According to new study done by Murray State University, more and more Americans are turning to illicit drugs to mark special occasions - like holidays. The findings were presented this week at the American Chemical Society’s annual meeting.

Researchers who conducted the study focused in on two particular cities in Kentucky and found that drug use in those towns shot up on Independence Day this year and also during last year's total lunar eclipse.

How could researchers tell - by studying sewage. They analyzed drug residue found in the wastewater. Researchers elsewhere, predominantly in Europe and Asia, have also used this technique to indirectly measure drug use in their areas.

According to the team’s calculations, the percentage of people using drugs is 2-to-4 times greater than what the government is reporting. In one community, cocaine use shot up nearly 30%, meth use more than doubled and heroin use also saw a spike.

The conclusion? Americans likes to party on special occasions - and not always in the healthiest of ways. Researchers hope to expand their studies to other parts of the country in hopes of getting a better idea of just how bad drug use has become.

To read more on the study, click on the link below.

Source: Gizmodo.com


See Also:

More From KIKN-FM / Kickin' Country 99.1/100.5