Tuinal.] Have you ever, even once, used any of these sedatives when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?
  1. Yes
  2. No
Which of the sedatives shown below the red line on Card D have you used when they were not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused?

Have you ever, even once, used any other prescription sedative, besides the ones shown on Card D, when it was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?

  1. Yes
  2. No
How long has it been since you last used any prescription sedative that was not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling it caused?
  1. Within the past 30 days - that is, since [DATE]
  2. More than 30 days ago but within the past 12 months
  3. More than 12 months ago

Methodology notes

Illicit drug use is defined as use of at least one of the following substances in the past month: marijuana or hashish, cocaine (including "crack"), inhalants, hallucinogens (including PCP and LSD), heroin, or any nonmedical use of analgesics, tranquilizers, stimulants, or sedatives. Respondents are considered to have used illicit drugs if they report use in the past 30 days of any of the listed substances.

History

Comparable HP2020 objective
Retained, which includes core objectives that are continuing from Healthy People 2020 with no change in measurement.