According to the department's annual "National Survey on Drug Use and Health," an estimated 19.5 million Americans currently use illicit drugs (as defined as use within the past month). Of these, 14.6 million - or 75 percent - self-identify as marijuana smokers.

By comparison, only 2.3 million Americans reported using cocaine, approximately one million reported using LSD, and fewer than 120,000 said that they currently use heroin.

In addition, an estimated 97 million Americans - slightly more than 40 percent of the US population age 12 or older - have used marijuana during their lifetimes, the study noted.

NORML Foundation Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said that the prevalence of marijuana consumers compared to other illicit drugs begs for a change in the federal law. "Americans clearly delineate between the use of marijuana and the use of more dangerous substances like cocaine and heroin," he said. "Like the use of alcohol and tobacco, marijuana use is an acknowledged part of the American culture and economy. It is consumed by tens of millions of Americans, relatively few of which suffer significant deleterious health consequences due to their use. It is time for our public policies to reflect this reality and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco."

For more information, please contact either Allen St. Pierre or Paul Armentano of the NORML Foundation at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health is available online at:
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda.htm#NHSDAinfo