Probability of Developing a Substance Use Disorder

According to SAMHSA's 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 46.3 million Americans aged 12 and older (16.6%) had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year. This includes 29.5 million with an alcohol use disorder and 27.2 million with a drug use disorder (some had both).

SUDs are most prevalent among young adults aged 18-25 (24.7%) and adults aged 26-49 (19.1%). Men are about 1.5 times more likely than women to have an SUD. The most commonly misused substances after alcohol are marijuana, prescription pain relievers, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Despite the high prevalence, only about 24% of people with an SUD received any treatment in 2022. Barriers to treatment include cost, stigma, lack of access, and not believing treatment is needed. Evidence-based treatments include medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid and alcohol use disorders, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and 12-step facilitation. The opioid crisis continues to drive overdose deaths, with over 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2022.