Teen Drug And Alcohol Addiction Statistics
Drug and alcohol abuse is a major concern in teenagers and young adults, largely due to the implications this can have for teenagers later in life.
Beginning drug use or drinking at an early age is associated with a higher risk for developing a substance use disorder, as well as other developmental issues and life difficulties.
Youth who drink alcohol have a higher risk of school problems, social problems, suicide, and misuse of other substances.
Overview of drug use disorders and illicit drug use among teens:
- Nearly 900,000 teens between the ages of 12 and 17 had an illicit drug use disorder in 2019.
- About 37 percent of all high school seniors reported using illicit drugs in the last year.
- The perceived harms of drinking and drug use decreased from 2018 to 2019. This includes perceived risks associated with binge drinking, cocaine use, and heroin use.
Overview of alcohol use disorders and alcohol abuse in teens:
- About 414,000 teens were dependent on or addicted to alcohol in 2019.
- Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among young people in the U.S.
Alcohol-involved deaths among teens:
- Excessive drinking causes an estimated 3,500 deaths in people aged 21 and younger each year.
Prescription Drug Addiction Statistics In The Uk
- There has been a more than 100% rise in the prescription of anti-depressants in the UK over the last decade. Prescriptions have increased from 12 to 24 million in the past decade.
- Opiate related deaths have soared from 50 a year in 1993 to almost 200 a year as of 2014, according to data from the ONS.
- Additionally, figures released by the 2014/2015 crime survey report for England and Wales show that 5.4% of the adult population aged 16 to 59 have abused opiates without a prescription for them. The report also showed that people aged 16-24 are most at risk of opiates abuse, with 7.2% of this demographic admitting to misusing.
Synthetic Drug Abuse And Addiction In Canada
According to the United Nations, Canada is the worlds largest producer of Ecstasy and Methamphetamines. While global markets for Cocaine, Heroin, and even Cannabis declined in 2011, demand for Ecstasy and Meth rose Canadas production rose along with them. Positioned where it is geographically, Canada distributes a large portion of the drugs it produces to the US. Their transportation, however, is not limited by ground. Fully 85% of Meth seized in Australia is traced back to Canada.
The rate of Ecstasy use in Canada, however, is relatively low considering how much is produced and moved across the border. The true danger, both for those who are and are not afflicted by addiction in Canada, is the use of Methamphetamines.
Methamphetamine Abuse And Addiction In Canada
Methamphetamines, known as Meth or Jib on the streets, have long been a large-scale problem in Canada before the fairly recent spike in prescription Opioid abuse. Unlike with Opioid addiction, clinics are having trouble treating people with Meth addiction in Canada. There arent any prescription options to substitute for Meth, and the side effects of the drug make users trying to recover violent and unpredictable.
eventually gets you, and when it takes you down, it takes you down and you lose absolutely everything.
– Marion Willis, founder of St. Boniface Street Links
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Drug Abuse Among Veterans
Mental illness and substance abuse is relatively common among military veterans.
- 7% of veterans struggle with illegal drug use compared to 5.3% of the general population in the US over age 18.
- 80% struggle with alcohol abuse, and 7% have an issue with both alcohol and illegal drugs.
- 7% of the veteran population has a serious mental illness compared to 14.4% of adults over 18.
- 505,000 veterans misuse prescription pain relievers compared to 59,000 who used heroin.
- 10% of veterans between the ages of 18-25 misuse prescription pain relievers compared to 5.5% of the general population in the US in the same age group.
How The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Affected Substance Abuse
Although national data isnt yet available on substance use, addiction, and overdose for 2020, early estimates predict alarming trendsin part influenced by the coronavirus pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected substance abuse in a number of ways, including access to treatment, illicit drug access, social support, and how people are coping with pandemic stress.
Highlights of COVID-19 and substance abuse:
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What Is Substance Use And Addiction
Many people use substances such as drugs or alcohol to relax, have fun, experiment, or cope with stressors, however, for some people the use of substances or engaging in certain behaviours can become problematic and may lead to dependence.
Addiction is a complex process where problematic patterns of substance use or behaviours can interfere with a persons life. Addiction can be broadly defined as a condition that leads to a compulsive engagement with a stimuli, despite negative consequences.i This can lead to physical and/or psychological dependence. Addictions can be either substance related or process-related, also known as behavioural addictions .ii Both can disrupt an individuals ability to maintain a healthy life, but there are numerous support and treatment options available.
A simple way of understanding and describing addiction is to use the 4Cs approach:
- Craving
- Loss of control of amount or frequency of use
- Compulsion to use
- Continued substance use despite consequencesiii
How common is substance use and addiction?
Substance use is quite common on an international scale and statistics vary depending on the substance being consumed. It is estimated that nearly 5% of the worlds population have used an illicit substance, 240 million people around the world use alcohol problematically, and approximately 15 million people use injection drugs.iv
Does Substance Abuse Cause Homelessness
Substance abuse can be both the cause and the result of homelessness
Substance abuse can play a significant role in homelessness by making it difficult to perform well at a job. Job loss and chronic unemployment make it difficult to pay for housing, which can lead to eviction or foreclosure and eventually to homelessness. Addiction can exacerbate already existing financial problems and lead to loss of housing, as well.7
However, the National Coalition for the Homeless emphasizes that substance abuse can be both the cause and the result of homelessness, and that many people begin abusing alcohol or drugs after losing their homes in an attempt to cope with their situation. Unless substance abuse is treated, homeless persons are unlikely to regain the security or financial stability that can lead them out of poverty. 6
Having a substance use disorder can make it exceedingly difficult to for homeless people to find housing. Some housing assistance programs require that residents pass drug tests or enter and complete drug treatment before they can qualify for housing.8
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Tolerance Dependence And Addiction
While substance abuse comes with many side effects, ranging from mild physical side effects like nausea and dehydration to work-related consequences such as reduced productivity, some of the greater risks of substance use include tolerance, dependence, and addiction.
When an individual continues to take a drug, they can reach a point where they no longer respond to the drug as they did previously, and so they need to increase the dosage of the drug to experience the same effect as they did beforethis is known as tolerance.5,6
When a person experiences withdrawal symptoms when they stop using a drug, this is identified as dependence.5,7 Withdrawal symptoms can be mild, or sometimes life-threatening.5,7 To avoid discomfort from withdrawal, users need to stop using the drug gradually. It is important to note that just because a person is dependent on a drug does not necessarily mean they are addicted.5
Even when the effects of drugs are damaging to a persons health and harms their relationships with friends, family members and coworkers, the constant need for a substance may overcome any rational thinking.
Even when the effects of drugs are damaging to a persons health and harms their relationships with friends, family members and coworkers, the constant need for a substance may overcome any rational thinkingthis is known as addiction.8 Addiction is a chronic disease identified by compulsive drug seeking despite harmful consequences.8,9
What Are The Most Common Types Of Addiction
Substance misuse and addiction can refer to the misuse of a wide range of substances, some of which are classified as legal or illicit.
Commonly misused drugs include:
- prescription drugs
Addiction can occur in people of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and gender identities, regardless of income or socioeconomic status. No one is immune.
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Does Everyone Who Takes Drugs Become Addicted
Not everyone who uses drugs becomes addicted. Everyone’s bodies and brains are different, so their reactions to drugs can also be different. Some people may become addicted quickly, or it may happen over time. Other people never become addicted. Whether or not someone becomes addicted depends on many factors. They include genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.
Indirect Deaths: Risk Factors For Early Death
Substance use is responsible for 11.4 million premature deaths each year
11.8 million deaths are attributed to substance use each year we look at the this breakdown between direct deaths and indirect deaths from increased risk of various diseases and injury here.
What we see from this breakdown is that the majority of these deaths are indirect: they result from more than smoking increasing the risk of lung and various other cancers, heart disease, stroke and diabetes and alcohol and illicit drugs increasing the risk of suicide, hepatitis and liver diseases.
The Global Burden of Disease is a major global study on the causes and risk factors for death and disease published in the medical journal The Lancet.8 These estimates of the annual number of deaths attributed to a wide range of risk factors are shown here. This chart is shown for the global total, but can be explored for any country or region using the change country toggle.
In this chart you see deaths from smoking, secondhand smoke, alcohol use, and drug use: collectively these accounted for 11.4 million deaths in 2017. If we consider these deaths collectively, this makes substance use the leading risk factor for premature death globally.
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Current Prevalence Of Drug Use And Abuse In America
Being that drugs are illegal and many individuals are not likely to openly speak about their drug habits, determining the exact scope of drug use in the U.S. is nearly impossible. There are, however, several surveys, studies and reports that suggest that American drug use is extremely high, perhaps even approaching historic levels.,,,,,
While we now know more than ever about the dangers of drug abuse, it appears that this knowledge has failed to act as a deterrent. Heroin use and overdoses have skyrocketed, more people are using and abusing prescription drugs than ever before and the rise of synthetic drugs has created a potentially more dangerous threat.
Cocaine Addiction Statistics In The Uk
A 2015/2016 survey highlighted cocaine as the next most commonly used drug after cannabis, amongst adults aged 16 to 59. 2.2% of the population used it, equating to around 725,000 people. Powder cocaine is the third most commonly used drug amongst young adults aged 16 to 24 after cannabis and ecstasy.
In the United Kingdom, statistics published in 2017 showed that there has been a 23% rise in the number of people seeking help to beat crack cocaine addiction. Figures from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System showed that 3,657 people requested help for quitting crack addiction in the last year. This is up from the 2,980 in the previous year.
An estimate from Liverpool John Moores University says that the number of crack users in England has risen 10% to 182,828 in the five years from 2010 to 2015.
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What Is Drug Use
Drug use, or misuse, includes
- Using illegal substances, such as
- Misusing prescription medicines, including opioids. This means taking the medicines in a different way than the health care provider prescribed. This includes
- Taking a medicine that was prescribed for someone else
- Taking a larger dose than you are supposed to
- Using the medicine in a different way than you are supposed to. For example, instead of swallowing your tablets, you might crush and then snort or inject them.
- Using the medicine for another purpose, such as getting high
- Misusing over-the-counter medicines, including using them for another purpose and using them in a different way than you are supposed to
Drug use is dangerous. It can harm your brain and body, sometimes permanently. It can hurt the people around you, including friends, families, kids, and unborn babies. Drug use can also lead to addiction.
Statistics On Cocaine Addiction And Abuse
Cocaine is an illegal Stimulant. Whether it comes in the form of powder or crystal , Cocaine can damage organs, provoke mental disorders, and cause respiratory failure. Cocaine is also highly addictive. Some Cocaine users may become addicted after using the drug only once.
- About 5 million Americans are regular Cocaine users.
- In 2017, 2.2 million Americans used Cocaine at least once the previous month.
- Cocaine was involved in 1 out of every 5 overdose deaths in 2017.
- The percentage of Cocaine-related overdose deaths increased by 34% from 2016 to 2017.
- Americans between the ages of 18 to 25 use Cocaine more than any other age group.
- In 2017, 1 million Americans above the age of 12 used Cocaine for the first time.
- In 2018, almost 4% of 12th graders admitted to having used Cocaine at least once in their lives.
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How Addicted Individuals Can Be Helped
Itâs important to note that addiction is treatable. There many programmes and interventions specifically designed to ensure you can make a full recovery from any addiction you might be tussling with. Apart from government funded programmes, there are rehab facilities all across the UK that specialise in the provision of complete treatment for addicted individuals on every level.
The first step to getting help as an addicted individual is to contact these rehabs and find one that appeals most to you. Your condition will be analysed by professionals and a course of action will be specifically outlined for you.
If your loved one is addicted, you can help them by staging an intervention that will be the precursor to complete treatment. Itâs important to avoid confrontation, so get professional help if necessary.
Substance Abuse And Homelessness Statistics
In the United States, an estimated 109,812 people are chronically homeless. Chronically homeless means that these people live on the streets almost all the time, with perhaps short periods of living in shelters or with family or friends. Many of these people have both substance abuse and concurrent mental illness.
The statistics on homelessness and substance abuse tell a compelling and troubling story. The following statistics are for single people only and do not include families or children who are homeless. All figures are from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services statistics.
- 1,593,150 people were homeless in one year . That statistic may be an indicator of a typical year.
- 407,966 individuals were homeless in shelters, transitional housing programs, or on the streets.
Among those who are homeless, substance abuse occurs in a large portion of the population.
- 2 percent of all people living in homeless shelters had a severe mental illness.
- 7 percent of all individuals living in homeless shelters were substance abusers.
Substance abuse and homelessness in women also affects many people.
- 34 percent of the total homeless population consists of families.
- 84 percent of those homeless families are headed by women
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Ireland Drug Addiction Statistics
Ireland has one of the highest levels of drug-related deaths in the whole of Europe. Studies suggest that 51 percent of those aged between 18 and 29 have at least tried illicit drugs in the past. There are believed to be 15,000 heroin users. Roughly 1 percent of the population of Dublin is addicted to this drug.
United Way Of King County
By United Way of King County,on April 22, 2019 | In Fighting Homelessness,News
Lately, theres been much dialogue, chatterand sometimesone-way rantingabout how drug and alcohol addiction fits into our homelessnesscrisis.
Its understandable how people can conflate the two issues. Thereis definitely more visibility than there was a couple years ago: more tents ininhumane settings, more disposed needles, more people we pass on the street whoare clearly struggling with addiction.
Provocative pieces like Seattle is Dying that suggest that 100% of the homeless population has some sort of drug or alcohol addiction, dont help.
So, what do we know about how addiction fits into ourhomelessness problem?
The other thing we know about being homeless is that if youre living on the street, self medicating may be the only way you can get through the day. No eye rolling here. This is real. Tough day at work? Happy hour. Cant sleep? Sedative left over from your partners surgery.
The idea of curling up in a doorway for the first time andlaying your head on the concreteor placing your mat inches from the personnext to you in a homeless shelter, using your backpack as a pillow in order toincrease the odds that its still with you in the morning? You can imagine howmuch youd want to escape.
We also have a opioid crisis. And, no, they are not the samething.
So, what can you do?
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Aftercare Relapse Prevention And Recovery Tools
Utilizing support groups as aftercare options may also reduce the potential for relapse.15 Having support from nonprofessional, nonclinical participants may aid in the patients finding additional motivation, support, and success in overcoming the SUDs.15 There are various support groups, therapies, and 12-Step programsboth religiously based and alternativethat may provide support in the recovery of substance misuse.
The guidance of an experienced peer can be invaluably helpful to someone going through the initial steps of sobriety.
At times, a SUD can seem like a personal struggle that no one around you understands. For this reason, SUD support groups can help recovering patients find comfort in their peers. Depending on where an individual resides, there may be a single support group for anyone recovering from an addiction, or there may be groups tailored to those recovering from a specific drug.
In addition to providing support as a group, these organizations often pair up new members with existing members who have maintained sobriety for an extended amount of time. The guidance of an experienced peer can be invaluably helpful to someone going through the initial steps of sobriety.
