Statistics about Drug Use
Substance misuse is a constantly shifting public health concern. As such, it’s vital to stay on top of the latest research and data. New trends and challenges emerge over time and the use of specific substances can ebb and flow. On this page, we’ve compiled commonly used data about substance misuse from the University of Michigan, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Below these tables, you’ll find links to reputable sources for further data.
Table of Contents
- Past Month Illicit Drug Use, by Age
- Past Month Alcohol, Tobacco, Pain Relievers, Stimulants, Tranquilizers, and Sedative Use, by Age
- Addiction, by Age
- Costs of Substance Use, by Substance
- Adolescent Vaping in the Past 30 Days by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, by Substance
- Overdose Deaths from 2009 to 2018
Past Month Illicit Drug Use, by Age
The data below come from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a publication of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
| All persons 12 and up | 12–17 | 18 and older | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any illicit drug | 13.0% | 8.7% | 13.4% |
| Any illicit drug other than marijuana | 3.4% | 2.4% | 3.5% |
| Marijuana | 11.5% | 7.4% | 11.9% |
| Cocaine | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| Heroin | 0.2% | Unreported | 0.2% |
| Hallucinogens | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Methamphetamine | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.5% |
| Inhalants | 0.3% | 0.9% | 0.2% |
Past Month Alcohol, Tobacco, Pain Relievers, Stimulants, Tranquilizers, and Sedative Use, by Age
The data below come from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a publication of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
| All persons 12 and up | 12–17 | 18 and up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 50.8% | 9.4% | 54.9% |
| Binge drinking | 23.9% | 4.9% | 25.8% |
| Tobacco | 21.1% | 3.8% | 22.8% |
| Pain Relievers | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Stimulants | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Tranquilizers and Sedatives | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
Substance Use Disorder, by Age
The data below come from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a publication of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
| 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 or Older | 7.4% | 7.4% | 7.2% | 7.5% | 7.8% |
| 12 to 17 | 4.5% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.3% | 5.0% |
| 18 to 25 | 14.1% | 15.0% | 14.8% | 15.1% | 15.3% |
| 26 or Older | 6.7% | 6.6% | 6.4% | 6.6% | 6.9% |
Costs of Substance Use, by Substance
The data below come from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is part of the National Institutes of Health. You can access this data from their website.
| Health Care | Overall | |
|---|---|---|
| Tobacco | $168 billion | $300 billion |
| Alcohol | $27 billion | $249 billion |
| Illicit Drugs | $11 billion | $193 billion |
| Prescription Drugs | $26 billion | $78.5 billion |
Overall costs include costs related to crime, lost work productivity, and healthcare.
Adolescent Vaping in the Past 30 Days by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, by Substance
The data below come from the Monitoring the Future Survey, a national survey of substance use conducted by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. You can access this report from their website.
| 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any Vaping | 22.5% | 19.2% | 12.0% |
| Nicotine Vaping | 18.1% | 14.2% | 7.5% |
| Marijuana Vaping | 10.1% | 5.7% | 3.6% |
| Vaping Just Flavoring | 9.6% | 11.5% | 8.0% |
Overdose Deaths from 2009 to 2018
The data below come from the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can access this data from their website.
| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Overdose Deaths | 67,367 | 70,237 | 63,632 | 52,404 | 47,055 | 43,982 | 41,502 | 41,340 | 38,329 | 37,004 |
| Any Opioid | 46,802 | 47,600 | 42,249 | 33,091 | 28,647 | 25,050 | 23,164 | 22,784 | 21,088 | 20,422 |
| Prescription Opioids | 14,975 | 17,029 | 17,087 | 15,281 | 14,838 | 14,145 | 14,240 | 15,140 | 14,583 | 13,523 |
| Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Narcotics | 31,335 | 28,466 | 19,413 | 9,580 | 5,544 | 3,105 | 2,628 | 2,666 | 3,007 | 2,946 |
| Heroin | 14,666 | 13,942 | 10,375 | 6,784 | 5,415 | 4,944 | 4,404 | 4,681 | 4,183 | 4,350 |
| Stimulants, Including Methamphetamine | 12,676 | 10,333 | 7,542 | 5,716 | 4,298 | 3,627 | 2,635 | 2,266 | 1,854 | 1,632 |
| Benzodiazepines | 10,724 | 11,537 | 10,684 | 8,791 | 7,945 | 6,973 | 6,524 | 6,872 | 6,497 | 5,567 |
| Antidepressants | 5,064 | 5,269 | 4,812 | 4,894 | 4,768 | 4,458 | 4,259 | 4,113 | 3,889 | 3,768 |
The data below come from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is part of the National Institutes of Health. You can access this data from their website.