Comments on: Stoned Nation: International study of drug use places US in the lead.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:50:42 +0000

Tex!Any study worth reading will cause you to run into the conflict of what you thought was true and what the study says. If you assume that the study is not valid because what you thought was true is violated, then you will walk away unchanged by a potential learning experience.I do agree with you, however, that if something does not conform to expectations, check it out. In this case, the study is Open Access, so you can read the thing!!!!Report back with your conclusions, please.

By: Stephanie Z

Stephanie Z — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:19:19 +0000

Tex, the study is measuring lifetime use.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:18:49 +0000

If it was everybody who ever smoked (not just a puff, but who regularly smoked) I could see this as the number. Back in the day, EVERYBODY smoked.

By: Tex

Tex — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:11:48 +0000

I am pretty suspicious of the 73.6% value for US tobacco users. Is this survey counting everyone who even once puffed a cigarette on a dare in junior high? If not, this number seems far too high and makes me distrustful of the rest of the survey.

By: jim

jim — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:53:21 +0000

It would be interesting to understand how the severity of punishment varies by country. Some countries have very harsh penalties regarding illegal drug use. The study would have to take into account the measure of how often these penalties were enforced. My guess is that if a country has harsh penalties, but doesn’t enforce them then that is not much different than a country with mild or no penalties.I think Japan has some very harsh penalties on cocaine and marijuana.Just a thought.

By: Jon D

Jon D — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:55:42 +0000

I find it very surprising they left out the UK.I’m pretty sure we would give the US a run for its money in most categories.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:05:49 +0000

Jason, I had not suggested what you suggest I suggested. I suggested, rather, I suggest what you suggest. Also, I was actually thinking as well of Christianity vs. non-Christianity, not degree of adherence to it or specific sects or cults.

By: Jason Dick

Jason Dick — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:38:58 +0000

As far as Christianity being “more widespread” in areas with less drug use, the US is the most strongly Christian nation of any of the developed nations. Even Italy, for instance, is only at around 50% self-identified as Christian, while the US is at around 80%.

By: Ian

Ian — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:05:33 +0000

Greg – are you trying to suggest that we’re living in the stoned age?!

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:08:18 +0000

There is some information on drug laws and their severity, and it does not associate with any of the indicators of use.FutureMD: I had the same questions about Chat and other drugs. Also, there are huge areas (not necessarily in this study, but elsewhere) where patterns would be very different. There are parts of the world where everyone is always stoned that I doubt will ever get into a survey of this sort.