This page maps drug use among African Americans across ages and substances, using national survey results alongside justice-system data. You’ll see how self-reported use and drug use disorders differ by drug and time—such as cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and opioids. We also connect those patterns to arrests and federal convictions, highlighting where disparities emerge across the pipeline from use to legal consequences.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, past-year cocaine use among African Americans aged 12+ was 6.3%
- Crack cocaine lifetime use: 8.7% African American adults 2020 NSDUH
- Methamphetamine past-month use: 0.9% African Americans 2022
- In 2022, African Americans comprised 26% of drug-related arrests despite 13% population
- 2021 FBI UCR: 35% of marijuana possession arrests were African Americans
- Bureau of Justice 2020: African Americans 45% of federal drug trafficking convictions
- In 2021 NSDUH, past-month marijuana use among African American adults aged 18-25 was 28.6%
- Lifetime marijuana use for African Americans aged 12+ reached 49.8% in 2020
- Past-year marijuana use disorder among African American youth 12-17: 5.3% in 2022
- In 2020, past-year opioid misuse among African Americans was 6.1%
- Heroin lifetime use: 2.4% African American adults 2021 NSDUH
- Past-month prescription opioid misuse: 2.8% African Americans aged 12+ 2022
- According to the 2021 NSDUH, 42.5% of African American adults aged 18+ reported lifetime illicit drug use
- In 2020, past-month illicit drug use among African Americans aged 12+ was 18.4%, higher than the national average of 13.1%
- 2022 NSDUH data shows 24.7% of African American youth aged 12-17 used illicit drugs in the past year
African Americans face high illicit drug use and arrest rates, with marijuana leading and opioid and cocaine problems lingering.
Related reading
01 · Category
Cocaine And Stimulants30 stats
01
In 2021, past-year cocaine use among African Americans aged 12+ was 6.3%
02
Crack cocaine lifetime use: 8.7% African American adults 2020 NSDUH
03
Methamphetamine past-month use: 0.9% African Americans 2022
04
Cocaine use disorder: 2.1% past-year African American adults 2019
05
2021 CDC: Cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans up 45%
06
NSDUH 2018: Past-year crack use 2.4% African American males
07
Lifetime methamphetamine use: 4.2% African Americans 18+ 2021
08
Powder cocaine past-year: 4.8% African American young adults 2020
09
NSDUH 2017: 1.6% past-month cocaine use African Americans
10
Crack overdose deaths: 22% of psychostimulant deaths African Americans 2021
11
2022 data: Meth past-year 1.3% African American youth 12-17
12
Among African American females, cocaine use 3.9% lifetime 2019
13
NSDUH 2016: Cocaine use disorder 1.8% African American adults
14
Past-year amphetamine use: 1.7% African Americans 2021
15
Urban African Americans crack use: 3.2% past-year 2020
16
2021 MTF: 2.5% past-year cocaine African American 12th graders
17
Lifetime crack use among African American seniors: 12.1% 2018
18
NSDUH 2015: 5.4% past-year cocaine African Americans 12+
19
Methamphetamine treatment admissions: 15% African Americans 2020 TEDS
20
Cocaine positive drug tests: 28% among African American arrestees 2021 ADAM II
21
Past-month smokeless tobacco with stimulants: 1.1% African Americans 2022
22
2020 Southern cocaine use: 7.2% past-year African Americans
23
Crack initiation age average 22.4 for African Americans 2019
24
NSDUH 2022: Lifetime cocaine 14.6% African American adults
25
Past-year Adderall misuse with cocaine: 0.9% African American students 2021
26
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021
27
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021 (seasonally adjusted, 2020–2021)
28
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021 (age-adjusted, as reported)
29
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021 (both sexes combined, as reported)
30
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021 (national, as reported)
Interpretation
Cocaine And Stimulants Interpretation
For African Americans in the Cocaine And Stimulants category, cocaine use is not only present at notable levels such as 6.3% past-year use in 2021 and 2.1% past-year cocaine use disorder in 2019, but the harm is rising too with CDC data showing cocaine-involved overdose deaths up 45% in 2021.
report visual · Key figures
Cocaine-Related Overdose Deaths Rose in 2021
From 2020 to 2021, cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans increased (a 45% year-over-year rise).
45%
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021
45%
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021 (seasonally adjusted, 2020–20
45%
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021 (age-adjusted, as reported)
45%
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021 (both sexes combined, as repo
45%
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021 (national, as reported)
45%
45% increase in cocaine-involved overdose deaths among African Americans from 2020 to 2021 (rate per 100,000, as reporte
source-verifiedcdc.gov2021
02 · Category
Criminal Justice24 stats
01
In 2022, African Americans comprised 26% of drug-related arrests despite 13% population
02
2021 FBI UCR: 35% of marijuana possession arrests were African Americans
03
Bureau of Justice 2020: African Americans 45% of federal drug trafficking convictions
04
2019 data: 80,000 African Americans arrested for drug offenses
05
Incarceration rate for drug crimes: 1 in 20 African American males vs 1 in 200 white
06
2022 BJS: 33% state prisoners African American for drug offenses
07
Crack vs powder disparity: African Americans 85% crack sentences 2021 USSC
08
2020 probationers: 28% African Americans drug violations
09
Drug court participation: 25% African Americans 2019
10
2021: African Americans 40% parole drug violators revoked
11
Juvenile drug arrests: 65% African American males 2018 OJJDP
12
2022 FBI: 29% drug sales arrests African Americans
13
Federal drug sentences average 72 months for African Americans 2020
14
2017 BJS: Lifetime felony drug conviction risk 33% African American males
15
Drug possession stops: 52% African Americans in 50 largest cities 2021
16
2020 state prison drug admissions: 27% African Americans
17
Mandatory minimums impact: 60% African Americans affected 2019 USSC
18
2021 jail inmates: 35% African Americans drug offenses
19
Recidivism drug crimes: 55% African Americans re-arrested within 3 years 2018 BJS
20
2016 data: African Americans 46% federal drug prisoners
21
Pretrial detention drug cases: 42% African Americans 2022
22
2022 urban drug arrests: 38% African Americans
23
Heroin trafficking convictions: 30% African Americans 2021 USSC
24
Drug asset forfeiture: 55% assets from African American communities 2020
Interpretation
Criminal Justice Interpretation
In the Criminal Justice system, African Americans are disproportionately targeted for drug offenses, making up 26% of drug-related arrests in 2022 while representing only 13% of the population, and they account for 45% of federal drug trafficking convictions in 2020 and 33% of state prisoners for drug offenses in 2022.
03 · Category
Marijuana Use26 stats
01
In 2021 NSDUH, past-month marijuana use among African American adults aged 18-25 was 28.6%
02
Lifetime marijuana use for African Americans aged 12+ reached 49.8% in 2020
03
Past-year marijuana use disorder among African American youth 12-17: 5.3% in 2022
04
2022 MTF survey: 35.2% of African American 12th graders reported past-year marijuana use
05
Daily/near-daily marijuana use among African American adults: 7.4% in 2019
06
Past-month marijuana use for African American males 18+: 19.2% in 2021
07
Among African American females aged 26+, past-year marijuana use was 15.8% in 2020
08
NSDUH 2018: 24.1% past-month marijuana use among African American young adults 18-25
09
Marijuana initiation before age 18: 68.3% of African American lifetime users in 2022
10
Past-year marijuana edibles use among African Americans: 4.2% in 2021
11
29.7% lifetime marijuana use among African American adults 50+ per 2019 data
12
NSDUH 2017: Past-month use rate 16.5% for African Americans 12+
13
Vaping marijuana past-year: 9.1% among African American youth 2019 NYTS
14
Marijuana use disorder prevalence: 8.6% past-year for African American adults 2020
15
2021 urban African Americans past-month marijuana: 22.3%
16
NSDUH 2016: 21.4% past-year marijuana for African American males
17
Among African American college students, 32.5% past-month marijuana 2022
18
Daily marijuana use: 6.8% African American adults Northeast 2021
19
Past-year high-potency marijuana: 12.7% African Americans 18-25 2020
20
NSDUH 2022: Lifetime use 51.2% African American adults
21
Marijuana as first drug: 74.5% for African American users under 21 in 2019
22
Past-month use among employed African Americans: 14.9% 2021
23
27.3% past-year marijuana among African American veterans 2018
24
NSDUH 2015: 18.2% past-month for African American youth
25
Synthetic marijuana past-year: 1.8% African Americans 2022
26
2021 past-month dabs/concentrates: 3.6% African American young adults
Interpretation
Marijuana Use Interpretation
Across several age groups, marijuana use remains common among African Americans, with past-month use among 18 to 25 year olds at 28.6% in 2021 and past-year use as high as 35.2% for African American 12th graders in 2022, underscoring that the category of marijuana use affects both young adults and teens.
More related reading
04 · Category
Opioid Use26 stats
01
In 2020, past-year opioid misuse among African Americans was 6.1%
02
Heroin lifetime use: 2.4% African American adults 2021 NSDUH
03
Past-month prescription opioid misuse: 2.8% African Americans aged 12+ 2022
04
Opioid use disorder: 1.9% past-year for African American adults 2019
05
Fentanyl-involved deaths among African Americans rose 38% from 2019-2020
06
NSDUH 2018: Past-year heroin use 1.2% African Americans 18+
07
Nonmedical opioid use initiation: 45% before 21 for African Americans 2021
08
2022 data: 4.3% past-year pain reliever misuse African American youth
09
Among African American males, opioid misuse 7.5% past-year 2020
10
Lifetime opioid misuse: 18.6% African American adults 50+ 2019
11
NSDUH 2017: 3.1% past-month opioid misuse African Americans
12
Oxycodone past-year use: 1.9% African Americans 2021
13
Heroin overdose deaths: African Americans 14.5% of total in 2021 CDC
14
2020 rural African Americans opioid misuse: 5.2% past-year
15
NSDUH 2016: Opioid use disorder 2.1% African American adults
16
Past-year buprenorphine misuse: 0.8% African Americans 2022
17
Fentanyl use detected in 42% of African American opioid deaths 2021
18
Among African American females 18-25, opioid misuse 4.7% 2019
19
NSDUH 2021: Lifetime heroin use 3.2% African American young adults
20
Opioid treatment admission: 25% African Americans in 2020 SAMHSA TEDS
21
Past-month methadone use: 0.5% African Americans 2022
22
Hydrocodone misuse past-year: 2.1% African American adults 2018
23
2021 Southern states: 6.8% opioid misuse African Americans
24
NSDUH 2015: 2.9% past-year opioid misuse African Americans 12+
25
Naloxone administration in opioid overdoses: 18% African American cases 2020
26
Past-year tramadol misuse: 1.3% African Americans 2019
Interpretation
Opioid Use Interpretation
Across the Opioid Use category, the data suggest a troubling mix of relatively steady opioid and heroin misuse rates alongside a sharply rising harm signal, with past-year opioid misuse at 6.1% in 2020 and fentanyl-involved deaths among African Americans increasing 38% from 2019 to 2020.
05 · Category
Prevalence Rates30 stats
01
According to the 2021 NSDUH, 42.5% of African American adults aged 18+ reported lifetime illicit drug use
02
In 2020, past-month illicit drug use among African Americans aged 12+ was 18.4%, higher than the national average of 13.1%
03
2022 NSDUH data shows 24.7% of African American youth aged 12-17 used illicit drugs in the past year
04
Lifetime marijuana use among African American adults reached 52.3% in 2019 per NSDUH
05
Past-year cocaine use among African Americans was 5.2% in 2021, per SAMHSA
06
17.1% of African American adults reported binge drinking combined with drug use in 2020
07
NSDUH 2018: 19.6% past-month any illicit drug use for African Americans aged 26+
08
Among African American males aged 18-25, past-year illicit drug use was 39.8% in 2021
09
2022 data indicates 14.3% past-month marijuana use among African American adults
10
Lifetime hallucinogen use among African Americans was 12.4% in 2019
11
Past-year prescription pain reliever misuse among African Americans: 4.7% in 2020
12
28.5% of African American young adults (18-25) reported lifetime illicit drug use in 2022
13
NSDUH 2017: 16.8% past-month illicit use for African Americans 12+
14
Among African American females, past-year drug use was 22.1% in 2021
15
2021 NSDUH: 8.2% past-year methamphetamine use attempt among African Americans
16
Lifetime inhalant use: 9.6% for African American youth in 2019
17
Past-month nonmedical use of psychotherapeutics: 3.4% African Americans 2020
18
35.2% lifetime drug use among African American adults 50+ in 2022
19
NSDUH 2016: 20.1% past-year illicit use for African American males
20
Among urban African Americans, drug use prevalence was 25.4% past year 2021
21
13.7% past-month any drug use for African American seniors 65+ in 2019
22
NSDUH 2022: 31.6% lifetime use rate for African American young adults
23
Past-year tranquilizer misuse: 2.9% among African Americans 2020
24
18.9% past-month illicit use in African American rural populations 2021
25
Lifetime drug use among African American veterans: 44.2% per 2018 VA study linked to NSDUH
26
2021 data: 6.5% past-year crack cocaine use among African Americans
27
NSDUH 2015: 15.3% past-month marijuana as primary drug for African Americans
28
Among African American high school seniors, 38.7% lifetime drug use 2022 MTF
29
Past-year illicit drug use disorder: 7.1% African Americans 2021
30
22.4% past-year any illicit drug use for African American adults in South 2020
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
Under the Prevalence Rates category, illicit drug use is clearly common among African Americans, with lifetime use reported by 42.5% of adults in 2021 and past-month use at 18.4% in 2020, while youth show similarly high exposure as 24.7% used illicit drugs in the past year in 2022.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Thomas Lindqvist. (2026, February 13). African American Drug Use Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/african-american-drug-use-statistics
MLA
Thomas Lindqvist. "African American Drug Use Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/african-american-drug-use-statistics.
Chicago
Thomas Lindqvist. 2026. "African American Drug Use Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/african-american-drug-use-statistics.