Addiction Statistics Substance Abuse In 2023

Addiction Statistics 2023
The epidemic struck just as drug and alcohol addiction in the US was beginning to decline. COVID-19 played a major role in exacerbating this issue. Since the onset of 2020, overall addiction rates for alcohol increased by 23% while drug consumption spiked by 16% among individuals who were already intaking these substances. The US governmental bodies embarked on the journey of combating this issue. However, 2021 still remains a difficult year in terms of alcohol and drug addiction, with a 15% increase in deaths due to overdose as compared to 2020.

Drug Abuse

Drug abuse refers to the misuse of illicit substances. These substances pose hazards that are far-reaching. It is estimated that 11.7% of individuals over the age of 12 are involved in the misuse of illicit drugs. Almost 165 million residents of the US are addicted to drugs when alcohol and tobacco are also taken into account. 

 

It was recorded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that a total of 18,394 people in the US have substance use disorders (SUDs). The following are the statistics according to the drugs abused respectively:

Marijuana

Marijuana, otherwise known as weed or cannabis, was responsible for 14,207 individuals over the age of 12. Marijuana is smoked casually and as a recreational drug. However, it can have harmful effects on a person nonetheless.

Methamphetamine

Over 1524 people over the age of 12 were diagnosed with SUD because of being addicted to meth, 4,534 out of which were over 18. These are the statistics from 2020. 

Cocaine

Cocaine is a very fatal drug and was the cause of death for 24,486 people in 2021. 

Heroin

Out of 18,394 people, 691 individuals were involved in the illicit abuse of heroin, a deadly drug that does not discriminate and harms all. 

LSD

In 2021, 0.2% of the youth between 12 to 17 in the US is dependent on LSD. These drugs can cause a person to hallucinate and perceive the world differently. 

Stimulants

1.2% of the people between the age of 12 and 17 misused stimulants in the US. 

Demographics of Substance Use

According to NCDAS and other latest reports, the following are the findings related to drug abuse in the US:

• In 2021, 81,502 opioid-related deaths prevailed, which is the highest rate recorded in the US.
• 20.2% of residents from metropolitan areas were engaged in the use of illegal drugs, while 5% of people who belonged to rural counties used substances. 
• The use of drugs is most common among people between the ages of 18-25. The percentage of substance abuse is the highest in this age group i.e., 39. 
• Among the 40% of the young adults in the US, 8% of eighth graders were engaged in the use of drug abuse and 20% individuals belonged to 10th graders. 
• Every 4 in 9 African-Americans battled with the misuse of illicit drugs. 1.8 million individuals from the same population struggled with addiction as well as a mental health disorder. 
• About 19.5 million females, who are 18 or older, were engaged in the use of illicit* substances.
• In 2020, there were 45,991 more male fatalities from opioid overdoses (70%) than female fatalities (18192). 
• In 2021, over 1 million individuals that were facilitated by Medicare were diagnosed with OUD. 
• Only 1 in 5 of the Medicare beneficiaries received treatment for their OUD.
• Overdose deaths from prescription opioids happen more frequently to women between the ages of 45 and 54.

Cocaine Among Novices: In 2020, 874,000 people tried cocaine as a recreational drug. 

Heroin Use: 117,000 youngsters were engaged in consuming heroin.

Methamphetamine: About 205,000 individuals used meth in 2020.

Tobacco: Tobacco is the most common drug that is used among individuals. Almost 1.8 million people used tobacco for the first time.  

Drug Overdose Deaths

With the people who are dependent on drugs, the risk of overdose is always there. This is exactly why drugs like opioids are considered life-threatening and the patients are urged to take professional help. As mentioned above, 2020 brought a big setback where individuals regressed and turned back to addiction. The rate of death due to overdose crossed homicides by 36.1%, with a total of 83,558 people losing their lives to drugs. In 2019, the number of drug overdoses was 71,000. The following are some of the statistics that show how difficult 2020 and 2021 were in terms of addiction. 

 

Opioid Overdose: In 2020, 68,000 lives were claimed by opioids. 

Cocaine Overdose: In 2020, 19,447 deaths were recorded as a result of opioid overdose.

Deaths through Prescription Drugs

In 2020, Prescription drugs were responsible for almost 44 people. Almost 24% of the deaths that resulted from overdose were because of prescription opioids. A total of 16,000 lives became the victims of prescription opioids. States which saw an increase in the number of deaths that involved prescription opioids are:

• Nevada
• California
• Texas 
• Illinois
• Washington
• Colorado
• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Tennessee
• North and South Carolina
• Georgia
• Virginia
• Pennsylvania
• New York
• Massachusetts

These numbers only show the cost that America has to pay for drug abuse. For smoking and alcoholism, the two most preventable causes of deaths, there are other hazards that shall be unveiled below. 

Alcohol Use Disorder

About 14.8 million people have been diagnosed with alcohol use disorder in the US. About 10.2% of the US adults had alcohol use disorder in 2020. AUD and excessive alcohol consumption results in 385 deaths annually. 

 

Demographics of AUD

Some other statistics released by the NCDAS regarding AUD are:

• California has the highest rate of under 21 death rates by AUD. About 15,443 people have died due to alcohol misuse.
• 85.6% US citizens have acknowledged that they have tried alcohol in their lives, while 25.8 % confessed to binge drinking alcohol. 
• The highest per-capita alcohol-related mortality rate is found in New Mexico.
• Midwest states have the most binge drinkers.
• In the Southern states, adults become the victims of death from alcohol that result from accidents, murders, etc. 
• Florida saw 10,655 deaths, while 10,647 people died in Texas as a result of alcohol use disorder. 
• Unlike the general perception, alcohol use is quite common among women as well. About , 17% of which belonged to the age group of 18-25. 

How Common Are Co-occurring Disorders?

Co-occurring disorder is a condition where an individual is diagnosed with addiction as well as another mental illness. Co-occurring disorder is more common than we realize.. 

According to a survey, 7.7 million adults in the US have co-occurring disorders, making up for a total of 23% of youngsters. 

SUD and AUD Treatment

Unfortunately, substance use disorder is very common in the US and it claims scores of lives every year. However, only 11.2% individuals receive the professional help that they require. In actuality, 21.2 million US citizens require treatment for SUD.. The stigmatization of addiction is one of the reasons that people with SUD do not ask for help. Addiction has nothing to do with the strength of one’s character. Rather it is being looked at as a mental health disorder.

Get the Most Suitable Addiction Treatment

We understand that the years 2020-21 have taken a toll on everybody’s mental and physical health. Recovering from the aftereffects has been difficult for those who already battle with SUD, AUD, or co-occurring disorders. That’s where we come to rescue! ChoicePoint has saved many lives through its broadened treatment options like telemedicine, behavioral therapies, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) treatment program, and detox. We have succeeded in providing cutting-edge treatments to individuals that struggle with substance or alcohol dependence. 

Owing to our DEA-certified doctors and licensed nurses, ChoicePoint prides itself in saying that it will continue to achieve the set milestones in 2022, just as it did in 2021. If you or your loved one suffer from addiction, feel welcome to get in touch with us by calling at 844.445.2565 or filling out this form.