Drugs like methamphetamine, for example, impact certain regions of the country more than others, while alcohol and heroin use and abuse vary greatly between urban and rural communities. The new data set from SAMHSA should help state, local and federal officials better focus their resources to address the problems unique to each community.

Furthermore, local treatment and prevention organizations can use this information not only to make the case for funding, but also to track their progress in impacting substance abuse rates year over year.

During her comments on the release of the report, HHS Secretary Donna Shalala said that applicants for SAMHSA's State Incentive Grants will now be required to use data from the state report as a baseline for substance abuse in their community, and set specific three-year goals for cutting use. Similarly, federal officials will use state data from the survey to identify problem communities for funding through the Targeted Capacity Expansion Grant program.

The initial findings from the survey's state-level data collection include:

• Six of the states with the highest rates of current illicit drug use were in the western U.S.
• Eight of the states with the lowest rates of current illicit drug use were in the South
• Most of the states with the highest rates of binge drinking were in the North
• Most of the states with the lowest rates of binge drinking were in the South
• Virginia had the lowest reported rate of illicit drug use: 4.7 percent of the population
• Alaska had the highest rate: 10.7 percent
• Reported illicit drug use among 12- to 17-year-olds was lowest in Utah (8 percent) and highest in Delaware (18.3 percent)
• Kentucky, West Virginia, Minnesota, Delaware and North Carolina were among the states with the higest reported level of smoking both by youths and the general population.

Analysis by Bob Curley for Join Together.

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