August 12, 2009

Social Services

But is it the Cause or the Effect?

Carroll Andrew Morse

There is now a set of state-by-state listings that Rhode Island has placed near the top of. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the Federal Government's Department of Health and Human Services (as reported in the New York Times), Rhode Island is…

  • #1 in the percentage of the population using illicit drugs (12.47%)...
  • #2 in the percentage of the population using illicit drugs other than marijuana (5.51%)...
  • #1 in marijuana use (16.12%)...
  • #2 in cocaine use (4.11%)...
  • …but only 6th in binge alcohol use (27.92%).
Somewhere in this, there are some politically incorrect observations about Congressman Patrick Kennedy being an appropriate representative for the state. Or maybe Representative Elizabeth Dennigan should work this data into her Congressional campaign, saying that Rhode Island really does need help from a nurse.

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27.92% binge alcohol users? Really? Really? When the clock strikes 13, all else is called into question. I think I heard the 13th chime in that 'statistic'.

Who knows, the rest don't sound implausible, but are suspect by association - unless 2 (adult) people out of every 7 are binge drinkers. Wouldn't we have some accounts in the local Sleeping Dog, I mean, the ProJo?

Or maybe I'm just sadly out of touch.

Posted by: chuckR at August 12, 2009 1:24 PM

Chuck,

I think you may have a point. The study defines "binge alcohol use" as...

drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the 30 days prior to the survey.
That could make one beer per quarter of a Patriots game, plus one at halftime, into a binge episode.

Posted by: Andrew at August 12, 2009 1:37 PM

This was a survey of elected politicians, correct? Good to see Patches brings our state's drug use rating right to the top.

Posted by: dave at August 12, 2009 1:38 PM

It is little spoken of, I assume for politically correctness reasons, but socio-economics have a lot to do with drug use and what kinds are used. A few CEO's have been "busted", but mostly, like John DeLoarean, they were dealing it in a effort to save a failing enterprise. Anyway, I might suggest a comparison of the socio-economics in RI with other states. I know very few housewives who occaisionally "do a line". Maybe they have licit drugs. "Mother's Little Helper"?

If you want some evidence of this thinking, those of you old enough to remember the onset of aids will recall that none of the TV movies about it featured gays. Most featured housewives getting it from their tennis instructors.

Don't know what to say about "binge drinking". I have always thought it was another attempt by the therapists to get it listed in the DSM so that they could charge for it. Similiar to their efforts with "Road Rage" as a treatable illness.

Posted by: Warrington Faust at August 12, 2009 7:39 PM

"#1 in the percentage of the population using illicit drugs (12.47%)...
#2 in the percentage of the population using illicit drugs other than marijuana (5.51%)...
#1 in marijuana use (16.12%)...
#2 in cocaine use (4.11%)...
…but only 6th in binge alcohol use (27.92%)."

With high taxes and bad government everywhere you turn, who can blame us??

Posted by: Monique at August 12, 2009 9:57 PM
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