Gitnux/Report 2026

Substance Use Statistics

Substance use remains a leading cause of preventable harm, with tobacco smoking causing 8.71 million deaths globally in 2019 and alcohol and drug use together accounting for 5.1% of all deaths. This page connects those global burdens to the pathways behind them, including opioid use disorders and the rising stakes of injection related risk, while also contrasting how use patterns and treatment access look today.
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June 27, 2026Updated
Substance Use Statistics
Julian RichterWritten by Julian Richter·Edited by Emilia Santos·Fact-checked by Katherine Brennan
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
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Substance use caused 10.3 million deaths worldwide in a single year. This statistic covers the combined toll of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. The data reveals distinct trends in mortality, prevalence, and economic scale.

Key Takeaways

  • 10.3 million deaths were attributable to substance use in 2019 (including drug and alcohol use) according to GBD 2019
  • Alcohol and drug use accounted for 5.1% of all global deaths in 2019 (GBD 2019)
  • Alcohol use was associated with 2.2 million deaths in 2019 (GBD 2019 estimate)
  • In 2021, 47.2% of people aged 15–64 had ever used tobacco (global estimate referenced by WHO)
  • In 2022, 22.3% of the world’s population aged 15+ smoked tobacco (WHO)
  • 8.0% of adults globally use alcohol in the past year (WHO alcohol fact sheet statistic basis)
  • In 2022, global alcohol per capita (15+ years) consumption was 5.8 liters of pure alcohol (WHO/Global Health Observatory)
  • In the US, 2.1 million people received opioid use disorder treatment in 2021 (SAMHSA)
  • In the US, there were 1.8 million people with opioid use disorder who received medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in 2021 (SAMHSA)
  • Global alcohol sales were estimated at about US$1.5 trillion in 2022 (Euromonitor/industry estimates summarized in credible trade publications)
  • Global tobacco products market size was about US$920 billion in 2023 (Statista industry size estimate)
  • Between 1990 and 2019, global tobacco smoking prevalence declined from 22.7% to 20.7% among men (GBD 2019 tobacco paper)
  • Between 1990 and 2019, global tobacco smoking prevalence declined among women from 6.0% to 5.4% (GBD 2019 tobacco paper)
  • Global age-standardized alcohol-related DALYs declined by 10% from 2010 to 2019 (GBD 2019 substance use paper)

Substance use drove 10.3 million deaths in 2019, led by tobacco smoking and alcohol, with opioid harms rising.

Related reading

01 · Category

Burden & Mortality21 stats

01
10.3 million deaths were attributable to substance use in 2019 (including drug and alcohol use) according to GBD 2019https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
02
Alcohol and drug use accounted for 5.1% of all global deaths in 2019 (GBD 2019)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
03
Alcohol use was associated with 2.2 million deaths in 2019 (GBD 2019 estimate)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
04
Drug use was associated with 0.7 million deaths in 2019 (GBD 2019 estimate)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
05
Tobacco smoking (a substance use risk factor) caused 8.71 million deaths in 2019 globally (GBD 2019)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00294-8/fulltext
06
8.0% of global deaths in 2019 were attributable to tobacco smoking (GBD 2019)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00294-8/fulltext
07
In 2019, an estimated 1.3 million deaths were attributable to opioid use disorders globally (IHME/GBD 2019 opioid-related estimates referenced in Lancet GBD 2019 substance use paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
08
In 2020, opioid use disorders caused about 0.3 million deaths worldwide (GBD 2019 baseline as summarized in WHO/OUD discussions)https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/opioid-overdose
09
In 2019, 19.6% of all drug-use-related deaths were attributed to drug use disorders involving opioids (GBD 2019 summary from Lancet substance use paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
10
In 2019, unsafe drug injection contributed substantially to deaths and diseases (GBD 2019 includes injection as a risk factor; see Lancet substance use paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
11
The global number of deaths attributable to drug use increased by 6.7% between 2010 and 2019 (GBD 2019 substance use trend)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
12
The global number of deaths attributable to alcohol use increased by 2.9% between 2010 and 2019 (GBD 2019 trend)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
13
In 2022, about 2.1 million people died from alcohol-attributable causes worldwide (WHO alcohol-attributable deaths in WHO estimates)https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol
14
Alcohol use is associated with 3.0 million deaths per year globally (WHO)https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol
15
In 2019, tobacco smoking caused 7.69 million deaths among men and 1.01 million among women (GBD 2019 tobacco paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00294-8/fulltext
16
In 2019, tobacco smoking caused 49.4 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) (GBD 2019 tobacco paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00294-8/fulltext
17
In 2019, alcohol use caused 160.7 million DALYs (GBD 2019 substance use paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
18
In 2019, drug use caused 43.8 million DALYs (GBD 2019 substance use paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
19
In 2019, illicit drug use caused 14.0 million years of life lost (YLLs) (GBD 2019 substance use paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
20
In 2019, alcohol use accounted for 160.7 million DALYs globally (GBD 2019 substance use paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
21
In 2019, drug use accounted for 43.8 million DALYs globally (GBD 2019 substance use paper)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02135-7/fulltext
Interpretation

Burden & Mortality Interpretation

Between 2010 and 2019, deaths attributable to drug use rose by 6.7% and alcohol-related deaths by 2.9%, and in 2019 alcohol and drugs together accounted for 5.1% of all global deaths, totaling 10.3 million when including both drug and alcohol use.

02 · Category

Prevalence & Consumption19 stats

01
In 2021, 47.2% of people aged 15–64 had ever used tobacco (global estimate referenced by WHO)https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco
02
In 2022, 22.3% of the world’s population aged 15+ smoked tobacco (WHO)https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco
03
8.0% of adults globally use alcohol in the past year (WHO alcohol fact sheet statistic basis)https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol
04
2.3 billion people consume alcohol globally (WHO)https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol
05
In the US, 14.2% of adults aged 18–25 reported past-month illicit drug use in 2021 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2021-nsduh-field-mosaic
06
In the US, 12.3% of adults aged 26+ reported past-month illicit drug use in 2021 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2021-nsduh-field-mosaic
07
In the US, 5.8% of persons aged 12+ used illicit drugs in the past month in 2021 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2021-nsduh-field-mosaic
08
In the US, 18.7% of adults used tobacco products in the past month in 2022 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
09
In the US, 19.8% of adults (18+) reported past-month alcohol use in 2022 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
10
In the US, 6.4% of adults (18+) reported binge alcohol use in 2022 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
11
In the US, 5.7% of adolescents aged 12–17 reported past-year misuse of prescription-type drugs in 2022 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
12
In the US, 8.3% of young adults (18–25) reported misusing prescription-type drugs in 2022 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
13
In the US, 38.2% of adults aged 18+ reported past-year marijuana use in 2022 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
14
In the US, 11.7% of adults aged 18+ reported past-year cocaine use in 2022 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
15
In the US, 8.9% of adults aged 18+ reported past-year heroin use in 2022 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
16
In the US, 3.5% of adults aged 18+ reported past-year nonmedical use of prescription opioids in 2022 (NSDUH)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
17
WHO estimates that 1.3 billion people are current tobacco users globally (WHO tobacco fact sheet)https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco
18
WHO reports that 2.3 billion people drink alcohol globally (WHO alcohol fact sheet)https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol
19
In 2019, 9.7% of adults used alcohol in the past month in high-income countries (WHO/Global Health Observatory alcohol consumption indicators)https://www.who.int/data/gho/indicator-metadata-registry/imr-details/3426
Interpretation

Prevalence & Consumption Interpretation

Across the world, tobacco and alcohol remain widespread, with WHO estimating 1.3 billion current tobacco users and 2.3 billion people drinking alcohol, while in the United States past-month illicit drug use is 5.8% among ages 12+ and rises to 14.2% for ages 18 to 25.

03 · Category

Policy & Access8 stats

01
In 2022, global alcohol per capita (15+ years) consumption was 5.8 liters of pure alcohol (WHO/Global Health Observatory)https://www.who.int/data/gho/indicator-metadata-registry/imr-details/3383
02
In the US, 2.1 million people received opioid use disorder treatment in 2021 (SAMHSA)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2021-annual-report-national-survey-opioid-use-disorder-treatment
03
In the US, there were 1.8 million people with opioid use disorder who received medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in 2021 (SAMHSA)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2021-annual-report-national-survey-opioid-use-disorder-treatment
04
In the US, 88,000 clinicians were registered prescribers for buprenorphine in 2020 (SAMHSA Buprenorphine prescriber data)https://www.samhsa.gov/programs-campaigns/medication-assisted-treatment-data/buprenorphine
05
In the US, 61,000 certified opioid treatment program locations provided methadone and other medications in 2020 (SAMHSA OUD program locator counts)https://www.samhsa.gov/programs-campaigns/medication-assisted-treatment-data/opioid-treatment-programs
06
In the US, in 2022 there were 2.1 million people in MAT programs for OUD according to treatment counts (SAMHSA)https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-national-survey-drug-use-treatment-facilities
07
In the US, buprenorphine is available in office-based settings; SAMHSA reports 1.9 million patients treated in 2021 (SAMHSA)https://www.samhsa.gov/programs-campaigns/medication-assisted-treatment-data/buprenorphine
08
In the US, the number of OTPs increased to 1,651 as of 2021 (SAMHSA OTP data)https://www.samhsa.gov/programs-campaigns/medication-assisted-treatment-data/opioid-treatment-programs
Interpretation

Policy & Access Interpretation

Across these measures, the US shows broad yet uneven OUD treatment reach, with 2.1 million people receiving opioid use disorder treatment in 2021 and 1.8 million getting MOUD, alongside 1.9 million patients treated with office based buprenorphine and 1,651 opioid treatment programs by 2021.

More related reading

04 · Category

Market & Trade2 stats

01
Global alcohol sales were estimated at about US$1.5 trillion in 2022 (Euromonitor/industry estimates summarized in credible trade publications)https://www.statista.com/statistics/270185/global-alcoholic-beverage-market-size/
02
Global tobacco products market size was about US$920 billion in 2023 (Statista industry size estimate)https://www.statista.com/statistics/240197/market-volume-of-the-cigarette-industry-worldwide/
Interpretation

Market & Trade Interpretation

In 2022 global alcohol sales reached about US$1.5 trillion, outpacing the tobacco products market estimated at about US$920 billion in 2023, underscoring the scale difference between these major substance markets.
Reference

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APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Substance Use Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/substance-use-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Substance Use Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/substance-use-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Substance Use Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/substance-use-statistics.

Sources & references

16 datasets cited across this report

thelancet.comwho.intsamhsa.govstatista.comcdc.gov

+11 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)