The responses show that the estimated number of total marijuana consumers grew by nearly 150 percent, from 590,000 in 2010 to 1,500,000 in 2017. Meanwhile, the number of individuals who consumed cocaine during the year prior to the survey nearly doubled, from just over 150,000 in 2010 to nearly 300,000 in 2017.
The data also shows an alarming trend for young people between ages 12 and 17. Since 2010, the percentage of this population estimated to consume marijuana more than doubled to reach 2.7 percent, while the percentage of youth cocaine and “ecstasy” users both tripled to respectively 1.2 and 0.3 percent. Overall drug consumption by youths increased by 146 percent over the last seven years.
