Drug Usage 1

Running Head: Drug Usage during the Respondent Lifetime

A Research of the Drug Usage during the Respondent Lifetime

Kevan Dunlop

SOWK300 01

J. McArthur

March 26, 2010

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Abstract

A higher percentage of White respondents are more likely to use cocaine, powder, crack or
freebase in their lifetime than black respondents.Many people know of someone close to them
that has done drugs. Some drugs are addicting. The drugs in this survey are all addicting drugs.
Drugs usage in the black community is different due to more black males are sent to jail for
distribution the being a user. A higher percentage of White male respondents will use cocaine,
powder, crack or freebase in their lifetime than black male respondents. The black community
has been viewed in the media as the people doing the worst on these drugs and is commonly
stereotyped.
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Hypothesis

My first hypothesis is that race” A higher percentage of White respondents are more likely to use
cocaine, powder, crack or freebase in their lifetime than black respondents.”The independent
variable is race of the respondent. The dependent variable is the question asked to the
respondents of During your life time how many times have you used any form of cocaine,
including powder, crack, or freebase? The values of the independent variable are broken into
three classifications of race for the respondents white, black, and other for all the races that are
not black or white. The values of the dependent variable are the amount of times the respondent
has done the previous mentioned drugs which is grouped in three categories 0 times,1 to 19
times, and 20 or more times. The control variable is gender of the respondents. The values of the
control variable are male and female.

My second hypothesis is “A higher percentage of White male respondents will use cocaine,
powder, crack or freebase in their lifetime than black male respondents”. The control variable
will modify the original bivariate relationship of the first hypothesis due to the new variable
being measured which is gender. The gender narrows the field of respondents to male and female
by race so there could be a difference in usage by gender and race. I believe that the control
variable will affect the bivariate relationship showing that the black respondents both male and
female have the same views when it comes to using cocaine, powder, crack, and freebase

Rationale

The rationale for my hypothesis is that the race of a respondent affects the respondent’s views on
certain drugs. A higher percentage of White respondents are more likely to use cocaine, powder,
crack or freebase in their lifetime than black respondents because the law is more lenient towards
white people which are generally user in this time era. White people it seems get off easier for
the same crimes when it comes to drug usage. Many black people have a bias view toward police
officers due to bad experiences they have had or someone close to them has had that was a minor
situation but made it into a bigger deal due to their race by the police and the media. Drugs usage
in the black community is different due to more black males are sent to jail for distribution the
being a user. Going to Jail for people that distribute drugs is much harsher then going as a user.
During the war on drugs in the eighties under Reagan new laws were passed making the
distributor more liable than the customer of illegal goods.
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The control variable of gender which is important because most male’s abuse or use drugs more
often than females. Males have different bodies and functions in the social society. Women have
the ability to bring new life into the world and are generally of a smaller body mass then males.
Males are more inclined to sell drugs than women due to their social roles. More males are
inclined to be a distributer of drugs than females. With more males in contact with the drugs their
opportunity to use drugs is more convenient than females. Women may use cocaine, powder,
crack or freebase but in smaller quantities then males. Couples may use drugs together. Males
may also use drugs to be cool around their peers not only males but females. Leading to higher
usage. But the views of society influence the black community view on drug usage. The black
community has been viewed in the media as the people doing the worst on these drugs and is
commonly stereotyped. But white males and females have different views of the norm in their
society when it comes to drug usage of the powder form. White people have a less negative view
on the crippling effects of cocaine, powder, crack, and freebase due to the history of their people
and these drugs.

Results

Table 1

During life time of R how many times they have used

cocaine ,powder, crack by R’s race (%)

R’s Race Group

Responses White Black Other Totals

0 times 51.3 65.3 64.2 56.3

1 to 19 times 2.3 3.3 3.5 2.7

20 or more times 46.4 31.4 32.3 41.0

Totals 100 100 100 100

(N) (2798) (608) (1075) (4481)

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Table 2

During life time of R how many times they have used

cocaine ,powder, crack by R’s race controlling for R’s Gender (%)

R’s Race Group

Responses White Black Other Totals

Male Respondents

0 times 49.4 58.2 61.9 53.8

1 to 19 times 3.3 4 5.3 3.9

20 or more times 47.3 37.8 32.8 42.4

Totals 100 100 100 100

(N) (1068) (201) (457) (1726)

Female Respondents

0 times 52.4 68.8 65.7 57.8

1 to 19 times 1.7 2.9 2.3 2.0

20 or more times 45.9 28.3 32 40.2

Totals 100 100 100 100

(N) (1729) (407) (616) (2752)

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Discussion

After all the data was analyzed the following was gathered. The black respondents had 65.3%
answered that they have never done cocaine, powder, crack or freebase. This was the highest of
the respondents. The white respondents had 51.3% answered that they have never done cocaine,
powder, crack or freebase. That’s a 14% decrease from the black respondents. The category of
other respondents had 64.2% answered no drug usage in their lifetime.That breaks ground on my
hypothesis that a higher percentage of White respondents are more likely to use cocaine, powder,
crack or freebase in their lifetime than black respondents.

White respondents who used drugs 20 or more times had the highest percentage of respondents
with 46.4%. Black respondents where third with 31.4% doing those drugs 20 or more times. A
15% decrease from the white respondents. Which further backs my hypothesis that white
respondents are more likely to use cocaine, powder, crack or freebase in their lifetime than black
respondents. The group classified as other ranked second with 32.3%. That’s not to say that
black respondents don’t do illegal drugs but as far as the mentioned there rates are noticeably
different then the white respondents.

When the control variable is added the effects can be visibly seen. The black male respondents
had 58.2% answer that they have never done cocaine, powder, crack or freebase. The white male
respondents had 49.4% answer that they have never done cocaine, powder, crack or freebase
which is an 8.8% decrease from the black male respondents.The white female respondents had
52.4% answered that they have never did cocaine, powder, crack or freebase. The black female
respondents had 68.8% which is the highest group to not have done those drugs.

The white male respondents had 47.3% do cocaine, powder, crack or freebase in their lifetime
which was the highest of any group respondent regardless of race or gender.The black male
respondents had 37.8% which was a 9.5% decrease and leads to proving my second hypothesis
which is “A higher percentage of White male respondents will use cocaine, powder, crack or
freebase in their lifetime than black male respondents “to have a great deal of truth. The
classification of other had 32.8 which ranks third of the male respondents. The white female
respondents had 45.9% answer that they have done those drugs 20 or more time in their lifetime.
The black female respondents had 28.3% answer that they have done those drugs 20 or more
time in their lifetime. The other female respondents had 32%.
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After all the data was analyzed I was really surprised and happy with the numbers for the Black
community. Many people know of someone close to them that has done drugs. Some drugs are
addicting. The drugs in this survey are all addicting drugs and for the Black respondents to have
lower percentages of usages in the important categories very important to dispel the stereotypes
portrayed in the media and society. The high number of white respondents leads me to wonder
why they use these addicting drugs so much and where they get it from. Is this a contributing
factor to white people and higher suicide rates, the data would lead me to believe this to be true.

Appendix

Crosstabs (Bivariate)
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Crosstabs (Multivariate)
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Syntax File
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Errors (Recode)