Drug Abuse Statistics

Read on to learn about drug abuse and how to recover from this disorder.

Table of contents

Understanding Drug Abuse
How Does Drug Abuse Affect Society?
Why Is Drug Abuse A Problem?
Opioid Drug Abuse Statistics
Alcohol Abuse Statistics
Heroin Drug Abuse Statistics
Stimulants Drug Abuse Statistics
Methamphetamine Drug Addiction Statistics
Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics
Drug Abuse Statistics by Age, State, and Gender
Drug Overdose Death Rates
Drug Abuse Rehab
Get Help for Addiction Today
Resources

Understanding Drug Abuse

Most people focus on drug abuse with a narrow lens. Much of the attention target the person with the substance abuse problem, but the truth is that drug abuse is everyone’s problem. Drug addiction affects society as a whole, and we all influence drug abuse statistics. What’s even more essential is that we are also part of the solution.

Drug abuse is not a lack of self-control or a moral failing. Rather, drug abuse, also known as substance abuse or substance use disorder (SUD), is a pattern of substance use resulting in negative consequences. Despite these negative consequences, the person with the substance use disorder continues to do drugs.¹

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What is Drug Abuse?

The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes drug abuse as a disease. Under their current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, known as the DSM-5 manual, substance dependence qualifies as:

A cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating continued use of a substance despite significant substance-related problems. There is a pattern of repeated substance ingestion resulting in tolerance, withdrawal symptoms if use is suspended, and an uncontrollable drive to continue use.²

In short, substance abuse means a person continues to use drugs, even when drug use ruins their lives.

Commonly Abuse Substances

Drugs that have the potential for abuse include illegal substances like: ³

However, substance abuse can also occur with prescription drugs. Some people are prescribed drugs by a health professional, but they take the drugs in a way other than prescribed, including snorting, crushing, or injecting drugs meant to take orally.

Some individuals obtain medications prescribed to other people, thus using the drug illegally. Opioids, for example, are drugs that have a high potential for substance abuse and are typically prescribed for severe pain. If opioids are used for extended periods differently than they’re prescribed, drug dependence can occur.

Some drugs are available for purchase over-the-counter (OTC), which means that a person doesn’t need a prescription to obtain the medication from the store. Medicines for cough, allergies, or pain purchased over-the-counter can still be misused, thus leading to drug abuse.

How Does Drug Abuse Affect Society?

Drug abuse is dangerous, not just for the person misusing the drug. The harm from drug abuse extends to family, friends, and society as a whole. When it comes to drug abuse, there are costs, and the prices aren’t only monetary. Drug abuse costs lives, destroys familial and community bonds, and erodes societal trust and productivity.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the cumulative effects of drug abuse and addiction to tobacco and alcohol cost the United States over $740 billion each year due to crime, lost work productivity, and health care. The abuse of prescription opioids, on its own, accounts for over $78 billion, with approximately $26 billion of that money in healthcare costs.⁴

These costs are monetary funds that could be allocated to other needs, such as education, food, and preventative healthcare. Instead, $740 billion of the nation’s money is diverted to the cost of drug abuse.⁴

Reviewing the Stats

Substance abuse utilizes healthcare, often in areas that could be used for other treatments. For example, United States drug abuse statistics show:

Approximately 326,000 hospitalizations occurred in 2016 for both intentional and unintentional drug poisonings
About 577 794 emergency room visits were linked to drug poisonings or overdoses
Nearly half of all people who struggle with drug abuse also have a mental illness, adding to healthcare utilization

To fight against drug abuse, taxpayers’ money is necessary. To highlight this fact, in 2020, the National Drug Control Budget asked for $34.6 billion to combat drug use. The money was allocated to five areas: law enforcement, prevention, treatment, operations, and interdiction. Some examples of funds include:

$1.2 billion provided to the Department of Defense for drug law enforcement and operations both at home and abroad
$55.5 million disbursed to the Department of Education for prevention efforts
$1.5 billion to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) specifically for opioid prevention and treatment for tribes, states, and US territory

What Are The Causes Of Drug Abuse?

Drug addiction can happen to anyone. However, some factors can increase a person’s risk for addiction, such as: ⁵

Drug experimentation, especially in adolescence and young adulthood
Aggressive behavior, especially in childhood or adolescence
Exposure to substance abuse, especially in a family environment or through friends
Easy access to drugs or the availability of drugs
Poverty or trauma in childhood or adolescence
Prescription for long-term use of an opioid painkiller

Childhood poverty and trauma are risk factors for drug abuse, and early prevention is crucial for reducing the risk of future addiction. Exposure to more risks increases a child’s chances of developing a substance abuse problem. Fortunately, these risks can be balanced by protective factors. Protective factors help to reduce or prevent harm. A few protective factors that prevent drug abuse are:

A robust and healthy parent-child bond
Consistent parental involvement, supervision, and engagement
Learning self-control and anger-management techniques
Anti-drug policies implemented in the school system and surrounding communities
A safe and supportive community

Why Is Drug Abuse A Problem?

Drug abuse poses a problem from an individual level to a global extent. For example, parental drug abuse statistics indicate that children from families with addiction are more likely to suffer mental health issues in the future. At the individual and family level, addiction can lead to:

Increased family conflict, abuse, or neglect resulting in an emotional burden
Loss of income and employment, affecting a family’s needs and increasing reliance on public assistance
Mental illness and drug abuse statistics show higher rates of psychiatric disorders, both in the person with the substance abuse problem and with immediate family members
Family instability due to separation, violence, criminal activity, or death
Physical and mental health effects on babies and children, like congenital disabilities during fetal development

At a community, societal, and global context, drug abuse causes:

Reduced income or employment, resulting in housing instability and homelessness
Higher rates of suicidality
Higher rates of criminal behaviors, both as perpetrators and as victims.
Increased rates of incarceration
Transmission of infections like HIV and Hepatitis C due to intravenous drug use
Economic burdens on governments and citizens due to social services, addiction treatment, medical and mental healthcare, criminal justice, and general safety

Signs Of Drug Abuse

Individuals who misuse illegal or prescription drugs often show signs of abuse. Common symptoms of drug abuse are:

Neglecting school, work, or family responsibilities
Odors on an individual’s clothing, breath, or body are out of the ordinary
Changes in appetite and sleep
Changes in essential grooming habits and appearance
Changes in their friend groups or a withdrawal from friends and family
Increase risk-taking behaviors such as having unprotected sex, driving recklessly, or overspending
Changes in the eyes, like bloodshot eyes, pinpoint or oversized pupils
Unexplained and sudden mood swings
Slow to respond, confused, or seems “spaced-out”
Appears paranoid, anxiously, or fearful

Research shows only one in ten people receive professional assistance for drug abuse, but treatment and support have been effective in treating addiction. Early intervention when drug use is suspected can prevent other adverse outcomes. Family members and loved ones should always look for signs of drug abuse. Anyone can become addicted to drugs, so being aware of the signs can help save someone’s life.⁶

Drug Addiction Statistics

In general, drug abuse is detrimental to both the individual and the community. However, every drug is different, and its impact can vary. Opioids, for example, have a higher overdose death rate due to the drug’s effects on breathing and heart rate. The following are a few drug and alcohol abuse statistics relating to the most common drug categories.

Opioid Drug Abuse Statistics

All drugs that have the same effects and are chemically similar to those from the opium poppy plant are called opioids. The most widely known opioids are natural opioids like codeine and morphine. Oxycodone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone are examples of semi-synthetic opioids. Drugs like methadone, tramadol, and fentanyl are synthetic opioids. Heroin is considered an illegal opioid and is not used for medical purposes.

Learn the Stats About Opioid Addiction

Opioids have become well-known due to the current opioid pandemic in the U.S. The statistics on prescription drug abuse show that the widespread misuse of narcotic painkillers has led to a drastic rise in opioid abuse within the past two decades. Prescription opioid abuse data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) shows:⁷

Almost 3.4% of the population of people twelve years or older (10.1 million) misused opioid drugs in 2020
Half of the people who misused opioid pain relievers obtained the drugs by buying, taking, or receiving them from a relative or friend
Almost 5% of people who misuse opioid pain relievers steal the drug from a family or friend.
Opioid drug addiction statistics indicate about 35.7% of people who misuse opioid pain relievers were prescribed by or stolen from a healthcare professional
Among 9.5 million people over the age of twelve misused opioids in 2020
About 400,000 people who misuse opioid pain relievers also use heroin
Drug abuse statistics show that almost half of people who use heroin also misuse opioid painkillers

Opioids have a direct impact on the brain and bodily functions. Because opioids affect brain chemistry, they are highly addictive. Furthermore, opioids slow breathing and heart rate — sometimes to dangerous levels — resulting in drug overdoses.

Alcohol Abuse Statistics

Although alcohol is widely available and considered legal to purchase after the age of twenty-one, it is still a substance with a potential for abuse. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 85.6% of people ages eighteen and older have consumed alcohol at some point in their life.8 This number shows how prevalent alcohol use is and how it can lead to alcohol addiction.

Learn the Stats About Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction can result in chronic health conditions like liver disease and cognitive decline. In addition, alcohol also lowers inhibition and increases risk-taking behavior, making it more likely for individuals to misuse other drugs. The following are statistics from the NIAAA regarding alcohol use:⁸

About 14.5 million people over twelve years of age had an alcohol use disorder. This number accounts for 5.3% of the population of adults and teens
Alcohol is involved in about:
18.5% of emergency room visits
22.1% of opioid prescription overdoses
Approximately 95,000 people die annually from alcohol-related causes. This number places alcohol within the top 3 preventable deaths in the US
In 2019, 10.142 deaths were related to an alcohol-impaired driver. This number represents about 28% of all driving deaths.
Roughly half of all people twelve years and older used alcohol within the last month.

Because alcohol use is an accepted social activity, alcohol addiction may not be readily apparent. However, alcohol misuse can lead to a lifetime of the following conditions:

Heroin Drug Abuse Statistics

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies heroin as a Schedule I Controlled Substance, designating heroin as illegal with no legitimate medical use. Due to the rise in opioid use, heroin addiction has risen in the last decade. Heroin use is tied so closely with prescription opioid misuse that obtaining recent statistics on heroin alone can prove challenging.

Learn the Stats About Heroin Addiction

According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, statistics on drug addiction of heroin include:⁹

Roughly 5 million people (1.8%) twelve years and older report having tried heroin at least once in their lifetime
Almost 1 million people (0.4%) have used heroin within the last year.
About half a million people (0.2%) have used heroin within the last month
Approximately 94% of people addicted to opioids try heroin because prescription opioids are costly and challenging to get
Each year approximately 117,000 people try heroin for the first time

Stimulants Drug Abuse Statistics

Like opioids, stimulants come in both legal and illegal categories. Illegal stimulants include drugs like cocaine. Examples of prescription stimulants are Adderall and Dexedrine. Many diet aids include stimulants, such as Fastin and Preludin.

Learn the Stats About Stimulant Addiction

Stimulant drug addiction statistics from the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS) show:¹⁰

About 46% of all drug users use prescription stimulants, either alone or with other substances.
Roughly 5.5 million people (2%) within the US used cocaine within the last year
Prescription drug abuse statistics show that Adderall abuse leads to almost 1,500 emergency room visits each year
About 614,000 adolescents ages twelve to seventeen-years-old have reported using Adderall for non-medical purposes
One in five overdose deaths are cocaine-related
Cocaine-related overdose deaths increased from 1.4% in 2012 to 4.5% in 2018 and continue to rise

Methamphetamine Drug Addiction Statistics

Classified as a stimulant, methamphetamine is highly addictive and impacts the central nervous system. It comes in a white powder that dissolves in alcohol or water. Classified as a Schedule II stimulant by the FDA, the drug is highly regulated. Rarely prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and weight-loss treatments, methamphetamine is only dispensed in nonrefillable amounts.

Learn the Stats About Methamphetamine Addiction

Methamphetamine is often mistaken for amphetamine, but they are different in that methamphetamine is a much more powerful substance. Methamphetamine’s harmful effects on the central nervous system make it a dangerous drug with a high potential abuse resulting in these statistics:

Methamphetamine overdose deaths are rising, accounting for almost 16,500 deaths in 2019.
In 2020, 0.9% or 2.6 million people in the US twelve years and older reported methamphetamine use in the past year, compared to 0.7% in 2018
Teenage drug use is a problem, with an average of 0.2% of all adolescents from 8th to 12th grade reported having used meth in the last twelve months
About 0.6% of people twelve years or older reported having a methamphetamine use disorder in the past year
In 2019, approximately 16,167 people died from an overdose involving methamphetamine.

Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics

As noted earlier, prescription drug abuse plays a large role in many cases of addiction. Although much of the attention focuses on prescription opioid abuse, prescription drug abuse can include any drug misused routinely.

If a medication is not taken the way it’s prescribed, the person is misusing the medication. Misuse includes taking a drug for reasons that the drug was not prescribed for, or by taking medication that was prescribed to another person. The National Institute on Drug Abuse identifies three drugs most prone to being misused:¹¹

Learn the Stats About Prescription Drug Addiction

Drug addiction statistics data from the NIDA demonstrate the prevalence of prescription drug abuse among people aged twelve or older in 2020:¹²

An estimated 1.8% (5.1 million people) reported misusing prescription stimulants in the last year
About 2.2% (6.2 million people) misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in the last year
Roughly 1.7% (4.8 million people) reported misusing benzodiazepines in the last year
About 3.3% (9.3 million people) stated they misused prescription pain relievers in the last year
Approximately 0.8% (2.3 million people) had a prescription opioid use disorder in the last year

Prescription drug abuse statistics show that misusing prescription drugs can result in fatalities:¹²

Drug Abuse Statistics by Age, State, and Gender

Drug abuse impacts individuals and communities differently, depending on surrounding factors. For example, drug abuse statistics in the United States show:

Drug Abuse Statistics by Age

Drug use is highest among young adults ages eighteen to twenty-five (39%), with adults aged twenty-six to twenty-nine coming in second (34%). For teenage drug abuse statistics, about 47% of adolescents have tried some type of illegal drug before graduating from high school.

Drug abuse statistics indicate that early exposure to drugs increases the risk of drug use. For example, 70% of people who try drugs before the age of thirteen go on to develop a drug abuse problem within the next seven years. On the other hand, 27% of people who try drugs for the first time after seventeen years of age go on to develop an addiction.

Older adults are not immune to drug abuse. The drug-related death rate for people over fifty rises 3% every year. Drug abuse statistics show that approximately 6% of drug-related deaths in people over fifty included cocaine and amphetamines.

For drug abuse in college students, statistics show that they drank less in 2019 but increased their marijuana use. More strikingly, the use of LSD and other hallucinogens rose from 5% in 2015 to 9% in 2019.¹³

Drug Abuse Statistics at the State Level

West Virginia holds the highest rate of drug overdose deaths at 51.5 in 100,000 people. Delaware comes in second at 43.8 deaths for every 100,000. Although drug abuse is more prevalent in heavily populated areas, rural areas also remain affected. For example, 70% of law enforcement see fentanyl as a threat to their communities.

Drug Abuse Statistics by Gender

Drug abuse is more likely to affect young adult males rather than females. Almost 22% of males, compared to 17% of females, have misused illicit (illegal) drugs.¹⁴

Only about 20% of people in drug addiction treatment are women, as women may have more immediate sources of support than men — mitigating their need for treatment. The misuse of opioids is about equal in both men and women, with 4% of men and 3.5% of women abusing opioids.¹⁴

Men and women utilize stimulants differently. About 0.8% of males and 0.4% of females take methamphetamines. Approximately 2.6% of males but only 1.5% of females use cocaine.¹⁴

Drug Abuse Statistics through General Demographics

Roughly 5% of rural areas used illegal drugs, as compared to 20.2% in urban areas. Veterans have a higher rate of drug abuse compared to the general population. For example, 7% of veterans misuse drugs compared to 5.3% of the civilian population.

Approximately 505,000 veterans misuse prescription opioids, and 59,000 use heroin. More expensive “club drugs” are common with higher-income drug users, like ecstasy, LSD, and cocaine.

Lower-income drug users gravitate towards inhaling paint thinner and gasoline. Moreover, drug abuse statistics indicate about 7% of LGBT+ individuals struggle with drug abuse.

Drug Overdose Death Rates

The ultimate tragic result of drug abuse is fatalities. Although drug abuse can certainly lead to criminal behavior, suicide, or homicide, a drug overdose is tragic because they are typically accidental. An overdose can occur with most drugs of abuse. However, the statistics of drug abuse show opioids are the drugs that should concern public health experts the most when it comes to drug overdose deaths.¹⁵

Drug Overdose Statistics by State

According to CDC data from 2021, Vermont was found to have the highest rates of overdose deaths in the country, with a 70% rise from 2020 data.¹⁶
Other states that saw drastic increases in overdose deaths were West Virginia at 62% and Kentucky with a 55% rise.
Of the 100,000 drug-related deaths that occurred from 2020 to 2021, roughly 75,000 of those fatalities were opioid-related.
Despite robust drug abuse and overdose intervention efforts by state and federal governments, only four states saw a decrease in overdose deaths in 2021:
New Jersey
New Hampshire
Delaware
South Dakota

Opioid Overdose Death Rates

The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics state:
The leading accidental cause of death for people under the age of forty-six is drug overdose.
Overdose deaths have risen at an average of 4% annually for the last decade.
According to the CDC drug abuse statistics, opioid-related deaths reported for the twelve months leading up to April 2021 were 75,673. This number shows a rapid increase of 28.5% from the year before.¹⁷
Overdose deaths relating to the following drugs specifically also increased:
Fentanyl
Psychostimulants like methamphetamine
Cocaine
Natural and semisynthetic opioids

Overdose Deaths Among Demographics

Drug overdose deaths occur at varying rates in specific demographics. The following reflects one example of how disparities and demographics can affect opioid abuse

A study published in 2021 in the American Journal of Public Health found that opioid deaths within the black community rose by 38%, despite robust efforts to prevent and treat opioid abuse. The highest increases in opioid deaths in blacks were found in Kentucky, with a 46% increase. Ohio came in second with a 45% increase. No increases were found in any other racial demographics.¹⁸

Drug Abuse Rehab

Drug addiction is not a failure of character, it is a disease that requires close support and supervision to recover from.

Detoxification (Detox)

Detox is the first step to overcoming an addiction. Abstaining from the drug can bring about withdrawal symptoms, which is how the body rids itself of accumulated residue and toxins from the drugs. For many individuals, drug detox is distressing and challenging, both physically and mentally. Cravings for the drug may be overwhelming, and — depending on the type of drug that was used — the following physical symptoms may occur:

Tremors
Fatigue
Nausea
Vomiting
Dehydration
Hallucinations
Congestion
Irritability
Mood swings
Body aches
Confusion
Seizures

Withdrawal symptoms depend on a variety of factors like the types of drugs that were used, how long the addiction lasted, and the current medical status of the individual.

Most drug withdrawals are difficult, but not dangerous. However, medical intervention is necessary in some cases of withdrawals — as in the case of alcohol or opioid addictions. Therefore, a safe drug detox under the supervision of trained professionals is recommended.

Drug detox can be performed either in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Sadly, data shows only 11.6% of addiction treatment facilities have outpatient detox as an option. The good news is that 95.8% of drug treatment facilities offer opioid detox services. With the rise in opioid overdose deaths, these services are needed now more than ever.¹⁹

Medication-Assisted Treatment

Drug addiction treatment statistics show that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) increases by 13% annually, indicating a growing acceptance of the treatment. Medication-assisted treatment, more commonly known as MAT, incorporates medication into the detox and rehabilitation process alongside counseling therapies.

MAT treatment eases an individual’s cravings and addresses the physical discomfort that can accompany drug recovery. Most people link MAT to opioid addiction treatments like methadone, and for good reason. SAMHSA endorses MAT as an effective intervention for options addiction and can boost the chances for long-term recovery.

However, MAT is also used to assist people with :

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

The cornerstone of most addiction programs are treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). These interventions ensure that individuals make the lifestyle changes necessary for a long-lasting recovery. CBT is based on core principles such as:

A patient works individually or in a group with a therapist to identify patterns of harmful thinking and behaving. Once identified, individuals can reevaluate their approach and change their behaviors to obtain positive results. A large portion of CBT includes incorporating what is learned during therapy into a person’s daily life.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a form of CBT and based on many of its original concepts. The word “dialectic” comes from the evaluation of opposing viewpoints until the truth becomes apparent, usually used in philosophy.²⁰

Much of DBT lies in emotional exploration through the confrontation of emotions, analysis of their presence, and the utilization of coping skills to manage them. By recognizing, understanding, and managing their emotions through DBT, individuals can better manage their tendencies towards drug abuse and addiction.

Get Help for Addiction Today

A professional drug use rehab facility offers individuals looking to recover from alcohol or drug addiction a safe and supportive space. An environment filled with trained professionals to help a person through detox and rehabilitation can make the recovery process more comfortable.

The ideal rehab center individualizes its care to fit a person’s needs, creating a treatment plan that caters to their struggles. Choosing the rehab facility that suits a person’s needs might take reaching out to the facility itself and discussing the severity of the addiction and treatment goals.

Finding the right help for addiction is the first step to being free from drug abuse. A team of caring and compassionate treatment professionals can support you or your loved one through rehabilitation. To get more information about getting help for addiction, contact Concise Recovery today. Our team will help you heal and regain control of your life.

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