The diagram compares and contrasts data on the changes in expenditure on alcohol and drugs over the 18-year period from 1975 to 1992.
Generally, more money was spent on alcohol than drugs over this whole time period.
More specifically, the sales of alcohol reached its highest peak in 1980 at 186 billion dollars whereas that of drugs saw the biggest amount in sales at 102 billion dollars, a difference of 84 billion dollars. However, despite all the fluctuations during the period, the consumption of alcohol increased from 146 billion dollars in 1975 to 148 billion dollars in 1992, a climb of 2 billion dollars. By contrast, the number in sales of drugs jumped from 35 billion dollars to 98 billion dollars, slightly less than a threefold increase. The biggest difference in sales between alcohol and drugs, in any one year, was in 1975 where sales were $146 billion and $35 billion respectively, a difference of $111 billion.