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]