Description of the Addiction Services Agency During the Time Periods Under Study

Estimates of the magnitude of drug addiction in New York City have varied markedly. These numerous estimates have not been subjected to reliable epidemiologic verification. A 1972 estimate indicated a figure of 150,000 addicts, or roughly 1.9 percent of the total New York City population of 7,902,050. ¹ Other estimates, however, have ranged from 50,000 to 700,000 addicts. ²