Addiction Research

New Study Reveals Drug Abuse Among Baby Boomers

The current aging generation of baby boomers should be at almost one in every five North Carolinians by the year 2030. There is growing concern about this generation of people using combinations of alcohol and drugs in increasing amounts. The effects of this combination are still being studied but experience and science already shows the combination can be deadly.

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission is initiating early warning campaigns in hopes to alert the public about the issues of drinking and substance abuse with this population. Jena Burkhart, a geriatric clinical pharmacist at UNC believes there will be a rapidly increasing problem and that those in the health care field need to stay alert and aware of how to handle these growing concerns.

So far, research into these types of substance abuse issues among this group of baby boomers yields several dismal statistics. Baby boomers are categorized as the generation born after WWII and typically were born between the years 1946 to 1964. These statistics have sparked initiatives by those in the medical community to give better information regarding this subject. Keith Kimbro, a 60 year old recovering addict of alcohol and drugs, says he sees an abundance of evidence of this trend at his job in Durham, NC with the Alcohol and Drug Council. Kimbro says usually these folks have dealt with some serious issues such as death of a spouse, a car accident or a disability of some kind. Until now, they typically have not had issues with their addiction and suddenly at 55-60 their tolerance decreases.

Suddenly, as this group reaches their senior years, they are having issues handling their tolerance of drinking and become visibly disabled by it or are noticeably drunk.