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Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for March 20, 2018

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By Scott Rasmussen

The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

March 20, 2018: Sixteen percent (16%) of Americans have tried cocaine at some point in their life. That’s a much higher share than is found in any other nation. Number two on the list is New Zealand, where 4.3% have used cocaine.[1]

The data is based upon a World Health Organization (WHO) survey of 54,000 people in 17 countries. It was reported in the Public Library of Science journal PLOS Medicine. According to Reuters, the study shows that “countries with looser drug laws have lower rates of abuse.”

Forty-two percent (42%) of Americans have tried marijuana. That, too, leads the world.

As for alcohol, things look a bit different. “By the age of 21, up to 99 percent of Europeans, 92 percent of Japanese, 94 percent of New Zealanders and 93 percent of people in the Americas had tasted alcohol.”


Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.


Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.

The Number of the Day is broadcast on local stations across the country. An archive of these broadcasts can be found here.

Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

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