BACKGROUND: little is known about illicit drug use in older people. Prevalences may rise as populations for whom illicit drug use has been more common and acceptable become older. OBJECTIVES: to quantify illicit drug use in people aged 50 years and over in England and inner London and to compare this between 50 and 64 and 65+ age groups. METHODS: primary analyses used data from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) and the 2008-10 South East London Community Health (SELCoH) Survey. Secondary analyses included additional data on 50-64 year olds from the 1993, 2000 and 2007 APMS, and on 65-74 year olds from the 2000 and 2007 APMS. RESULTS: cannabis was the drug most commonly used in all samples. Prevalences of use within the last 12 months in 50-64 and 65+ age groups were 1.8 and 0.4%, respectively, in England and 9.0 and 1.1%, respectively, in inner London. Prevalences of use at any time previously were 11.4, 1.7, 42.8 and 9.4%, respectively. Lifetime cannabis, amphetamine, cocaine and LSD use in 50-64 year olds had increased approximately tenfold in England from 1993. Lifetime and 12-month trends in tranquilisers were relatively stable. CONCLUSIONS: use of some illicit drugs, particularly cannabis, has increased rapidly in mid- and late-life.
BACKGROUND: little is known about illicit drug use in older people. Prevalences may rise as populations for whom illicit drug use has been more common and acceptable become older. OBJECTIVES: to quantify illicit drug use in people aged 50 years and over in England and inner London and to compare this between 50 and 64 and 65+ age groups. METHODS: primary analyses used data from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) and the 2008-10 South East London Community Health (SELCoH) Survey. Secondary analyses included additional data on 50-64 year olds from the 1993, 2000 and 2007 APMS, and on 65-74 year olds from the 2000 and 2007 APMS. RESULTS: cannabis was the drug most commonly used in all samples. Prevalences of use within the last 12 months in 50-64 and 65+ age groups were 1.8 and 0.4%, respectively, in England and 9.0 and 1.1%, respectively, in inner London. Prevalences of use at any time previously were 11.4, 1.7, 42.8 and 9.4%, respectively. Lifetime cannabis, amphetamine, cocaine and LSD use in 50-64 year olds had increased approximately tenfold in England from 1993. Lifetime and 12-month trends in tranquilisers were relatively stable. CONCLUSIONS: use of some illicit drugs, particularly cannabis, has increased rapidly in mid- and late-life.
Authors: Benjamin H Han; Scott Sherman; Pia M Mauro; Silvia S Martins; James Rotenberg; Joseph J Palamar Journal: Addiction Date: 2016-12-05 Impact factor: 6.526
Authors: Nina Pocuca; T Jordan Walter; Arpi Minassian; Jared W Young; Mark A Geyer; William Perry Journal: Arch Clin Neuropsychol Date: 2021-07-19 Impact factor: 2.813