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Perhaps the best way to show that drugs do not discriminate is graphically.
Below we see that each ethinc group has a percentage of people with drug and
alcohol problems. Native Americans/Native Alaskans have the highest percentage
and Asians/Pacific Islanders the lowest.
Next we see that if we hold the percentage of people with drug or alcohol
problems constant in each group, certain ethnicities (such as Blacks/African
Americans) are more likely to receive help for their substance issues than
others (such as Asians). There are a number of reasons for this. Programs may
be more accessible for one ethinicity than another. Conversely, strong cultural
attitudes toward substance abuse may prevent some groups from seeking the help
they need.
This next group of five charts shows the primary drug problem is different in
each ethnic group. While many people with drug or alcohol problems will take
pretty much anything they can find to get high, most have a primary drug of
choice.
Alcohol is the biggest problem among the White/Caucasian population, followed by
opiates such as heroin and prescription pain killers and then marijuana.
Cocaine is the biggest problem among the Black/African American population,
followed by alcohol and drugs together and then marijuana.
Opiates such as heroin and prescription pain killers are the biggest problem
among the Hispanic/Latino population, followed by alcohol and then alcohol plus
drugs.
Methamphamine and other amphetamines are the biggest problem among the
Asian/Pacific Islander population, followed by marijuana and then alcohol.
Alcohol is the biggest problem among the Native American/Native Alaskan
population, followed by alcohol and drugs and then marijuana.
[Sources: the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health; Treatment
Episode Data Set]
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