Drug Abuse Statistics

Drug abuse statistics show that substance abuse and its related problems are among society’s most pervasive health and social concerns. Each year, about 100,000 deaths in the United States are related to alcohol consumption. Illicit drug abuse and related acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) deaths account for at least another 12,000 deaths. In 1995, drug abuse statistics reports the economic cost of alcohol and drug abuse was $276 billion. This represents more than $1,000 for every man, woman, and child in the United States to cover the costs of health care, motor vehicle crashes, crime, lost productivity, and other adverse outcomes of alcohol and drug abuse.

Current drug abuse statistics notes that a substantial proportion of the population drinks alcohol. Forty-four percent of adults aged 18 years and older (more than 82 million persons) report having consumed 12 or more alcoholic drinks in the past year. Among these current drinkers, 46 percent report having been intoxicated at least once in the past year—nearly 4 percent report having been intoxicated weekly. More than 55 percent of current drinkers report having consumed five or more drinks on a single day at least once in the past year—more than 12 percent did so at least once a week. Nearly 20 percent of current drinkers report having consumed an average of more than two drinks per day. Nearly 10 percent of current drinkers (about 8 million persons) meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence. An additional 7 percent (more than 5.6 million persons) meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse.

Additionally, drug abuse statistics show that alcohol use and alcohol-related problems also are common among adolescents. Age at onset of drinking strongly predicts development of alcohol dependence over the course of the lifespan. About 40 percent of those who start drinking at age 14 years or under develop alcohol dependence at some point in their lives; for those who start drinking at age 21 years or older, about 10 percent develop alcohol dependence at some point in their lives. Persons with a family history of alcoholism have a higher prevalence of lifetime dependence than those without such a history.

Excessive drinking has consequences for virtually every part of the body. The wide range of alcohol-induced disorders is due (among other factors) to differences in the amount, duration, and patterns of alcohol consumption, as well as differences in genetic vulnerability to particular alcohol-related consequences.

Light-to-moderate drinking can have beneficial effects on the heart, particularly among those at greatest risk for heart attacks, such as men over age 45 years and women after menopause. Moderate drinking generally refers to consuming one or two drinks per day. Moderate drinking, however, cannot be achieved by simply averaging the number of drinks. For example, consuming seven drinks on a single occasion will not have the same effects as consuming one drink each day of the week.

Drug abuse statistics reports that long-term heavy drinking increases risk for high blood pressure, heart rhythm irregularities (arrhythmias), heart muscle disorders (cardiomyopathy), and stroke. Long-term heavy drinking also increases the risk of developing certain forms of cancer, especially of the esophagus, mouth, throat, and larynx. Heavy alcohol use also increases risk for cirrhosis and other liver disorders and worsens the outcome for patients with hepatitis C. Drinking also may increase the risk for developing cancer of the colon and rectum. Women’s risk of developing breast cancer increases slightly if they drink two or more drinks per day.

Drug abuse statistics notes that alcohol use has been linked with a substantial proportion of injuries and deaths from motor vehicle crashes, falls, fires, and drownings. It also is a factor in homicide, suicide, marital violence, and child abuse and has been associated with high-risk sexual behavior. Persons who drink even relatively small amounts of alcoholic beverages may contribute to alcohol-related death and injury in occupational incidents or if they drink before operating a vehicle. In 1998, alcohol use was associated with 38 percent of all motor vehicle crash fatalities, a significantly lower percentage than in the 1980s.