What is the legal drug used recreationally by more people in the U.S. than any other substance?

• A. Alcohol
• B. The nicotine in tobacco
• C. The prescription amphetamines, taken as a whole
• D. The prescription narcotics, taken as a whole

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is why some legal substances are used recreationally by more people. Alcohol has the broadest recreational use in the United States because it’s legal, inexpensive, and deeply embedded in social life and cultural norms. That combination makes it accessible and acceptable for a wide range of social occasions, so a larger share of adults reports drinking than using nicotine, prescription stimulants, or prescription narcotics for recreation. Nicotine is also legal and widely used, but much of its use is habitual rather than recreational in the sense of social or occasional experimentation. Prescription drugs require clinician access and are not used by as many people for nonmedical recreation. All of this explains why alcohol has the highest recreational-use prevalence.