Estimated Number Of People In The US Who May Have A Substance Use Disorder

"In 2024, 48.4 million people aged 12 or older (or 16.8 percent of the population) had an SUD in the past year, including 27.9 million people who had an alcohol use disorder and 28.2 million people who had a drug use disorder (Figure 35 and Table A.27AB). People who had an SUD in the past year tended to have an alcohol use disorder only or a drug use disorder only. About 1 in 6 people with a past year SUD (16.0 percent or 7.7 million people) had both an alcohol use disorder and a drug use disorder in the past year.

"Among people aged 12 or older, the percentage who had a past year SUD showed no change from 2021 to 2024 (Figure 36 and Table A.28B). In 2024, 16.8 percent of people aged 12 or older (or 48.4 million people) had a past year SUD. Percentages also showed no change from 2021 to 2024 for young adults aged 18 to 25 and adults aged 26 or older. In 2024, 25.9 percent of young adults (or 9.1 million people) and 16.4 percent of adults aged 26 or older (or 37.3 million people) had a past year SUD (Tables A.30B and A.31B). Among adolescents aged 12 to 17, percentages declined from 9.2 percent (or 2.4 million people) in 2021 to 7.8 percent (or 2.0 million people) in 2024 (Table A.29B).

"Alcohol Use Disorder

"Respondents who used alcohol on 6 or more days in the past 12 months were classified as having an alcohol use disorder if they met two or more of the DSM-5 criteria for alcohol use disorder. Relevant criteria for alcohol use disorder can be found in the 2024 Methodological Summary and Definitions report.¹²

"Among people aged 12 or older, the percentage who had a past year alcohol use disorder declined from 10.6 percent (or 29.7 million people) in 2021 to 9.7 percent (or 27.9 million people) in 2024 (Figure 37 and Table A.28B). Among young adults aged 18 to 25 and adults aged 26 or older, the percentages who had a past year alcohol use disorder also declined from 2021 to 2024 (Tables A.30B and A.31B). For example, the percentage of young adults who had a past year alcohol use disorder declined from 15.5 percent (or 5.2 million people) in 2021 to 14.4 percent (or 5.0 million people) in 2024. Among adolescents aged 12 to 17, the percentage who had a past year alcohol use disorder showed no change between 2021 and 2024. In 2024, 3.0 percent of adolescents (or 775,000 people) had a past year alcohol use disorder (Table A.29B).

"Drug Use Disorder

"This section presents overall estimates for drug use disorder, then provides estimates for selected specific drugs. As discussed previously, drug use disorder was defined as meeting DSM-5 SUD criteria for one or more of the following drugs that were used in the past year: marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, methamphetamine, or prescription psychotherapeutic drugs (i.e., stimulants, tranquilizers or sedatives, and pain relievers). Measures for prescription drug use disorders for 2024 were based on data from all past year users of prescription drugs, not just misusers. Relevant SUD definitions and criteria for specific drugs can be found in Table 1 and in the 2024 Methodological Summary and Definitions report.¹²

"Among people aged 12 or older, the percentage who had a past year drug use disorder increased from 8.7 percent (or 24.5 million people) in 2021 to 9.8 percent (or 28.2 million people) in 2024 (Figure 38 and Table A.28B). The percentage of people who had a past year drug use disorder also increased among adults aged 26 or older, from 7.7 percent (or 17.0 million people) in 2021 to 8.9 percent (or 20.3 million people) in 2024 (Table A.31B). Percentages showed no change from 2021 to 2024 for adolescents aged 12 to 17 and young adults aged 18 to 25 (Tables A.29B and A.30B). In 2024, 6.6 percent of adolescents (or 1.7 million people) and 17.8 percent of young adults (or 6.2 million people) had a past year drug use disorder."