For many decades now, the United States has been fighting the so-called war on drugs. Recognizing the significant physical and social consequences of drug abuse, the federal government, state authorities, and various nonprofit agencies and for-profit companies have worked hard to reduce the rate of drug abuse in the nation. While there has been success in the war on drugs in some areas, statistics on drug use in the United States remain concerning. Solving the problem of drug abuse in the United States will require continued effort, as the data shows.

Overall Trends

Statistics on drug use in the United States show that from 2002-13, for example, the percentage of those who have recently used an illegal drug increased from 8.3 to 9.2, pointing to a discouraging trend in domestic drug abuse. In United States surveys, nearly one in ten Americans has reported using an illicit substance in the previous month. It is likely, then, that someone you know has used drugs or is an addict, even if you have not used illegal drugs yourself. Thus, it pays to be informed regarding the best professional treatment options for drug abuse. That information may assist you in providing help to a loved one who needs it.

More Specific Trends

Although the overall rate of drug use in the United States has been slowly increasing, there is some good news when we look at specific substances’ rates of drug abuse. In United States research on cocaine, for instance, findings have shown that the number of people regularly using cocaine has decreased from about 2 million to approximately 1.5 million. Statistics on drug use in the United States indicate that activity related to most illegal drugs is either remaining stable or decreasing.

Why, then, has there been an increase in the percentage of people using drugs overall? That number has grown because the number of people trying or regularly using marijuana has been growing. The rapid growth in marijuana use is outpacing any decline or stability in use with respect to other drugs; thus, the percentage of Americans using illegal drugs is growing.

If You Are Using

Drug abuse in the United States is a significant problem for the entire country, but it is also deeply personal for individuals who may be addicts themselves or have an addiction. At BetterAddictionCare, we assist people in finding drug treatment from one of the many traditional or alternative rehab programs in our addiction recovery network. If you are searching for safe, comfortable, and cost-effective recovery options, you have come to the right place. Fill out our contact form or call today to speak with a counselor who can match you with a quality drug rehab near you.