In addition, the data show that people reporting frequent methamphetamine use (100 days or more per year) rose by 66% between 2015 and 2019, and people reporting the use of methamphetamine and cocaine together increased by 60% during this period. These findings indicate that riskier use patterns may have contributed to the increased numbers of methamphetamine-involved overdose deaths during this time period. The front page of DrugAbuseStatistics.org features the most noteworthy drug abuse data, including overdose deaths, demographics, mental health, drug abuse treatment programs, and the cost of the War on Drugs. Reported use for almost all substances decreased dramatically between 2020 and 2021, after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related changes like school closures and social distancing.

While these 2023 estimates are not statistically different from those of 2022, they do reflect five- and 10-year increases for both age groups. The Monitoring the Future survey is given annually to students in eighth, 10th, and 12th grades who self-report their substance use behaviors over various time periods, such as past 30 days, past 12 months, and lifetime. The survey also documents students’ perception of harm, disapproval of use, and perceived availability of drugs. 2018 — The Helping to End Addiction Long-Term Initiative® or NIH HEAL Initiative®  is launched to speed scientific solutions to stem the national opioid public health crisis. NIDA is leading HEAL-supported research aimed at preventing and treating opioid misuse and addiction.

News & World Report; and one of «34 Leaders Who Are Changing Health Care» by Fortune magazine. Dr. Volkow’s work has been instrumental in demonstrating that drug addiction is a brain disorder. As a research psychiatrist, Dr. Volkow pioneered the use of brain imaging to investigate how substance use affects brain functions.

trends and statistics national institute on drug abuse nida

Among adults 35 to 50, the prevalences of nicotine vaping and of cannabis vaping stayed steady from the year before, with long-term (five and 10 year) trends not yet observable in this age group as this question was added to the survey for this age group in 2019. 2010 — NIDA launches its first annual National Drug Facts Week (NDFW), a health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. It provides an opportunity for scientists, students, educators, healthcare providers, and community partners to help advance addiction science and address youth drug and alcohol use in communities and nationwide. NIDA awards grants to the first five regional sites under its new Clinical Trials Network (CTN). The network continues to conduct clinical research into medications for substance use disorders and to bring updated science to communities and healthcare offices. 1999 — NIDA-supported researchers report the first clinical cases of cannabis withdrawal.

Brain structure differences are associated with early use of substances among adolescents

  • 2023 — A study under the NIH Heal Initiative shows that initiating buprenorphine treatment in the ER is safe, effective and does not trigger withdrawal in people with opioid use disorder.
  • Overdose deaths involving psychostimulants, and particularly methamphetamine, have also risen steeply in recent years, and many of these deaths involved use of an opioid at the same time.
  • This year, 11% of the 12th grade students who took the survey identified as African American, 22% as Hispanic, 5% as Asian, 1% as American Indian or Alaska Native, 47% as white, 1% as Middle Eastern, and 14% as more than one of the preceding categories.
  • In this article, we will explore the latest data and trends to understand the current situation comprehensively.
  • After decades of research, substance use disorder (SUD) is now understood to be a chronic, treatable brain condition.

In other words, the likelihood that a user may overdose or develop health issues has no impact on its classification as a Schedule I – V drug. In 2024, the National Drug Control Budget requested $44.5 billion across agencies focused on expanding efforts to reverse opioid overdoses, disrupt the drug supply chain, and provide support for prevention, treatment, and recovery. All participating students took the survey via the web — either on tablets or on a computer – with 98% of respondents taking the survey in-person in school in 2023. Therefore, students with less engagement in school — a known risk factor for drug use – may have been less likely to participate in the survey.

More than 321,000 U.S. children lost a parent to drug overdose from 2011 to 2021

In 2022, most reported substance use among adolescents held steady at these lowered levels, and these latest data show that this trend has continued into 2023. Reported use for almost all substances decreased dramatically from 2020 to 2021 after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related changes like school closures and social distancing. In 2022, reported use of any illicit drug within the past year remained at or significantly below pre-pandemic levels for all grades, with 11% of eighth graders, 21.5% of 10th graders, and 32.6% of 12th graders reporting any illicit drug use in the past year. The researchers found that from 2015 to 2019, the number of overdose deaths involving psychostimulant drugs other than cocaine, (largely methamphetamine), rose from 5,526 to 15,489, a 180% increase.

Opioid Abuse

  • All participating students took the survey via the web – either on tablets or on a computer – with 98% of respondents taking the survey in-person in school in 2023.
  • Past-year alcohol use among adults 19 to 30 has showed a slight upward trend over the past five years, with 84% reporting use in 2023.
  • In 2023, provisional counts indicate that over 110,000 people in the United States died from drug overdoses.
  • For the first time in 2023, 19- to 30-year-old female respondents reported a higher prevalence of past-year cannabis use than male respondents in the same age group, reflecting a reversal of the gap between sexes.
  • Monitoring the Future is an annual drug use survey of eighth, 10th and 12th grade students conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
  • All participating students took the survey via the web — either on tablets or on a computer – with 98% of respondents taking the survey in-person in school in 2023.

Accidental drug overdose is a leading cause of death among persons under the age of 45. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized expansion of Medicare coverage to include opioid treatment programs delivering MAT (medication-assisted-treatment) effective Jan. 1, 2020. Explore the different types of medications prescribed for opioid overdose, withdrawal, and addiction. Hallucinogen use in the past year continued a five-year steep incline for both adult groups, reaching 9% for adults 19 to 30 and 4% for adults 35 to 50 in 2023. Types of hallucinogens reported by participants included LSD, mescaline, peyote, shrooms or psilocybin, and PCP.

Reported use of most drugs among adolescents remained low in 2024

Since 1975, the Monitoring the Future study has annually surveyed substance use behaviors and attitudes among a nationally representative sample of teens. Participants self-report their drug use behaviors across various time periods, including lifetime, past year (12 months), past month (30 days), and other use frequencies depending on the substance type. Data for the 2023 panel study were collected via online and paper surveys from April 2023 through October 2023. Past-year use of cannabis and hallucinogens stayed at historically high levels in 2023 among adults aged 19 to 30 and 35 to 50, according to the latest findings from the Monitoring the Future survey. In contrast, past-year use of cigarettes remained at historically low levels in both adult groups.

Past-month and daily alcohol use continued a decade-long decline among those 19 to 30 years old, with binge drinking reaching all-time lows. However, among 35- to 50-year-olds, the prevalence of binge drinking in 2023 increased from five and 10 years ago. The Monitoring the Future study is conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, trends and statistics national institute on drug abuse nida Ann Arbor, and is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Why are the statistics displayed not more recent? Where can I find more recent estimates of overdose death rates?

NIDA-supported research develops Flowlytics, a cloud-based data analysis software that allows a health care facility to track its inventory of controlled substances, such as opioids, helping to prevent drug theft (also known as drug diversion). The patented software can detect potential drug diversion incidents earlier than previous methods. 2008 — NIDA’s Monitoring the Future Survey reveals an increased misuse of prescription medications and over-the-counter cough syrups among high school seniors, accounting for 8 of the top 13 drug categories reported by this group. These recent data continue to document stable and declining trends in the use of most drugs among young people.

Heightened Risk of Disease

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that around 14.5 million adults struggle with alcohol use disorders. Prescription drug misuse remains a critical issue, with nearly 18 million people affected. Drug abuse and misuse of prescription drugs is generally more prevalent in males than in females. The 2023 survey year was the first time a cohort from the Monitoring the Future study reached 65 years of age; therefore, trends for the 55- to 65-year-old age group are not yet available.

How many people die from overdoses involving prescription opioids?

In 2023, provisional counts indicate that over 110,000 people in the United States died from drug overdoses. This figure encompasses a range of substances, including illegal drugs and prescription medications. Non-sanctioned, non-medical, or non-prescribed use of these controlled substances is considered drug abuse, often leading to Substance Use Disorder (SUD). These substances are likely to create physical or psychological dependence, contributing to concurrent mental health conditions such as Any Mental Illness (AMI) and Major Depressive Episode (MDE).