Washington Roundup

June 14, 2002

Contact: Jenny Collier and Tom Leibfried

Legal Action Center

202-544-5478

                                                               

Substance Abuse Increases In New York City in Aftermath of September 11th

Researchers, led by Drs. David Vlahov and Sandro Galea from the New York Academy of Medicine, found that smoking, alcohol, and marijuana use increased among residents of Manhattan during the five to eight weeks after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. 

Almost one-third of the nearly 1,000 persons interviewed reported an increased use of alcohol, marijuana, or cigarettes following the September 11th attacks.  The largest increase was in alcohol use – about 25% of the survey respondents reported drinking more alcohol in the weeks after September 11th.  10% of survey respondents reported an increase in smoking, and 3.2% said they had increased their use of marijuana.  Full survey results appear in the June 1, 2002 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Researchers found that individuals who reported an increase in substance abuse were more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.  Individuals who reported an increase in cigarette smoking or marijuana use were more likely to have both PTSD and depression, while those who reported an increase in alcohol use were more likely to have depression only. 

Increase in substance abuse did not differ significantly between men and women or among racial or ethnic groups.  Demographic factors, such as age, marital status, and income, seemed to play a more critical role in determining if the events of September 11th led to an increase in substance use.  For example, increased alcohol consumption was associated more with individuals over 65 years of age who were divorced, separated or widowed and had a household income of less than $20,000 per year. 

The study was funded by grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the United Way of New York City, and The New York Community Trust.  Results of the survey will help to develop more effective alcohol and drug treatment and prevention strategies for individuals coping with severe stress and trauma.