Baby boomers drink, smoke and use drugs more than teens

[grace]

BABY boomers are drinking and taking drugs in record numbers, but are largely overlooked by the health system, experts warn.

 

National figures show older Australians are drinking and smoking more than teens and young adults and their use of illicit drugs is on the rise.

 

And drug treatment workers are concerned older generations are slipping through the cracks because they are more secretive in their drug-taking and don't have access to appropriate rehabilitation.

 

Analysis in this month's Of Substance magazine, published by the Australian National Council on Drugs, showed "dangerous" levels of drug-taking among the over-40s.

 

Over the past four years, illicit drug use among Australians aged 50-59 jumped - from 7.6 per cent to 8.7 per cent for men and 4.8 per cent to 5.4 per cent for women.

 

That is despite an overall decline in illicit drug use in all Australians.

 

Figures from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey also showed a dramatic difference in smoking habits between generations.

 

Smokers aged 50-59 smoke an average 124.9 cigarettes a week, compared with 84 for those aged 14-39.

 

Australians aged 50 and over were also found to be up to five times more likely to drink alcohol daily than their younger counterparts.

 

Peninsula Drug and Alcohol Program manager Simon Ruth said researchers and government had overlooked older generations.

 

He said older Australians were taking "the full range of drugs that any other age group is taking", including cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana.

 

However, Mr Ruth said largely undetected rates of drinking posed the biggest risk.

 

"They may start at lunchtime and have one an hour and that has a huge impact on their health. But because they might not be losing their licence and starting bar fights, we don't see them," Mr Ruth said.

 

Those at retirement age were at greater risk and government health strategies had failed to address the issue, he said.

 

Anyone with drug or alcohol problems can call DirectLine 1800 888 236.

 

Author: Evonne Barry

Date: 26 April 2009

Source: Sunday Herald

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...727-662,00.html

[bufo marinus]

Anyone with drug or alcohol problems can call DirectLine 1800 888 236.

 

"Hello is this the Australian National Council on Drugs 'Hotline'?... yes I'm calling about a drug problem yes,... regarding my Cannabis consumption yes,... do I have a problem with it?... ummm noooo, but every nosey prick like you has!!"

[Nooby]

Hey maybe the older we get, the more we realise and see stuff, the more we need weed (and other drugs)to help us stay calm?

[yastsce]

Agree wtih this 100% so many of our parents a drug Fucked...................but they cant cant outdo my generation no matter how hard they try hahahaha

[luciddreaming]

He said older Australians were taking "the full range of drugs that any other age group is taking", including cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana.

 

However, Mr Ruth said largely undetected rates of drinking posed the biggest risk.

See! They know the other drugs aren't as harmful as alcohol.

 

"Hello is this the Australian National Council on Drugs 'Hotline'?... yes I'm calling about a drug problem yes,... regarding my Cannabis consumption yes,... do I have a problem with it?... ummm noooo, but every nosey prick like you has!!"

"BUT YOU RANG US!"

 

I would be more like "Hello is this the Australian National Council on Drugs 'Hotline'?... yes I'm calling about a drug problem yes,... regarding my Cannabis consumption yes,... do I have a problem with it?... YES THE FUCKIN' COPS WON'T LET ME SMOKE IN PEACE!" haha

[brick]

Agree wtih this 100% so many of our parents a drug Fucked...................but they cant cant outdo my generation no matter how hard they try hahahaha

 

We were the pioneers for you young one's. So show some respect. We don't have to outdo any one.

[D3ANN3]

I believe this is true, as both my brothers who are over 40 both smoke.. daily. But the police are mainly only focused on teens-30yo's.

[Infinitee]

NDARC has it's own magazine?

To report what exactly, besides how much a waste of time, money and what an inadequate job they do!

 

8.7% & 5.4% smoking rates for men and women??

 

The other ~95% just probably forgot.

 

Old-gen stoners are gnarly, even if a bit light (ha, just kidding you sensitive bastards) - I won't hear a bad word non-jokingly said about them.

As there hasn't been.

As you were, people.

[Thylacine]

Might be true , dunno.

 

All I know is the boomers are the ones supplying the market, they have the time and cash to do the cash crop thing, I'd say they were the backbone of "commercial" weed, from massive Ops run by large number of ppl's[cough*bikers*cough] to one man Op's in rented houses/sheds ect...

 

In a perfect world people wouldnt be able to make money from the plant but shit, its the way it is atm. Even more so while its illegal....so ya cant really begrudge them a profit, in a very small way they are providing a service so thats worth something but i think the main area is the risk you take growing and selling. I'd say a good % of them dont use it and are just in it for the cash. Not to mention all the middlemen, the most successfull ones dont smoke.

 

If they ever do tax and sell it like alcohol I'll have a good chuckle at all the 2 faced boomers who grow for pure profit on the sly while looking down at the "druggies" they are profiting from while sipping a red at the beach house..