2024 national drug use and mental health trends

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has published their annual analysis of drug use and mental health trends in the U.S. They reported their findings in a release.

Top trends from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH):

• 58.3% of participants 12 or older said they use at least one of the following substances: alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, and illicit drugs.
• Nearly half of participants 12 or older drink alcohol.
• Adolescents and young adults who reported nicotine use did not report tobacco use.
• 57.9 million people 12 or older binge drink.
• Cocaine and prescription opioid abuse decreased in people 12 or older from 2021-2024, while marijuana and hallucinogen use grew.
• The number of people 12 or older who reported a drug use disorder grew by nearly 1%, while those with an alcohol use disorder declined by nearly 1%.
• The number of adults who experience a mental illness or serious mental illness stayed the same.
• About 1 in 5 adolescents experience “moderate or severe symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.”
• Suicide thoughts and attempts are declining among adolescents.
• Not everyone who needs treatment for mental health, substance use, alcohol use, and opioid use disorders receives it.