Do the poor use drugs more frequently than other economic groups? While many people would answer "yes" to that question, research indicates that a lack of money alone does not increase the chances that a person will use drugs. The relationship between poverty and drug use is more complicated. Beyond the lack of money, poverty leads to certain attitudes, behaviors, and life conditions. These same attitudes and conditions can contribute to drug use.

What Is Poverty?

In the United States, national poverty data are calculated using the official U.S. Bureau of the Census definition of poverty. This definition establishes a poverty threshold. If a family has an income level below that threshold, the family is considered to be poor. The census compares a family's cash income before taxes with that poverty threshold, which adjusts for family size and composition. According to...