Trending drugs in the US changed a great deal between the 1990s and today, as new drugs are constantly being developed and the popularity of the old “standbys” fluctuates with the times. The trends in drug use are based not only on changes in social culture, but on changes in the drugs themselves.
1990s
With the 1990s came “Raves”, high energy, all-night dance parties that attracted kids under the age of 21 due to being “alcohol-free.” Accompanying the Raves was a heterogeneous group of substances coined “club drugs” that were commonly taken to enhance the Rave experience of flashing lights and loud, hypnotic techno music. MDMA, or Ecstasy, was the most popular club drug, one that made shy persons uninhibited, engendered feelings of love and emotional warmth and enabled users stay awake all night.
Other trendy drugs of the time included GHB—“liquid ecstasy”–, Methamphetamine and the infamous “date rape” drugs Ketamine and Rohypnol (Roofies). LSD saw resurgence during this time; its estimated potency was 90% less than in the 1960s, rendering its effects more euphoric and less hallucinogenic
Finally, Heroin use rose significantly in the 90s as it became purer and cheaper, allowing it to be smoked or snorted and thus eliminating the stigma and fear of “needle drugs”. In popular culture “Heroin Chic” was the new fashion, characterized by pale skin, dark circles under the eyes and an overall emaciated appearance.
2000s
In the 2000s the War on Drugs continued to escalate, the Internet became a marketplace for mind-altering substances and “designer drugs” were ubiquitous. “Designer Drugs” are specifically made to fall outside of federal drug laws. They can either be new forms of older illegal drugs or a completely new chemical formulation; the most common designer drugs are created by making a derivative of an existing drug’s chemical structure. This variation allows the drug to have similar effects as the illicit drugs, but the drugs will not fall under the correct formula for many drug laws.
Most of the designer drugs produced during the decade were opioids, hallucinogens, or anabolic steroids.
Today
Much media attention has been focused on the “prescription pill epidemic” over the past five years, but according to treatment data for 2011 from the Department of Justice’s Drug Market Analyses, the current most popular recreational drugs are:
1-Marijuana
2-Crystal Meth
3-Alcohol
4-Pills – painkillers (such as Oxycontin and Hydrocodone) and benzodiazepines (such as Xanax)
5-Heroin and Cocaine
There has been a surge in heroin use in suburban areas during the past decade; experts believe that this is a consequence of the prescription pill epidemic: Persons who begin by taking prescription pain killers become addicted to them and later switch to heroin because it is far less expensive and easier to obtain.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuanause has increased since 2007, with the number of regular users rising from 5.8% to 7.3% of the US population aged 12 and older. In addition, drug use is increasing among people in their fifties—the baby boomers who have historically had the highest rates of drug use as compared to other generations. Most of the increase in illicit drug use over the last decade can be attributed to the rise in marijuana use.
Both Colorado and Washington state legalized marijuana in 2014 and other states seem prepared to follow this trend, so the use of marijuana is likely to continue to increase.
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