Drug Use by Selected Population Groups - Drugs In The Military

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health, conducts surveys of drug use in the military at three- to four-year intervals. The DOD surveys go back to 1980, with the latest available data being for 2002. Military personnel are concentrated in the younger age groups most prone to use drugs; the military may also be said to be one of the most disciplined voluntary bodies in the U.S. workforce. The military thus presents a unique window on drug use.

In 2002 drug use in the military was down sharply from 1980, a year in which military personnel used drugs at high rates. (See Table 4.11.) In 1980 nearly 28% of all service personnel had used drugs in the last thirty days and more than a third (36.7%) had used drugs in the past twelve months. The highest rate was observed in the U.S. Marine Corps: 37.7% had used drugs during the past month and 48% during the past year. The U.S. Air Force had the lowest rates, 14.5% in the past month and 23.4% in the last year. The high usage rate of drugs in the military in 1980 reflects the high prevalence of drugs in the population as a whole: past-month use in the eighteen-to-twenty-five age

TABLE 4.5
Disapproval of drug use by 12th graders, 1990–2003
QUESTION: "DO YOU DISAPPROVE OF PEOPLE (WHO ARE 18 OR OLDER) DOING EACH OF THE FOLLOWING?"
SOURCE: Lloyd D. Johnston, Patrick M. O'Malley, Jerald G. Bachman, and John E. Schulenberg, "Table 8-4. Long-Term Trends in Disapproval of Drug Use by Twelfth Graders," in Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2003—Vol. 1: Secondary School Students, 2003, The University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, August 2004, http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/vol1_2003.pdf (accessed February 10, 2005)

	Percentage "disapproving"*
	Class of:														'02–'03 change
	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Try marijuana once or twice	67.8	68.7	69.9	63.3	57.6	56.7	52.5	51.0	51.6	48.8	52.5	49.1	51.6	53.4	+ 1.8
Smoke marijuana occasionally	80.5	79.4	79.7	75.5	68.9	66.7	62.9	63.2	64.4	62.5	65.8	63.2	63.4	64.2	+ 0.8
Smoke marijuana regularly	91.0	89.3	90.1	87.6	82.3	81.9	80.0	78.8	81.2	78.6	79.7	79.3	78.3	78.7	+ 0.4
Try LSD once or twice	89.8	90.1	88.1	85.9	82.5	81.1	79.6	80.5	82.1	83.0	82.4	81.8	84.6	85.5	+ 0.9
Take LSD regularly	96.3	96.4	95.5	95.8	94.3	92.5	93.2	92.9	93.5	94.3	94.2	94.0	94.0	94.4	+ 0.3
Try MDMA (ecstasy) once or twice	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	82.2	82.5	82.1	81.0	79.5	83.6	84.7	+ 1.1
Try cocaine once or twice	91.5	93.6	93.0	92.7	91.6	90.3	90.0	88.0	89.5	89.1	88.2	88.1	89.0	89.3	+ 0.4
Take cocaine regularly	96.7	97.3	96.9	97.5	96.6	96.1	95.6	96.0	95.6	94.9	95.5	94.9	95.0	95.8	+ 0.8
Try crack once or twice	92.3	92.1	93.1	89.9	89.5	91.4	87.4	87.0	86.7	87.6	87.5	87.0	87.8	86.6	− 1.2
Take crack occasionally	94.3	94.2	95.0	92.8	92.8	94.0	91.2	91.3	90.9	92.3	91.9	91.6	91.5	90.8	− 0.7
Take crack regularly	94.9	95.0	95.5	93.4	93.1	94.1	93.0	92.3	91.9	93.2	92.8	92.2	92.4	91.2	− 1.1
Try cocaine powder once or twice	87.9	88.0	89.4	86.6	87.1	88.3	83.1	83.0	83.1	84.3	84.1	83.3	83.8	83.6	− 0.3
Take cocaine powder occasionally	92.1	93.0	93.4	91.2	91.0	92.7	89.7	89.3	88.7	90.0	90.3	89.8	90.2	88.9	− 1.3
Take cocaine powder regularly	93.7	94.4	94.3	93.0	92.5	93.8	92.9	91.5	91.1	92.3	92.6	92.5	92.2	90.7	− 1.5
Try heroin once or twice	95.1	96.0	94.9	94.4	93.2	92.8	92.1	92.3	93.7	93.5	93.0	93.1	94.1	94.1	0.0
Take heroin occasionally	96.7	97.3	96.8	97.0	96.2	95.7	95.0	95.4	96.1	95.7	96.0	95.4	95.6	95.9	+ 0.4
Take heroin regularly	97.5	97.8	97.2	97.5	97.1	96.4	96.3	96.4	96.6	96.4	96.6	96.2	96.2	97.1	+ 0.9
Try heroin once or twice without using a needle	—	—	—	—	—	92.9	90.8	92.3	93.0	92.6	94.0	91.7	93.1	92.2	− 0.9
Take heroin occasionally without using a needle	—	—	—	—	—	94.7	93.2	94.4	94.3	93.8	95.2	93.5	94.4	93.5	− 0.8
Try amphetamines once or twice	85.3	86.5	86.9	84.2	81.3	82.2	79.9	81.3	82.5	81.9	82.1	82.3	83.8	85.8	+ 2.0
Take amphetamines regularly	95.5	96.0	95.6	96.0	94.1	94.3	93.5	94.3	94.0	93.7	94.1	93.4	93.5	94.0	+ 0.4
Try barbiturates once or twice	90.5	90.6	90.3	89.7	87.5	87.3	84.9	86.4	86.0	86.6	85.9	85.9	86.6	87.8	+ 1.2
Take barbiturates regularly	96.4	97.1	96.5	97.0	96.1	95.2	94.8	95.3	94.6	94.7	95.2	94.5	94.7	94.4	− 0.3
Try one or two drinks of an alcoholic beverage     (beer, wine, liquor)	29.4	29.8	33.0	30.1	28.4	27.3	26.5	26.1	24.5	24.6	25.2	26.6	26.3	27.2	+ 0.9
Take one or two drinks nearly every day	77.9	76.5	75.9	77.8	73.1	73.3	70.8	70.0	69.4	67.2	70.0	69.2	69.1	68.9	− 0.3
Take four or five drinks nearly every day	91.9	90.6	90.8	90.6	89.8	88.8	89.4	88.6	86.7	86.9	88.4	86.4	87.5	86.3	− 1.3
Have five or more drinks once or twice each weekend	68.9	67.4	70.7	70.1	65.1	66.7	64.7	65.0	63.8	62.7	65.2	62.9	64.7	64.2	− 0.5
Smoke one or more packs of cigarettes per day	72.8	71.4	73.5	70.6	69.8	68.2	67.2	67.1	68.8	69.5	70.1	71.6	73.6	74.8	+ 1.2
Take steroids	90.8	90.5	92.1	92.1	91.9	91.0	91.7	91.4	90.8	88.9	88.8	86.4	86.8	86.0	− 0.8
Approx. N =	2566	2547	2645	2723	2588	2603	2399	2601	2545	2310	2150	2144	2160	2442
Notes: Level of significance of difference between the two most recent classes: s=.05, ss=.01, sss=.001. '—' indicates data not available. Any apparent inconsistency between the change estimate and the prevalence of use estimates for the two most recent classes is due to rounding error.
*Answer alternatives were: (1) Don't disapprove, (2) Disapprove, and (3) Strongly disapprove. Percentages are shown for categories (2) and (3) combined.

group nationally was 38% in 1979 and past-year use by this same age group was 45.5%. (See Table 3.2 in Chapter 3.)

By 2002 past-month drug use across the military services had declined to 3.4% and past-year usage to 6.9%, though it should be noted that these figures are slightly higher than those found during the 1990s. In 2002 the U.S. Army had the highest rate at 4.8% for the past thirty days and 10.4% for the past year. Air Force personnel consistently used drugs least between 1980 and 2002. Declines in drug use were greatest in the 1980 to 1988 period (22.8% change for past-month use DOD-wide) and grew slightly after 1998.

When one compares the military population with civilians, both populations displayed a declining prevalence of drug use, but military personnel consistently displayed a substantially lower rate of use, less than half that of the civilian population in 1988, 1992, and 1995, and a little more than half since then, according to data from the DOD and SAMHSA.

In the military services, as in the general population and in the working-age population, marijuana was the drug that produced significant rates of prevalence for past-month use in 2002. (See Table 4.12.) According to the DOD survey, about half of DOD-wide current use prevalence was accounted for by marijuana smoking. Use of painkillers (analgesics) in a nonmedical manner ranked second in the military.

A profile of military drug use within the last twelve months is presented in Table 4.13 using a variety of categories. Men used drugs more than women (7.2% of men, 5.5% of women). Hispanic service people were most prone to have used drugs in the last year, 8.3%, FIGURE 4.13
Disapproval of marijuana use, 1975-2003
SOURCE: Lloyd D. Johnston, Patrick M. O'Malley, Jerald G. Bachman, and John E. Schulenberg, "Figure 8-1b. Trends in Disapproval of Marijuana Use for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth Graders," in Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2003—Vol. 1: Secondary School Students, 2003, The University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, August 2004, http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/vol1_2003.pdf (accessed February 10, 2005) with both African Americans and whites at 6.7%. The lower the educational level of the service person, the higher his or her drug use. Those abroad or afloat on ships used drugs more than those stationed in the contiguous forty-eight states of the nation. Drug use rates declined with age from 14.1% of those twenty or younger to 2.2% of those thirty-five or older. Single personnel used drugs more than those who were married, and among those married, those whose spouse was present FIGURE 4.14
Disapproval of crack use, by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, 1987-2003
SOURCE: Lloyd D. Johnston, Patrick M. O'Malley, Jerald G. Bachman, and John E. Schulenberg, "Figure 8-3b. Trends in Perceived Harmfulness of Crack Use for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth Graders," in Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2003—Vol. 1: Secondary School Students, 2003, The University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, August 2004, http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/vol1_2003.pdf (accessed February 10, 2005) used drugs less than those whose spouse was absent. Drug use was lowest among senior enlisted personnel (pay grades E7-E9) and warrant officers (such as technical specialists like helicopter pilots or demolitions experts, pay grades W1-W5 in Table 4.13.)

FIGURE 4.15
Perception of harmfulness of marijuana, by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, 1975-2003
SOURCE: Lloyd D. Johnston, Patrick M. O'Malley, Jerald G. Bachman, and John E. Schulenberg, "Figure 8-1a. Trends in Perceived Harmfulness of Marijuana Use for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth Graders," in Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2003—Vol. 1: Secondary School Students, 2003, The University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, August 2004, http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/vol1_2003.pdf (accessed February 10, 2005)

Current drug use in the military was significantly lower than in the full-time work force in 2002, but patterns of drug use in the services were similar to patterns in the general population: more of those in the youngest age groups used drugs than those in the oldest, and use was lowest among those with the highest skill qualifications. Males in the military were also more likely to use drugs than females, as in the general population.

FIGURE 4.16
Trends in perceived risk of cocaine use among 12th graders, 1975-2003
SOURCE: Lloyd D. Johnston, Patrick M. O'Malley, Jerald G. Bachman, and John E. Schulenberg, "Figure 8-2a. Trends in Perceived Harmfulness of Cocaine Use for Twelfth Graders," in Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2003—Vol.1: Secondary School Students, 2003, The University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, August 2004, http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/vol1_2003.pdf (accessed February 10, 2005)

FIGURE 4.17
Perceived availability of drugs for twelfth graders, 1975-2003

FIGURE 4.17
Perceived availability of drugs for twelfth graders, 1975-2003 [CONTINUED]

FIGURE 4.17
Perceived availability of drugs for twelfth graders, 1975-2003 [CONTINUED]
SOURCE: Lloyd D. Johnston, Patrick M. O'Malley, Jerald G. Bachman, and John E. Schulenberg, "Figures 9-5a, b, and c. Trends in Perceived Availability of Drugs for Twelfth Graders," in Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2003—Vol. 1: Secondary School Students, 2003, The University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, August 2004, http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/vol1_2003.pdf (accessed February 10, 2005)

TABLE 4.6
Drug use by demographic characteristics, ages 18-25, 2002 and 2003
[In percentages]
SOURCE: "Table G.9. Any Illicit Drug Use in Lifetime, Past Year, and Past Month among Persons Aged 18 to 25, by Demographic Characteristics: Percentages, 2002 and 2003," in Results from the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, September 2004, http://www.oas,samhsa.gov/nhsda/2k3nsduh/2k3ResultsW.pdf (accessed February 10, 2005)

	Time period
	Lifetime		Past year		Past month
Demographic characteristic	2002	2003	2002	2003	2002	2003
Total	59.8	60.5	35.5	34.6	20.2	20.3
Gender
Male	62.6	63.6	39.3	38.6	24.0	24.0
Female	57.1	57.4	31.6	30.5	16.4	16.5
Hispanic origin and race
Not Hispanic or Latino	61.8	62.3	37.3	36.1	21.5	21.3
White	64.9	65.1	39.6	38.2	22.9	22.5
Black or African American	53.7	54.6	30.9	30.6	18.2	18.2
American Indian or Alaska Native	79.2	77.9	49.4	44.2	29.5	31.0
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander	—	—	—	—	—	—
Asian	34.9a	43.1	18.6	22.1	8.9	11.8
Two or more races	76.3	71.4	48.8	45.4	29.3	29.2
Hispanic or Latino	50.7	52.2	27.0	27.5	14.2	15.6
Education
< High school	59.5	59.7	36.7	36.8	22.5	23.0
High school graduate	60.6	60.6	34.7	34.4	19.8	20.1
Some college	60.6	61.6	37.7	35.5	21.0	20.6
College graduate	56.3	58.8	29.7	28.9	15.0	15.3
Current employment
Full-time	62.1	63.0	34.4	33.1	19.7	19.2
Part-time	58.1	58.8	36.7	36.8	20.5	21.6
Unemployed	64.9	66.6	43.7	44.1	26.2	27.6
Otherc	54.6	54.2	33.0	31.1	18.5	17.9
—Low precision; no estimate reported.
Note: Any illicit drug includes marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or any prescription-type psychotherapeutic used nonmedically.
aDifference between estimate and 2003 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.05 level.
bDifference between estimate and 2003 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.01 level.
cRetired person, disabled person, homemaker, student, or other person not in the labor force.

TABLE 4.7
Drug use by demographic characteristics, age 26 or older, 2002 and 2003
SOURCE: "Table G.10. Any Illicit Drug Use in Lifetime, Past Year, and Past Month among Persons Aged 26 or Older, by Demographic Characteristics: Percentages, 2002 and 2003," in Results from the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, September 2004, http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda/2k3nsduh/2k3ResultsW.pdf (accessed February 10, 2005)

	Time period
	Lifetime		Past year		Past month
Demographic characteristic	2002	2003	2002	2003	2002	2003
Total	45.7	46.1	10.4	10.3	5.8	5.6
Gender
Male	51.3	51.8	12.9	12.6	7.5	7.2
Female	40.7	40.8	8.1	8.1	4.2	4.3
Hispanic origin and race
Not Hispanic or Latino	46.8	47.6	10.4	10.3	5.9	5.7
White	48.1	49.0	10.2	10.5	5.9	5.8
Black or African American	44.4	45.1	13.5	11.3	7.8	6.4
American Indian or Alaska Native	—	63.2	10.5	11.0	4.3	6.8
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander	—	—	—	—	—	—
Asian	25.0	22.8	4.8	3.5	2.2	1.9
Two or more races	53.9	63.8	13.7	14.2	6.9	7.9
Hispanic or Latino	37.2	33.9	10.5	9.7	4.5	5.2
Education
< High school	32.0	33.2	10.2	9.8	6.0	5.8
High school graduate	43.6	43.7	10.1	10.3	5.8	6.0
Some college	53.4	53.2	11.6	12.1	6.4	6.6
College graduate	50.1	50.5	9.8	9.0	5.0	4.4
Current employment
Full-time	55.8	55.7	12.3	12.2	6.5	6.3
Part-time	48.7	48.5	11.3	11.2	6.5	6.4
Unemployed	59.8	59.9	22.3	21.0	13.2	13.5
Other*	23.8	25.1	5.3	5.0	3.3	3.2
—Low precision; no estimate reported.
Note: Includes marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or any prescription-type psychotherapeutic used nonmedically.
*Retired person, disabled person, homemaker, student, or other person not in the labor force.

TABLE 4.8
Drug use by full-time workers aged 18-49, 2000
SOURCE: Adapted from "Table 1. Prevalence of Substance Use, Abuse or Dependence among Full-Time Employed Workers Aged 18 to 49: 2000 NHSDA," in The NHSDA Report, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, September 2002

		Rates of use (%)
	Estimated total population (000s)	Past month any illicit or drug use	Past year dependence abuse of illicit drugs
Total	87,672	7.8	1.9
Male	50,466	9.2	2.4
Female	37,206	5.9	1.2
Age groups
18-25	15,190	14.9	5.3
26-34	24,464	7.9	1.8
35-49	48,017	5.5	1.0
By type of occupation
Executive, administrative, and managerial	14,822	6.5	1.1
Professional specialty	13,222	4.7	1.4
Technical and sales support	13,239	8.0	1.8
Administrative support	10,714	6.9	1.9
Services	10,047	9.7	2.3
Precision production, craft and repair	10,786	11.2	2.5
Operators, fabricators, and laborers	12,428	8.6	3.0
By type of industry
Construction and mining	8,267	12.3	3.6
Manufacturing	14,610	6.7	1.7
Transportation, communications, and other public utilities	6,541	7.2	1.4
Whole sale and retail	15,881	10.8	2.9
Services—business and repairs	7,883	9.0	1.9
Finance, insurance, real estate, and other services (personal and recreation)	8,320	7.7	1.7
Services—professional	19,125	5.0	1.3
Government	4,252	3.7	0.6
Note: Total population is the count of all individuals in a category of which the percentiles shown are involved in drug use.

TABLE 4.9
Drug testing positivity rates, combined U.S. workforce, 1988-2003
[More than 7.1 million tests from January to December 2003]
SOURCE: "Annual Positivity Rates (for Combined U.S. Workforce)," in Increased Use of Amphetamines Linked to Rising Workplace Drug Use, According to Quest Diagnostics' 2003 Drug Testing Index, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, July 22, 2004, http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=82068&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=594794&highlight=workplace%20drug%20use (accessed March 31, 2005)

Year	Drug positive rate
1988	13.6%
1989	12.7%
1990	11.0%
1991	8.8%
1992	8.8%
1993	8.4%
1994	7.5%
1995	6.7%
1996	5.8%
1997	5.0%
1998	4.8%
1999	4.6%
2000	4.7%
2001	4.6%
2002	4.4%
2003	4.5%

TABLE 4.10
Drugs in the workforce, by drug category, 1999-2003
[More than 5.9 million tests from January to December 2003]
SOURCE: "Positivity Rates by Drug Category (for General U.S. Workforce, as a Percentage of All Positives)," in Increased Use of Amphetamines Linked to Rising Workplace Drug Use, According to Quest Diagnostics' 2003 Drug Testing Index, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, July 22, 2004, http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=82068&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=594794&highlight=workplace%20drug%20use (accessed March 31, 2005)

Drug category	2003	2002	2001	2000	1999
Acid/base	0.16%	0.25%	0.23%	0.07%	0.14%
Amphetamines	9.0%	6.7%	5.5%	4.8%	4.3%
Barbiturates	2.8%	2.9%	3.2%	3.5%	3.7%
Benzodiazepines	5.1%	5.0%	5.0%	4.2%	3.3%
Cocaine	13.8%	13.9%	13.2%	13.9%	15.8%
Marijuana	55.0%	57.7%	60.9%	63.0%	62.6%
Methadone	1.6%	1.2%	0.98%	0.89%	0.45%
Methaqualone	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Opiates	6.3%	5.3%	5.5%	5.2%	5.1%
Oxidizing adulterants (incl. Nitrites)	0.16%	0.48%	0.51%	0.88%	1.6%
PCP	0.51%	0.47%	0.46%	0.45%	0.35%
Propoxyphene	5.0%	5.6%	4.0%	2.5%	2.0%
Substituted	0.58%	0.54%	0.48%	0.56%	0.80%

TABLE 4.11
Current and past year prevalence of drug use in the military services, 1980-2002
SOURCE: "Table 5.1. Trends in Any Illicit Drug Use, Past 30 Days and Past 12 Months, by Service, 1980-2002," in 2002 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Military Personnel, U.S. Department of Defense, November 2003, http://dodwws.rti.org/2002WWFinalReportComplete05-04.pdf (accessed February 14, 2005)

	Year of survey
Service/period of use	1980	1982	1985	1988	1992	1995	1998	2002
Army
Past 30 days	30.7	26.2	11.5	6.9	3.9	4.0	4.5	4.8
Past 12 months	39.4	32.4	16.6	11.8	7.7	9.2	9.8	10.4
Navy
Past 30 days	33.7	16.2	10.3	5.4	4.0	3.6	1.8	3.7
Past 12 months	43.2	28.1	15.9	11.3	6.6	7.3	4.2	7.1
Marine Corps
Past 30 days	37.7	20.6	9.9	4.0	5.6	3.6	3.3	3.8
Past 12 months	48.0	29.9	14.7	7.8	10.7	7.3	7.2	7.9
Air Force
Past 30 days	14.5	11.9	4.5	2.1	1.2	1.0	1.2	1.0
Past 12 months	23.4	16.4	7.2	3.8	2.3	2.5	2.4	1.8
Total DoD
Past 30 days	27.6	19.0	8.9	4.8	3.4	3.0	2.7	3.4
Past 12 months	36.7	26.6	13.4	8.9	6.2	6.5	6.0	6.9
Note: Table entries are percentages. Estimates have not been adjusted for sociodemographic differences among services.

TABLE 4.12
Military drug use, by drug and service, 2002
SOURCE: "Table 5.3. Any Illicit Drug Use, Past 30 Days and Past 12 Months, by Drug and Service," in 2002 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Military Personnel, U.S. Department of Defense, November 2003, http://dodwws.rti.org/2002WWFinalReportComplete05-04.pdf (accessed February 14, 2005)

Drug/period of use	Army	Navy	Marine Corps	Air Force	Total DoD
Marijuana
Past 30 days	2.5	2.1	1.8	0.3	1.7
Past 12 months	6.8	4.8	5.5	0.8	4.5
Cocaine
Past 30 days	0.9	1.1	0.5	0.1	0.7
Past 12 months	2.0	1.8	2.0	0.2	1.5
PCP
Past 30 days	0.5	0.7	0.1	**	0.4
Past 12 months	0.7	0.9	0.3	**	0.5
LSD/hallucinogens
Past 30 days	0.7	0.7	0.5	0.2	0.5
Past 12 months	1.5	1.3	1.8	0.2	1.2
Amphetamines/stimulants
Past 30 days	1.1	1.3	0.3	0.1	0.8
Past 12 months	1.7	1.7	0.9	0.2	1.2
Tranquilizers
Past 30 days	1.1	0.8	0.6	0.2	0.7
Past 12 months	1.7	1.0	1.2	0.3	1.1
Barbiturates/sedatives
Past 30 days	0.8	0.8	0.3	0.2	0.6
Past 12 months	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.2	0.7
Heroin/other opiates
Past 30 days	0.5	0.8	0.2	**	0.4
Past 12 months	0.7	0.9	0.4	**	0.5
Analgesics
Past 30 days	1.2	1.5	1.1	0.4	1.0
Past 12 months	2.0	1.9	1.4	0.5	1.5
Inhalants
Past 30 days	0.8	0.9	0.6	0.2	0.6
Past 12 months	1.3	1.2	0.9	0.3	1.0
"Designer" drugs
Past 30 days	1.0	1.0	0.7	**	0.7
Past 12 months	2.5	1.6	2.0	0.1	1.6
Any illicit druga
Past 30 days	4.8	3.7	3.8	1.0	3.4
Past 12 months	10.4	7.1	7.9	1.8	6.9
Any illicit drug except marijuanab
Past 30 days	3.3	2.8	2.7	0.8	2.4
Past 12 months	6.6	4.4	5.2	1.2	4.4
Anabolic steroids
Past 30 days	0.9	1.0	0.7	0.1	0.7
Past 12 months	1.1	1.1	1.2	0.2	0.9
Gamma hydroxy butyrate
Past 30 days	0.5	0.7	0.2	**	0.4
Past 12 months	0.6	0.9	0.5	**	0.5
Note: Table entries are percentages. Estimates have not been adjusted for sociodemographic differences among services.
**Estimate rounds to zero.
aNonmedical use one or more times of any of the above classes of drugs, excluding steroids.
bNonmedical use one or more times of any of the above classes of drugs, excluding marijuana and steroids.

TABLE 4.13
Drug use in the military services within the last year, by user characteristics, 2002
SOURCE: Table 5.4. Sociodemographic Correlates of Any Illicit Drug Use, Past 12 Months, Total DoD, in 2002 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Military Personnel, U.S. Department of Defense, November 2003, http://dodwws.rti.org/2002WWFinalReportComplete05-04.pdf (accessed February 14, 2005)

		Odds ratioa
Sociodemographic characteristic	Prevalence	Adjusted
Service
Army	10.4	6.35b
Navy	7.1	3.56b
Marine Corps	7.9	2.94b
Air Force	1.8	1.00
Gender
Male	7.2	1.41b
Female	5.5	1.00
Race/ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic	6.7	1.00
African American, non-Hispanic	6.7	0.86
Hispanic	8.3	1.10
Other	9.1	1.31
Education
High school or less	11.2	2.04b
Some college	5.8	1.93b
College graduate or higher	1.7	1.00
Age
20 or younger	14.1	1.66b
21-25	10.8	1.75
26-34	3.1	0.69
35 or older	2.2	1.00
Family status
Not marriedc	10.1	1.50b
Married, spouse not present	8.6	1.51b
Married, spouse present	4.0	1.00
Pay grade
E1-E3	13.9	2.66b
E4-E6	6.8	1.60
E7-E9	0.9	0.34b
W1-W5	1.3	0.40
O1-O3	1.8	1.08
O4-O10	1.4	1.00
Region
CONUSd	6.4	1.03
OCONUSc	8.0	1.00
Total	6.9
Note: Prevalence estimates are percentages.
a Odds ratios were adjusted for service, gender, race/ethnicity, education, age, family status, pay grade, and region.
b Odds ratio is significantly different from the reference group.
c Estimates by family status after 1998 are not strictly comparable to those from previous survey years. Personnel who reported that they were living as married (in 1998 and 2002) were classified as "not married." Before 1998, the marital status question did not distinguish between personnel who were married and those who were living as married.
d Refers to personnel who were stationed within the 48 contiguous states in the continental United States.
e Refers to personnel who were stationed outside the continental United States or aboard afloat ships.