Drugs vs. Jobs: The Relationship between Drug Abuse & Unemployment

DRUGS vs JOBS The relationship between drug abuse and unemployment Unemployment increases a person's likelihood to: BINGE DRINK HAVE A HAVE A TOBACCO ADDICTION DRUG ADDICTION UNEMPLOYMENT makes it more difficult to hold a job leads to lower Income levels and poverty THE CYCLE Increases increases the risk for the difficulty of finding a job substance abuse and addictlon ABUSE JOBS GO DOWN, DRUGS GO UP Drug abuse and unemployment feed off each other, creating a self-sustaining system. US STATISTICS Percentage of adults WHO USE ILLICIT DRUGS by employment status EMPLOYED FULL TIME EMPLOYED PART TIME UNEMPLOYED The number of unemployed drug users is MORE THAN 8.9 12.5 18.1 DOUBLE the amount of users percent регcent percent who are employed full time. Each 1% INCREASE in unemployment rates in the US INCREASES drunk driving by INCREASES AND alcohol abuse by 17% 35% US states with higher unemployment rates tend to have higher rates of drug use 9% RHODE ISLAND ALASKA 8% O VERMONT O NEVADA 7% medlan O NEW YORK OKLAHOMA O INDIANA WYOMING O DELAWARE MICHIGAN 6% O VIRGINIA. O WISCONSIN MINNESOTA O KANSAS O NORTH CAROLINA O PENNSYLVANIA O MARYLAND 5% O UTAH O TEXAS 4% IOWA 3% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% Unemployment (by percentage of state population) STATS BY ETHNICITY WHITE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISPANIC ASIAN The ethnic breakdown of total UNEMPLOYED ADULTS in the US (2012) The ethnic breakdown of total ILLICIT DRUG USERS in the US (2012) 64% 28% 19% 35% 16% 26% 3% 11% In general, HIGHER unemployment rates among ethnic groups are related to HIGHER rates of illicit drug users among those same groups. STATS BY AGE GROUP The following graphs chart the relationship between unemployment and drug use by age group from 2003 - 2012 TEENS % of youth who used marijuana % of youth who used Illicit drugs - % of youth unemployment 12 3 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Overall, teen drug abuse has DECREASED since 2002. However, when teens are unemployed, drug abuse INCREASES. DURING THE RECESSION AT THE END OF '08 marijuana use unemployment increased by 2% increased by .6% illicit drug use increased by All 3 moved in a similar trend indicating drugs and unemployment are related in teens .2% YOUNG ADULTS (18-25) - % of young adults who used marijuana % of young adults who used Illicit drugs - % of unemployed young adults 30 22 15 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Unlike teens, young adult drug abuse has INCREASED since 2003. However, like teens, young adults are also MORE LIKELY to abuse drugs DURING UNEMPLOYMENT. DURING THE RECESSION AT THE END OF '08 unemployment 6.7% increased by marijuana use increased by 1.4% Another similar increase in the illicit drug use increased by 1.3% same one year period SENIORS (55+ STILL IN WORK FORCE) % of 50-54 year olds who used Illicit drugs % of 55-59 year olds who used Illicit drugs % of unemployed senlors 4 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Illicit substance abuse by seniors has INCREASED DRASTICALLY since 2003, more significantly than any other age group. At all points between 2003 and unemployment moved inversely indicating that unemployment and drug abuse are not relevant for seniors. ough 2012, drug abuse 88 12 Keys Substance Abuse & Mental Time Magazine Illness Services Administration The New York Times National Center for Biotechnology Information Bureau of Labor Statistics REHAB SUBSTANCE Illegal Drug Use (by percentage of state population)