United States Addiction Statistics
Here are some important statistics about substance use in the United States of America:
- 841,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose.
- 7.4% of people over age 12 have a substance use disorder
- 3% of people over age 12 have an illicit drug use disorder.
What Types of Drugs do Americans Abuse Most?
Millions of Americans every year use potentially dangerous and addictive substances. Each of these drugs varies in side effects but each of them can cause a substance use disorder.
Past Year Illicit Drug Use from Americans in 2019:
- 48.2 million used marijuana
- 9.7 million misused prescription pain relievers
- 6 million used hallucinogens
- 5.9 million misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives
- 5.5 million used cocaine
- 4.9 million misused prescription stimulants
- 2.1 million used inhalants
- 2 million used methamphetamine
- 745,000 used heroin
Not every drug user develops a substance use disorder but many do.
Past Year Substance Use Disorders from Americans in 2019:
- 14.5 million had an alcohol use disorder
- 8.3 million had an illicit drug use disorder
- 4.8 million had marijuana use disorder
- 1.4 million had pain reliever use disorder
- 1 million had methamphetamine use disorder
- 1 million had cocaine use disorder
- 558,000 had stimulant use disorder
- 438,000 had heroin use disorder
Alcohol use disorder is the most common substance abuse disorder. Many but not most people who abuse alcohol also abuse illicit drugs.
Data About the Overlap of Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use:
- 14.5 million Americans have alcohol use disorder (71.1% of all people with substance use disorders)
- 8.3 million Americans have an illicit drug use disorder (40.1% of all people with substance use disorders)
- 2.4 million or 11.8% have both alcohol use disorder and illicit drug use disorder
USA Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Statistics
Substance use and mental illness are each difficult to deal with on their own and they also tend to correlate. People who suffer from mental illnesses are significantly more likely than those who don’t to use drugs.
3.6 million people suffer from both a substance use disorder and a serious mental illness or mental health crisis.
Past-year Illicit Drug Use by Mental Illness Status:
- Only 16.6% of adults without any mental illness abused illicit drugs.
- Meanwhile, at least 38.8% of adults with any type of mental illness abused illicit drugs.
- At least 49.4% of adults with serious mental illness abused illicit drugs.
Past-year Alcohol Binging by Mental Illness Status:
- 24.5% of those with no mental illness
- 30.9% of those with any mental illness
- 32.7% of those with a serious mental illness
Past-year Cigarette Use by Mental Illness Status:
- 15.8% of those with no mental illness
- 27.2% of those with any mental illness
- 32.7% of those with a serious mental illness
How Drug Abuse Affects Young People
The highest rate of substance use disorders and illicit drug use disorders is among people ages 18 to 25.
Percent of People with Illicit Drug Use Disorder by Age:
- 3% of all ages 12 and older
- 3.6% of ages 12-17
- 7.5% of ages 18-25
- 2.3% of people 26 and older
Percent of People with a Substance Abuse Disorder by Age:
- 7.4% of all ages 12 and older
- 4.5% of ages 12-17
- 14.1% of ages 18-25
- 6.7% of people 26 and older
Drug and alcohol use is not only a problem for young adults. Adolescents also abuse drugs and alcohol.
Percent of Adolescents Who Have Used Various Drugs by Grade Level:
- 21.3% of 8th graders, 37.3% of 10th graders, and 46.6% of 12th graders reported using illicit drugs.
- 25.6% of 8th graders, 46.4% of 10th graders, and 61.5% of 12th graders reported using alcohol.
- 11.5% of 8th graders, 13.9% of 10th graders, and 24% of 12th graders reported using cigarettes.
- 24.1% of 8th graders, 41% of 10th graders, and 47.2% of 12th graders reported using some kind of vape.
Addiction Statistics in Women
Women tend to struggle with different issues than men, causing unique circumstances in their drug and alcohol use. One specific issue is how drug use can affect pregnancy.
Drug & Alcohol Abuse in Women in the U.S.(reported in 2019), of women with substance use disorders:
- 2 in 5 (40.8%, or 2.9 million) women struggle with illicit drugs
- 3 in 4 (72.55, or 5.2 million) women struggle with alcohol abuse
- 1 in 8 (13.3%, or 56 thousand) women struggle with both
Drug & Alcohol Use in Pregnant Women in the U.S. (reported in 2019):
- 5.8% or 120,000 used illicit drugs
- 5.4% or 112,000 used marijuana
- 9.6% or 198,000 used tobacco products
- 9.5% or 197,000 used alcohol
- 0.4% or 8,000 used opioids
- 0.2% or 3,000 used cocaine
Statistics in the LGBTQ+ Community
In 2019, 7.6 million Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) adults in the U.S. had a substance use disorder and/or a mental illness. 12.9% (1.9 million) of LGB adults had both a substance use disorder and a mental illness.
18.3% of LGB adults (2.6 million people) had a substance use disorder
Among LGB adults with a substance use disorder:
- 1 in 2 (51.6% or 1.4 million) struggled with illicit drugs
- 3 in 5 (64.6% or 1.7 million) struggled with alcohol use
- 1 in 6 (16.2% or 426 thousand) struggled with both illicit drugs and alcohol
Get Drug Addiction Help Now
An estimated 7.8% of Americans need substance use disorder treatment. Only 1.5% actually receive treatment.
Help is available and accessible to those who need it! If you or a loved one need help please contact us as soon as possible. We can help you find the easiest, closest, and most affordable treatment that works for you.
