STATISTICS & TRENDS

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Rates of Opioid Painkiller Use Continue to Rise, Even in States that Legalize Medical Marijuana

Supporters of medical marijuana have often said that legalizing cannabis for medicinal pain relief purposes may help reduce the need for opioid painkillers. Proponents argue replacing opioid painkillers with medicinal cannabis will reduce painkiller addiction,...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

What Opioid Abuse Is Costing America

Learn the actual price of opioid addiction in America. This article delves into both the tragic personal and emotional costs as well as the financial burden suffered by every American. It also highlights various sectors of costs, such as employment, justice,...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Healthcare Workers at High Risk of Addiction and Overdose

Addiction is often framed as a blue-collar, working-class problem or an issue faced mainly by people who are poor, homeless, or barely hanging on. When people think of addicts, they often think of people on the street. When people are asked to picture...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Drugged Driving in America

An examination of recent data regarding drugged driving in the US shows the problem has worsened. And unlike drunk driving, public health officials and law enforcement have yet to establish effective protocols for preventing drugged driving.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Can Washington’s New Drug Policy Improve Access to Addiction Treatment?

Washington State recently passed a law making it easier for drug addicts to access treatment without facing criminal punishment for possession infractions. Yet, unlike similar Oregon legislation passed last year, the Washington law does not legalize drugs...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Addiction Treatment in the United States Rates Flatline While Overdoses Rise

According to preliminary data from CDC researchers, fatal overdoses were slightly higher in 2022 than in 2021, suggesting overdoses did not decline post-pandemic, as many public health experts thought they would. Meanwhile, treatment rates across the U.S.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Summertime Associated with Highest Risk for Teen Drug Use

New research has found that teens are most likely to use drugs for the first time during summer. Parents need to be aware of the unique factors and conditions that put teens at higher risk of drug experimentation during this season, so they can intervene...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

‘Sense of Purpose’ a Critical Factor in Substance-Free Living

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania surveyed college students and found that the ‘sense of purpose’ factor was a critical predictor of whether college students drank alcohol excessively.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Law Enforcement Shifts Tactics as Dark Web Becomes the New Marketplace for Drug Trafficking

In May 2023, a multinational effort by U.S. and European law enforcement officials led to nearly 300 drug traffickers being arrested in several countries and $53 million in contraband being seized.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Cough Suppressant Now a Leading Cause of ER Visits for Young People

One of the most common predictors of drug addiction is using mind-altering substances in one’s youth. A recent study has shown that children and teens are increasingly being sent to the ER for overdoses of cough suppressants.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Rising Drug Overdose Deaths Among Seniors Shed Light on Expansion of Addiction Crisis to America’s Elderly

Much of the focus regarding America’s addiction epidemic has been on the effects that drugs and alcohol have on young people. Sadly, senior citizens have largely been forgotten as the addiction epidemic spread across all demographics.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Parental Involvement Tied to Drop in Teen Drug Use

A broad study analyzing several risk factors and overall health metrics for teens had an interesting finding. The researchers found that, for teens whose parents were more involved in their lives, those teens had better health outcomes and were less likely...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

New Study Shows Conservative Opioid Prescribing More Safe for Patients in the Long Run

When the debate around curbing opioid prescribing began many years ago, some public health advocates expressed concern that more conservative prescribing practices would deny chronic pain patients access to pain relief.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

As Fentanyl Surges into the Drug Supply, America’s Youth at Highest Risk Ever for Drug Overdoses

Every society has its core mandate to protect its youth. Unfortunately, new research shows that teen and young adult drug-related death rates in the U.S. have skyrocketed in recent years.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

The 80–20 Trap: How Drug and Alcohol Industries Prey on Their Heaviest Users

It is a well-known rule of thumb in business: 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients. It applies to hardware stores, new car sales and designer clothing sales. It also applies to the subject of drug abuse, excessive drinking and addiction.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Marijuana and Hallucinogen Use at All-Time Highs for Young Americans

According to the recently published 2022 Monitoring the Future Survey, even though overall drug use did not increase among youths between 2021 and 2022, certain drug types did become increasingly more popular, namely cannabis and hallucinogens.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Monitoring the Future Survey Showed Drug Abuse Rates Remained Steady Among Young Americans in 2022

The 2022 Monitoring the Future Survey was finalized and published recently. The findings showed no progress in reducing teen substance abuse rates from 2021 to 2022, as rates of substance abuse among young people held steady compared to drug use rates...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Should Opioid Addiction Treatment Drugs Be Sold Over the Counter?

Should opioid addiction treatment drugs be available over the counter at pharmacies? It might help some people but could it create far more harm than it helps?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Multiple States Stiffen Penalties on Drug Dealing. But Will This Solve America’s Addiction Epidemic?

Since January 2023, several states have significantly increased penalties on drug dealing, all to discourage drug dealers from setting up shop in their states. While the intention behind such actions is good, stiffer penalties for drug dealers won’t...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Methamphetamine Deaths Increased by More Than 50-Fold Between 1999 and 2021—Fentanyl Largely to Blame

“I won’t overdose on that drug—it’s not an opioid.” For decades, people who have become addicted to mind-altering substances like methamphetamine and other non-opioid drugs have used this line to justify using their drug of choice.