Traditionally, the prevalence of illicit and problematic drug use in the elderly was thought to be very low (Abrams and Alexopoulos, 1988; Rosenberg, 1995; Crome and Day, 1999; Simoni-Wastila and Yang, 2006). Indeed, in the most recent British Crime Survey respondents over the age of 59 years were not asked about illicit drug use because previous surveys indicated that less than 1% of those aged 60 years and over had taken illicit drugs in their lifetime (personal communication, Home Office Direct Communications Unit, 2007). The vast majority of epidemiological studies of illicit drug use and problematic use in the elderly are from the U.S.A., although studies from other countries are emerging. These epidemiological studies have either been population-based or of convenience samples.