GITNUXREPORT 2026

Drug Crime Statistics

The drug crisis causes immense death, economic loss, and mass incarceration despite heavy enforcement spending.

Alexander Schmidt

Research Analyst specializing in technology and digital transformation trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

In 2021, U.S. law enforcement made 1,425,677 arrests for drug abuse violations, representing 16.5% of all arrests, with 83% for possession rather than sale/manufacturing

Statistic 2

U.S. federal prisons held 46,000 inmates for drug offenses in 2022, down from 100,000 peak in 2011, comprising 12% of federal population

Statistic 3

In 2020, 39% of U.S. state prisoners and 15% of federal prisoners were incarcerated for drug offenses, totaling over 300,000 individuals

Statistic 4

1 in 5 U.S. adults in jail or prison have lifetime drug dependence, with 58% of state prisoners meeting criteria for substance use disorder

Statistic 5

U.S. police arrested 325,000 for marijuana possession in 2021, despite legalization in 24 states, accounting for 40% of drug arrests

Statistic 6

Black Americans comprised 24% of drug arrests in 2020 despite 13% population share, with 3.7 times higher arrest rate for marijuana possession

Statistic 7

65% of U.S. inmates meet medical criteria for substance use disorder, but only 11% receive treatment while incarcerated

Statistic 8

Drug courts in U.S. diverted 150,000 offenders from prison since 1989, reducing recidivism by 8-26%

Statistic 9

U.S. spent $47 billion on drug law enforcement in 2017, with minimal impact on availability as prices fell 80% since 1980s

Statistic 10

Probationers with drug offenses comprised 31% of U.S. probation population in 2019, with 60% rearrested within 3 years

Statistic 11

Federal drug sentences averaged 76 months in 2021, with crack cocaine at 130 months vs. powder at 99 months historically

Statistic 12

25% of U.S. sheriff's office arrests were for drugs in 2020, with rural counties at 30% vs. urban 20%

Statistic 13

Plea bargains resolved 97% of federal drug cases in 2021, reducing trial rates to under 3%

Statistic 14

State parole violators for drug use comprised 23% of returns to prison in 2019 U.S.

Statistic 15

Hispanic Americans faced 1.3 times higher drug possession arrest rates than whites in 2020 despite similar usage

Statistic 16

Drug mandatory minimums affected 25,000 federal sentences in 2010, reduced post-FSA to 15,000 by 2020

Statistic 17

U.S. diversion programs reduced drug incarceration by 20% in participating counties since 2015

Statistic 18

Racial disparities: Blacks 5x more likely sentenced to prison for drugs than whites since 2000 in U.S.

Statistic 19

The economic cost of drug abuse in the U.S. was estimated at $1.02 trillion in 2017, including $740 billion in lost productivity and $120 billion in healthcare costs

Statistic 20

Illicit drug use cost U.S. society $193 billion in crime-related expenses in 2017, including $107 billion from drug-related crime victimization

Statistic 21

Lost productivity due to premature drug-related deaths and treatment cost U.S. $694 billion in 2017, with alcohol and opioids highest contributors

Statistic 22

Criminal justice system costs for drug offenders totaled $80.7 billion annually in U.S., including policing and courts expenditures

Statistic 23

Social costs of opioid epidemic reached $1.02 trillion from 2015-2020, including $504 billion in healthcare and $186 billion in criminal justice

Statistic 24

Family members of heavy drug users incur $443 billion in annual costs from caregiving and lost wages in U.S.

Statistic 25

Workplace absenteeism due to drug use costs U.S. employers $84 billion yearly, with 15% of workers reporting illicit drug use

Statistic 26

Child welfare costs from parental drug abuse reached $20 billion in U.S. in 2019, with 36% of foster children linked to substance abuse

Statistic 27

Drug-related crime victimization cost U.S. households $150 billion in property losses and injuries in 2018

Statistic 28

Homelessness linked to drug addiction costs U.S. $30 billion yearly in shelter and emergency services

Statistic 29

U.S. opioid crisis led to 500,000 excess deaths projected by 2025, costing $2.6 trillion in economic burden

Statistic 30

Insurance premiums rose 20% due to drug-related ER visits costing $78 billion in 2019 U.S. healthcare spend

Statistic 31

Drug trafficking generated $500 billion in global illicit revenue yearly, funding 50% of organized crime activities

Statistic 32

U.S. foster care entries due to parental drug abuse rose 32% from 2012-2017 to 270,000 children annually

Statistic 33

Global drug war spending exceeded $1 trillion since 2000, with U.S. contributing $1 trillion domestically

Statistic 34

Traffic crashes involving drugs cost U.S. $100 billion yearly, with 18% of fatal crashes testing positive for illicit drugs

Statistic 35

Drug use disorders caused 40 million years lived with disability globally in 2019, costing $200 billion in productivity

Statistic 36

Emergency department drug misadventure costs U.S. $135 billion annually in preventable visits

Statistic 37

In 2022, the United States reported 107,941 drug overdose deaths, a 4% increase from 2021, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl involved in 73,838 cases primarily among adults aged 25-44

Statistic 38

Fentanyl overdoses caused 71,238 deaths in 2021, accounting for 88% of all synthetic opioid deaths and primarily affecting non-Hispanic whites aged 25-34

Statistic 39

Opioid-involved overdose deaths rose from 21,000 in 2010 to 80,411 in 2021, with a 30-fold increase in fentanyl-related deaths since 2013

Statistic 40

Heroin overdose deaths in U.S. peaked at 15,469 in 2016 but fell to 8,206 in 2021 due to fentanyl displacement

Statistic 41

From 1999-2020, nearly 841,000 people died from drug overdoses in U.S., with rates tripling from 6.1 to 21.4 per 100,000

Statistic 42

Methamphetamine-related overdose deaths in U.S. increased 50-fold from 532 in 2012 to 32,537 in 2021, driven by polysubstance use

Statistic 43

COVID-19 pandemic saw 30% rise in U.S. drug overdose deaths from 2019 to 2020, reaching 91,799 with rural areas hit hardest

Statistic 44

Polysubstance overdoses accounted for 96% of all U.S. drug deaths in 2021, often mixing stimulants and opioids

Statistic 45

Neonatal abstinence syndrome cases rose 5-fold from 2004-2014, affecting 7 per 1,000 U.S. births due to maternal opioid use

Statistic 46

Stimulant overdoses excluding cocaine tripled from 2015-2019, reaching 19,447 deaths, mostly methamphetamine in Western states

Statistic 47

Benzodiazepine-involved deaths quadrupled from 2002-2015, reaching 11,000 annually due to mixing with opioids

Statistic 48

Alcohol-drug combined overdoses caused 25% of U.S. poisoning deaths in 2020, with highest rates in ages 35-44

Statistic 49

Cocaine-related ED visits increased 66% from 2015-2019 to 505,000 annually, linked to purity resurgence

Statistic 50

Synthetic cannabinoids caused 3,558 U.S. poison center exposures in 2021, up 20% with severe outcomes in 30%

Statistic 51

Kratom-related calls to U.S. poison centers reached 2,823 in 2021, with 63 fatalities often polysubstance

Statistic 52

Xylazine mixed with fentanyl in 23% of U.S. overdose deaths in 2022 Northeast samples, causing flesh-eating wounds

Statistic 53

Carfentanil detections in U.S. overdoses hit 1,200 cases 2016-2018, ultra-potent analog 10,000x morphine

Statistic 54

U-47700 synthetic opioid caused 47 U.S. deaths 2016-2017 before scheduling, mimicking heroin effects

Statistic 55

In 2022, Mexican cartels trafficked over 106,000 pounds of methamphetamine into the U.S., with seizures up 20% from prior year along the Southwest border

Statistic 56

CBP seized 27,000 pounds of fentanyl at ports of entry in FY2022, equivalent to 380 million lethal doses, mostly hidden in vehicles from Mexico

Statistic 57

DEA eradicated 1,200 outdoor cannabis cultivation sites in California in 2022, seizing 1.5 million plants linked to Mexican DTOs

Statistic 58

In 2021, 90% of heroin seized in U.S. was contaminated with fentanyl, with 14,716 kg seized nationwide by federal agencies

Statistic 59

ICE Homeland Security Investigations seized 2,400 kg of cocaine in 2022, with 60% from maritime operations targeting South American routes

Statistic 60

U.S. Coast Guard seized 200 metric tons of cocaine worth $6.6 billion in 2022, interdicting 85 vessels in Eastern Pacific transit zones

Statistic 61

Mexican TCOs produced 107,000 pounds of fentanyl seized in U.S. in 2022, using precursor chemicals from China via Mexico

Statistic 62

2022 saw record 379 million fentanyl pills seized by DEA, enough for 40 billion lethal doses, mostly counterfeit oxycodone

Statistic 63

Ecuador reported 220 tons of drug precursors seized in 2022, key transshipment point for fentanyl to U.S. via Mexico

Statistic 64

Australia destroyed 2.4 million cannabis plants in 2022, with 80% illicit operations tied to organized crime groups

Statistic 65

China seized 28 tons of methamphetamine precursors in 2022 destined for Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel fentanyl labs

Statistic 66

Netherlands cannabis coffee shops supplied 70% of Dutch market in 2022, but border seizures from Belgium up 15%

Statistic 67

Peru eradicated 25,000 hectares of coca in 2022, but production hit record 1,000 metric tons of cocaine HCl

Statistic 68

Colombia seized 671 tons of cocaine in 2022, highest ever, with 80% from Pacific ports bound for U.S./Europe

Statistic 69

India intercepted 50 tons of pseudoephedrine in 2022, precursor for meth exported to Myanmar Golden Triangle

Statistic 70

Brazil dismantled 1,200 clandestine meth labs in 2022, seizing 10 tons precursor chemicals from Paraguay

Statistic 71

Afghanistan produced 6,200 tons opium in 2022 despite ban, supplying 80% global heroin with Taliban tax

Statistic 72

Globally, an estimated 296 million people used drugs in 2021, with 39.5 million suffering from drug use disorders, leading to 600,000 drug-related deaths annually

Statistic 73

Among U.S. adults aged 12+, 24.9 million used illicit drugs in the past month in 2021, with marijuana being the most common at 18.7%

Statistic 74

70.4 million people worldwide used cannabis in 2021, with prevalence highest in West and Central Africa at 9.2%

Statistic 75

U.S. past-year cocaine use reached 5.2 million people in 2021, highest since 2007, concentrated among 18-25 year olds at 2.0%

Statistic 76

Amphetamine-type stimulants used by 29 million globally in 2021, with 1.9 million with disorders, highest prevalence in Oceania at 2.7%

Statistic 77

In Europe, 8.4 million used cannabis past year in 2019, with 1.3% prevalence among adults, highest in France at 2.5 million users

Statistic 78

Past-month prescription pain reliever misuse affected 3.3 million U.S. adolescents aged 12-17 in 2021

Statistic 79

27 million Americans aged 12+ binge drank or used illicit drugs in past month in 2020

Statistic 80

Lifetime illicit drug use prevalence among U.S. 12th graders was 54% in 2022, with vaping nicotine at 79% peak historically

Statistic 81

Hallucinogen use among U.S. adults 12+ past year was 3.1 million in 2021, including 0.9 million LSD users

Statistic 82

Tranquilizer/sedative misuse past year affected 5.2 million U.S. persons 12+ in 2021, highest among 26-34 year olds

Statistic 83

Inhalant use past year among U.S. 8th graders was 4.5% in 2022, declining from 13% in 1995

Statistic 84

U.S. military veterans had 1.5 times higher drug overdose rate in 2020, with 20 per 100,000 vs. civilian 14

Statistic 85

Native Americans had 2.5 times higher illicit drug use rate than whites in 2021 U.S. survey, at 23.5% past month

Statistic 86

Ecstasy/MDMA past year use steady at 2.7 million U.S. adults in 2021, peaking among 18-25 at 3.2%

Statistic 87

U.S. college students past year illicit drug use was 39% in 2021, with marijuana 38% and nonmedical Rx 11%

Statistic 88

LGBTQ+ youth had 2-3 times higher U.S. illicit drug use rates in 2021, at 25% past month vs. 15% straight peers

Statistic 89

U.S. pregnant women illicit drug use past month was 5.4% in 2021, highest for marijuana at 4.8%

1/89

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

+497

Behind the stunning statistic that more than 100,000 people in the United States died from a drug overdose in 2022 lies a complex and devastating global crisis defined by staggering economic costs, systemic inequality, and an increasingly lethal illicit supply.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, the United States reported 107,941 drug overdose deaths, a 4% increase from 2021, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl involved in 73,838 cases primarily among adults aged 25-44
Fentanyl overdoses caused 71,238 deaths in 2021, accounting for 88% of all synthetic opioid deaths and primarily affecting non-Hispanic whites aged 25-34
Opioid-involved overdose deaths rose from 21,000 in 2010 to 80,411 in 2021, with a 30-fold increase in fentanyl-related deaths since 2013
Globally, an estimated 296 million people used drugs in 2021, with 39.5 million suffering from drug use disorders, leading to 600,000 drug-related deaths annually
Among U.S. adults aged 12+, 24.9 million used illicit drugs in the past month in 2021, with marijuana being the most common at 18.7%
70.4 million people worldwide used cannabis in 2021, with prevalence highest in West and Central Africa at 9.2%
In 2021, U.S. law enforcement made 1,425,677 arrests for drug abuse violations, representing 16.5% of all arrests, with 83% for possession rather than sale/manufacturing
U.S. federal prisons held 46,000 inmates for drug offenses in 2022, down from 100,000 peak in 2011, comprising 12% of federal population
In 2020, 39% of U.S. state prisoners and 15% of federal prisoners were incarcerated for drug offenses, totaling over 300,000 individuals
The economic cost of drug abuse in the U.S. was estimated at $1.02 trillion in 2017, including $740 billion in lost productivity and $120 billion in healthcare costs
Illicit drug use cost U.S. society $193 billion in crime-related expenses in 2017, including $107 billion from drug-related crime victimization
Lost productivity due to premature drug-related deaths and treatment cost U.S. $694 billion in 2017, with alcohol and opioids highest contributors
In 2022, Mexican cartels trafficked over 106,000 pounds of methamphetamine into the U.S., with seizures up 20% from prior year along the Southwest border
CBP seized 27,000 pounds of fentanyl at ports of entry in FY2022, equivalent to 380 million lethal doses, mostly hidden in vehicles from Mexico
DEA eradicated 1,200 outdoor cannabis cultivation sites in California in 2022, seizing 1.5 million plants linked to Mexican DTOs

The drug crisis causes immense death, economic loss, and mass incarceration despite heavy enforcement spending.

Arrests and Incarceration

In 2021, U.S. law enforcement made 1,425,677 arrests for drug abuse violations, representing 16.5% of all arrests, with 83% for possession rather than sale/manufacturing
U.S. federal prisons held 46,000 inmates for drug offenses in 2022, down from 100,000 peak in 2011, comprising 12% of federal population
In 2020, 39% of U.S. state prisoners and 15% of federal prisoners were incarcerated for drug offenses, totaling over 300,000 individuals
1 in 5 U.S. adults in jail or prison have lifetime drug dependence, with 58% of state prisoners meeting criteria for substance use disorder
U.S. police arrested 325,000 for marijuana possession in 2021, despite legalization in 24 states, accounting for 40% of drug arrests
Black Americans comprised 24% of drug arrests in 2020 despite 13% population share, with 3.7 times higher arrest rate for marijuana possession
65% of U.S. inmates meet medical criteria for substance use disorder, but only 11% receive treatment while incarcerated
Drug courts in U.S. diverted 150,000 offenders from prison since 1989, reducing recidivism by 8-26%
U.S. spent $47 billion on drug law enforcement in 2017, with minimal impact on availability as prices fell 80% since 1980s
Probationers with drug offenses comprised 31% of U.S. probation population in 2019, with 60% rearrested within 3 years
Federal drug sentences averaged 76 months in 2021, with crack cocaine at 130 months vs. powder at 99 months historically
25% of U.S. sheriff's office arrests were for drugs in 2020, with rural counties at 30% vs. urban 20%
Plea bargains resolved 97% of federal drug cases in 2021, reducing trial rates to under 3%
State parole violators for drug use comprised 23% of returns to prison in 2019 U.S.
Hispanic Americans faced 1.3 times higher drug possession arrest rates than whites in 2020 despite similar usage
Drug mandatory minimums affected 25,000 federal sentences in 2010, reduced post-FSA to 15,000 by 2020
U.S. diversion programs reduced drug incarceration by 20% in participating counties since 2015
Racial disparities: Blacks 5x more likely sentenced to prison for drugs than whites since 2000 in U.S.

Arrests and Incarceration Interpretation

We are waging a trillion-dollar war on drugs that appears to be more effective at incarcerating addicts and racial minorities than at curbing addiction or the drug trade itself.

Economic and Social Costs

The economic cost of drug abuse in the U.S. was estimated at $1.02 trillion in 2017, including $740 billion in lost productivity and $120 billion in healthcare costs
Illicit drug use cost U.S. society $193 billion in crime-related expenses in 2017, including $107 billion from drug-related crime victimization
Lost productivity due to premature drug-related deaths and treatment cost U.S. $694 billion in 2017, with alcohol and opioids highest contributors
Criminal justice system costs for drug offenders totaled $80.7 billion annually in U.S., including policing and courts expenditures
Social costs of opioid epidemic reached $1.02 trillion from 2015-2020, including $504 billion in healthcare and $186 billion in criminal justice
Family members of heavy drug users incur $443 billion in annual costs from caregiving and lost wages in U.S.
Workplace absenteeism due to drug use costs U.S. employers $84 billion yearly, with 15% of workers reporting illicit drug use
Child welfare costs from parental drug abuse reached $20 billion in U.S. in 2019, with 36% of foster children linked to substance abuse
Drug-related crime victimization cost U.S. households $150 billion in property losses and injuries in 2018
Homelessness linked to drug addiction costs U.S. $30 billion yearly in shelter and emergency services
U.S. opioid crisis led to 500,000 excess deaths projected by 2025, costing $2.6 trillion in economic burden
Insurance premiums rose 20% due to drug-related ER visits costing $78 billion in 2019 U.S. healthcare spend
Drug trafficking generated $500 billion in global illicit revenue yearly, funding 50% of organized crime activities
U.S. foster care entries due to parental drug abuse rose 32% from 2012-2017 to 270,000 children annually
Global drug war spending exceeded $1 trillion since 2000, with U.S. contributing $1 trillion domestically
Traffic crashes involving drugs cost U.S. $100 billion yearly, with 18% of fatal crashes testing positive for illicit drugs
Drug use disorders caused 40 million years lived with disability globally in 2019, costing $200 billion in productivity
Emergency department drug misadventure costs U.S. $135 billion annually in preventable visits

Economic and Social Costs Interpretation

The cascade of costs from drug abuse paints a grim portrait of an economy subsidizing its own suffering, where every dollar lost to addiction is a theft from our collective health, safety, and future.

Overdose and Health Effects

In 2022, the United States reported 107,941 drug overdose deaths, a 4% increase from 2021, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl involved in 73,838 cases primarily among adults aged 25-44
Fentanyl overdoses caused 71,238 deaths in 2021, accounting for 88% of all synthetic opioid deaths and primarily affecting non-Hispanic whites aged 25-34
Opioid-involved overdose deaths rose from 21,000 in 2010 to 80,411 in 2021, with a 30-fold increase in fentanyl-related deaths since 2013
Heroin overdose deaths in U.S. peaked at 15,469 in 2016 but fell to 8,206 in 2021 due to fentanyl displacement
From 1999-2020, nearly 841,000 people died from drug overdoses in U.S., with rates tripling from 6.1 to 21.4 per 100,000
Methamphetamine-related overdose deaths in U.S. increased 50-fold from 532 in 2012 to 32,537 in 2021, driven by polysubstance use
COVID-19 pandemic saw 30% rise in U.S. drug overdose deaths from 2019 to 2020, reaching 91,799 with rural areas hit hardest
Polysubstance overdoses accounted for 96% of all U.S. drug deaths in 2021, often mixing stimulants and opioids
Neonatal abstinence syndrome cases rose 5-fold from 2004-2014, affecting 7 per 1,000 U.S. births due to maternal opioid use
Stimulant overdoses excluding cocaine tripled from 2015-2019, reaching 19,447 deaths, mostly methamphetamine in Western states
Benzodiazepine-involved deaths quadrupled from 2002-2015, reaching 11,000 annually due to mixing with opioids
Alcohol-drug combined overdoses caused 25% of U.S. poisoning deaths in 2020, with highest rates in ages 35-44
Cocaine-related ED visits increased 66% from 2015-2019 to 505,000 annually, linked to purity resurgence
Synthetic cannabinoids caused 3,558 U.S. poison center exposures in 2021, up 20% with severe outcomes in 30%
Kratom-related calls to U.S. poison centers reached 2,823 in 2021, with 63 fatalities often polysubstance
Xylazine mixed with fentanyl in 23% of U.S. overdose deaths in 2022 Northeast samples, causing flesh-eating wounds
Carfentanil detections in U.S. overdoses hit 1,200 cases 2016-2018, ultra-potent analog 10,000x morphine
U-47700 synthetic opioid caused 47 U.S. deaths 2016-2017 before scheduling, mimicking heroin effects

Overdose and Health Effects Interpretation

America’s so-called war on drugs has evolved into a grim, homegrown massacre where our deadliest enemy is now a pharmacy of our own making, claiming a generation through fentanyl’s ruthless efficiency and an epidemic of tragic cocktail hours.

Trafficking and Seizures

In 2022, Mexican cartels trafficked over 106,000 pounds of methamphetamine into the U.S., with seizures up 20% from prior year along the Southwest border
CBP seized 27,000 pounds of fentanyl at ports of entry in FY2022, equivalent to 380 million lethal doses, mostly hidden in vehicles from Mexico
DEA eradicated 1,200 outdoor cannabis cultivation sites in California in 2022, seizing 1.5 million plants linked to Mexican DTOs
In 2021, 90% of heroin seized in U.S. was contaminated with fentanyl, with 14,716 kg seized nationwide by federal agencies
ICE Homeland Security Investigations seized 2,400 kg of cocaine in 2022, with 60% from maritime operations targeting South American routes
U.S. Coast Guard seized 200 metric tons of cocaine worth $6.6 billion in 2022, interdicting 85 vessels in Eastern Pacific transit zones
Mexican TCOs produced 107,000 pounds of fentanyl seized in U.S. in 2022, using precursor chemicals from China via Mexico
2022 saw record 379 million fentanyl pills seized by DEA, enough for 40 billion lethal doses, mostly counterfeit oxycodone
Ecuador reported 220 tons of drug precursors seized in 2022, key transshipment point for fentanyl to U.S. via Mexico
Australia destroyed 2.4 million cannabis plants in 2022, with 80% illicit operations tied to organized crime groups
China seized 28 tons of methamphetamine precursors in 2022 destined for Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel fentanyl labs
Netherlands cannabis coffee shops supplied 70% of Dutch market in 2022, but border seizures from Belgium up 15%
Peru eradicated 25,000 hectares of coca in 2022, but production hit record 1,000 metric tons of cocaine HCl
Colombia seized 671 tons of cocaine in 2022, highest ever, with 80% from Pacific ports bound for U.S./Europe
India intercepted 50 tons of pseudoephedrine in 2022, precursor for meth exported to Myanmar Golden Triangle
Brazil dismantled 1,200 clandestine meth labs in 2022, seizing 10 tons precursor chemicals from Paraguay
Afghanistan produced 6,200 tons opium in 2022 despite ban, supplying 80% global heroin with Taliban tax

Trafficking and Seizures Interpretation

The sheer tonnage of intercepted poison reveals an industrial-scale assault on public health, where every record-breaking seizure is both a victory for law enforcement and a grim receipt for our collective demand.

Usage and Prevalence

Globally, an estimated 296 million people used drugs in 2021, with 39.5 million suffering from drug use disorders, leading to 600,000 drug-related deaths annually
Among U.S. adults aged 12+, 24.9 million used illicit drugs in the past month in 2021, with marijuana being the most common at 18.7%
70.4 million people worldwide used cannabis in 2021, with prevalence highest in West and Central Africa at 9.2%
U.S. past-year cocaine use reached 5.2 million people in 2021, highest since 2007, concentrated among 18-25 year olds at 2.0%
Amphetamine-type stimulants used by 29 million globally in 2021, with 1.9 million with disorders, highest prevalence in Oceania at 2.7%
In Europe, 8.4 million used cannabis past year in 2019, with 1.3% prevalence among adults, highest in France at 2.5 million users
Past-month prescription pain reliever misuse affected 3.3 million U.S. adolescents aged 12-17 in 2021
27 million Americans aged 12+ binge drank or used illicit drugs in past month in 2020
Lifetime illicit drug use prevalence among U.S. 12th graders was 54% in 2022, with vaping nicotine at 79% peak historically
Hallucinogen use among U.S. adults 12+ past year was 3.1 million in 2021, including 0.9 million LSD users
Tranquilizer/sedative misuse past year affected 5.2 million U.S. persons 12+ in 2021, highest among 26-34 year olds
Inhalant use past year among U.S. 8th graders was 4.5% in 2022, declining from 13% in 1995
U.S. military veterans had 1.5 times higher drug overdose rate in 2020, with 20 per 100,000 vs. civilian 14
Native Americans had 2.5 times higher illicit drug use rate than whites in 2021 U.S. survey, at 23.5% past month
Ecstasy/MDMA past year use steady at 2.7 million U.S. adults in 2021, peaking among 18-25 at 3.2%
U.S. college students past year illicit drug use was 39% in 2021, with marijuana 38% and nonmedical Rx 11%
LGBTQ+ youth had 2-3 times higher U.S. illicit drug use rates in 2021, at 25% past month vs. 15% straight peers
U.S. pregnant women illicit drug use past month was 5.4% in 2021, highest for marijuana at 4.8%

Usage and Prevalence Interpretation

We are fighting a statistical hydra where, for every head of substance misuse we manage to address, two more seem to emerge in different, vulnerable populations, revealing a crisis far deeper than any single drug.

Sources & References

Logos provided by Logo.dev