DID YOU KNOW: there have been over 700,000 drug overdose deaths in the US since 2000? Continuing RED RIBBON WEEK 2021, we wanted to give some more statistics that you may not know about substance misuse that we have found to share with you all. Thanks to the NCDAS (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics), they have come up with some pretty amazing stats that will blow your mind!
Here are some statistics about Drug Misuse Demographics within the past year:
- 22% of males and 17% of females used illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs within the last year.
- 5% of people in non-metropolitan, rural counties used illegal drugs compared to 20.2% of people in larger metropolitan counties.
- Drug use is highest among persons between the ages of 18-25 at 39% compared to persons aged 26-29, at 34%.
- 70% of users who try an illegal drug before age 13 develop a substance abuse disorder within the next 7 years compared to 27% of those who try an illegal drug after age 17.
- 47% of young people use an illegal drug by the time they graduate from high school; other users within the last 30 days include:
- 5% of 8th graders.
- 20% of 10th graders.
- 24% of 12th graders.
These are just some of the many statistics that NCDAS has available. Head to the link below to see more statistics and info about substance misuse and addiction.
NCDAS: Substance Abuse and Addiction Statistics [2021] (drugabusestatistics.org)