A new study reveals between 1992 and 2008 the proportion of substance abuse treatment admissions involving older Americans (aged 50 or older) nearly doubled from 6.6 percent of all admissions in 1992 to 12.2 percent in 2008. The study, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), also shows a sharp rise during this period in the proportion of older Americans admissions related to illicit drug abuse, even though alcohol abuse is still the leading cause for admissions involving this age group.

Among its more notable findings the SAMHSA study reveals that from 1992 to 2008 the proportion of admissions among this age group due primarily to:

• Heroin abuse more then doubled - from 7.2 percent to 16.0 percent
• Cocaine abuse quadrupled - from 2.9 percent to 11.4 percent
• Prescription drug abuse rose from 0.7 percent to 3.5 percent
• Marijuana abuse increased from 0.6 percent to 2.9 percent

Please visit www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1006153959.aspx for more information on this topic.