South Carolina Illicit Drugs Statistics

Any Illicit Drug Addiction or Drug Abuse in South Carolina Over a One Year Period (Annual Averages Based on 2002 and 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health):

In South Carolina it was estimated on a survey-weighted hierarchical Bayes estimation approach that the total number of individuals with an illicit drug addiction or drug abuse problem over a one year period was 96,000. For this estimation illicit drugs includes marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or any prescription-type psychotherapeutic used nonmedically
- An estimated 16,000 of the individuals with an illicit drug addiction or drug abuse problem in South Carolina over a one year period were between the ages of 12-17 years old.
- An estimated 36,000 of the individuals with an illicit drug addiction or drug abuse problem in South Carolina over a one year period were between the ages of 18-25 years old.
- An estimated 44,000 of the individuals with an illicit drug addiction or drug abuse problem in South Carolina over a one year period were 26 or older.

Any Illicit Drug Use Other Than Marijuana in South Carolina Over a One Month Period (Annual Averages Based on 2002 and 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health):

In South Carolina it was estimated on a survey-weighted hierarchical Bayes estimation approach that the total number of illicit drug users other than marijuana users in a one month period was 121,000. For this estimation illicit drugs include cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or any prescription-type psychotherapeutic used nonmedically
- An estimated 18,000 of illicit drug users other than marijuana users in South Carolina over a one month period were between the ages of 12-17 years old.
- An estimated 40,000 of illicit drug users other than marijuana users in South Carolina over a one month period were between the ages of 18-25 years old.
- An estimated 63,000 of illicit drug users other than marijuana users in South Carolina over a one month period were 26 or older.

Illicit Drug Use in South Carolina Over a One Month Period (Annual Averages Based on 2002 and 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health):

In South Carolina it was estimated on a survey-weighted hierarchical Bayes estimation approach that the total number of illicit drug users in a one month period was 245,000. For this estimation illicit drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or any prescription-type psychotherapeutic used nonmedically
- An estimated 38,000 of the illicit drug users in South Carolina were between the ages of 12-17 years old.
- An estimated 90,000 of the illicit drug users in South Carolina were between the ages of 18-25 years old.
- An estimated 117,000 of the illicit drug users in South Carolina were 26 or older.

South Carolina Statistics

Alabama	Alaska	Arizona
Arkansas	California	Colorado
Connecticut	Delaware	Florida
Georgia	Hawaii	Idaho
Illinois	Indiana	Iowa
Kansas	Kentucky	Louisiana
Maine	Maryland	Massachusetts
Michigan	Minnesota	Mississippi
Missouri	Montana	Nebraska
Nevada	New Hampshire	New Jersey
New Mexico	New York	North Carolina
North Dakota	Ohio	Oklahoma
Oregon	Pennsylvania	Rhode Island
South Carolina	South Dakota	Tennessee
Texas	Utah	Vermont
Virginia	Washington	West Virginia
Wisconsin	Wyoming

Another one of the risks of heroin use is that all heroin users--not just those who inject the drug-- becoming addicted. Individuals who abuse heroin over time develop a tolerance for the drug, meaning that they must use increasingly larger doses to achieve the same intensity or effect they experienced when they first began using the drug. Heroin ceases to produce feelings of pleasure in users who develop tolerance; instead, these users must continue taking the drug simply to feel normal. Addicted individuals who stop using the drug may experience withdrawal symptoms, which include heroin craving, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, and vomiting.

600,000 Canadians have a criminal record for simple possession of marijuana

In the U.S.A the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act was passed in 1914 to control the sale and distribution of heroin and other opiates. The law did allow heroin to be prescribed and sold for medical purposes. In particular, recreational users could often still be legally supplied with heroin and use it. In 1924, the United States Congress passed additional legislation banning the sale, importation or manufacture of heroin in the United States. It is now a Schedule I substance, and is thus illegal in the United States.

Often these heroin users are under the misconception that if they do not inject the drug they will not become addicted. Those who have entered rehab to recover from heroin addiction include every method of heroin user. Annual admissions to substance abuse treatment for primary heroin abuse increased from 228,000 in 1995 to 254,000 in 2005; however, the proportion of primary heroin admissions remained steady at about 14 to 15 percent of all admissions. Between 1995 and 2005, inhalation and injection accounted for at least 94 percent of annual primary heroin admissions.