Comparison of Drug Use Rates for Reservation Indian, Non-Reservation Indian and Anglo Youth

Rates of drug use and involvement were compared for three groups: Indian youth living on reservations, Indian youth living off reservations and Anglo youth. A consistent pattern emerged, showing the lowest rates of use among Anglo youth, higher rates among non-reservation Indian youth, and the highest rates among Indian youth on reservations. Rates of tobacco use, both smoked and smokeless, and marijuana use are especially high for Indian youth. Indian youth also show a pattern of earlier initiation to drug use. Gender differences reveal slightly higher rates of use for males, although the differences are not great enough to suggest that prevention efforts for males should have a higher priority.