Poverty Myths Busted: Drugs and Poverty Go Together

Poverty Myth: Drug Use is Higher in Poor Communities

FALSE!

drugs_and_poverty

The myth that drugs and poverty go together is common, but in fact people in poverty do not use drugs at a higher rate than the rest of society. They are, however, much more likely to be punished, imprisoned, and suspected for drug-related offenses.

According to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health,[1] “Those with the highest incomes were most likely to have engaged in extra-medical use of all drug types but for cocaine.” Cocaine was an exception simply because the number of respondents in the survey who had used cocaine was too small – not because people with lower income were more likely to use. In fact, numerous other surveys suggest that cocaine use is highest among higher income groups[2].

The connection between drugs and poverty is the same for alcohol and poverty. One 2010 study found that 81% of respondents who earn over $75,000 a year drink alcohol, versus 66% of those earning $30,000 to $49,000, and just 46% of those earning under $20,000[3].

Is it drugs... or the war on drugs?

The myth that drugs and poverty go together is no doubt connected to disparities in policing. A study conducted by New York University that looked at disparities in arrest rates for crack and cocaine, found that crack users, who are more likely to come from lower income communities, were 18 times more likely to get arrested for drug possession than cocaine users, who are more likely to come from higher income communities. This for the same quantity of two drugs that are exactly the same chemical product. [4]

The authors concluded that:

“Crack users are much more likely to experience arrest than powder cocaine users, and being poor is the true overwhelming correlate… The sentencing laws appear to unfairly target the poor, with blacks ultimately experiencing high incarceration rates as a result.”

This is the real connection between drugs and poverty. Drug-related incarceration itself contributes to poverty. Those who have been incarcerated have a harder time finding jobs on release because of employment discrimination and a lack of work experience because of time spent in jail.[5] The effects of incarceration on socioeconomic status have been found to stretch over generations.[6]

But the myth continues...

The myth that drugs and poverty go together has had an impact on social policy in the US as well.

Twelve states have started to require drug testing for welfare recipients based on the misconception that people in poverty use drugs more than the rest of the population. These programs represent a tremendous waste of government money – one program in Florida cost the state $172 million, with only 2% of those tested failing. This saved the government no more than $98,000.[7]

In Tennessee, after 6 months and 16,000 drug tests, just 37 people had tested positive[8].

In Arizona, after 108,000 drug tests, only 2 applicants were disqualified because of positive drug tests.[9]

The myth that drug use is higher in poor communities hurts us all - no matter our socioeconomic background. 

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Sources:

[1] Degenhardt, Chiu, et al, “Epidemiological patterns of drug use in the United States: Evidence from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, 2001-2003.” Drug Alcohol Depend.2007 (October 8; 90(2-3): 210-223 ;

[2] http://www.promises.com/articles/cocaine/cocaine-users-higher-incomes-study-finds/ consulted on Feb 26, 2018 ;

[3] Arthur C. Brooks, “Rising to Your Level of Misery at Work.” Retrieved on Sept 7 2015 from: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/opinion/arthur-brooks-rising-to-your-level-of-misery-at-work.html?_r=0 ;

[4] http://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2015/02/19/-powder-vs-crack-nyu-study-identifies-arrest-risk-disparity-for-cocaine-use.html retrieved on Feb 26 2015 ;

[5] "Incarceration and Social Inequality" http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DAED_a_00019 retrieved on Feb 28, 2018 ;

[6] Ibid. ;

[7] "Welfare Drug Testing Yields 2% Positive Results" http://tbo.com/ap/politics/welfare-drug-testing-yields--positive-results-252458 retrieved on March 3, 2015 ;

[8] http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2015/02/08/drug-testing-tennessee-welfare-applicants-yields-positives/23085301/ retrieved on Feb 26, 2018 ;

[9] "Few Welfare Recipients Caught in Drug Screening Net So Far" http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/12/16/few-welfare-applicants-caught-in-drug-screening-net-so-far/ retrieved on Feb 28, 2018