The US is not among the top 10 countries when it comes to alcohol and drug abuse. According to the World Health Organization, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova top the list, with America being a distant 17th. But this is not something to be proud of, considering the country is the de-facto leader of the free world. 

Sadly, the issue of drug and alcohol abuse keeps getting worse with every passing year. As of 2019, the number of Americans diagnosed with substance abuse disorder was 20.4 million. This figure represents the reported cases only and does not include alcohol dependency, which means the problem could be more widespread. 

Here are four shocking statistics about drug and alcohol addiction that will shock you.

1. Alcohol Is the Most Abused Substance, And It Kills Millions

Alcohol is the most abused substance on a global level, according to the World Health Organization. While it is seemingly milder than other drugs, it kills 3 million people globally every year. 

In the United States alone, alcohol accounts for approximately 140,000 deaths annually and is the fourth leading preventable cause of death. Surprisingly, these deaths do not seem to attract the same public fury as it is with other substances.

2. The U.S. Consumes 80% Of the World’s Prescription Painkiller Supply

The American population is slightly over 336 million. Surprisingly, it consumes over 80 percent of the global prescription painkiller supply. Treating physicians are partly to blame for the increase in dependency for increased prescription opioids for treating minor pains resulting in what is today referred to as the opioid epidemic. 

Unfortunately, prescription opioid dependency opens a doorway to other drugs, with statistics showing that 40 percent of the people that abuse opioids are approximately 40% more likely to use heroin than those that don’t. Also, 40 percent of all opioid overdose deaths involve prescription opioids.

3. Alcohol and Drugs Are a Big Factor in Crime

According to data from law enforcement agencies, over 50 percent of all homicides and rape cases have alcohol and drugs as a factor. Sometimes, the crime is part of turf wars, deals gone wrong, or unpaid drug money. 

In most cases, it is the lack of inhibition that comes with intoxication leading to actions that perpetrators would not have committed if not for the intoxication. Also, statistics show that 85 to 90 percent of all burglaries are committed by individuals seeking to fund their addiction. Unfortunately, all these actions have severe consequences upon arrest, including lengthy sentences and fines.

4. Drug and Alcohol Addiction Can Be Treated

By the time a person becomes an addict, they are already a slave of their habit, and there is nothing much they can do unless they get the treatment or the help they need. Unfortunately, not many get access to that treatment. According to data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), only one in seven people get the treatment they require for their addictions. 

If you realize you have a drug or alcohol problem, you have already made the first step into recovery. The next step is getting help from a drug and alcohol addiction expert. 

If you do not know where to start your search for treatment, you may want to consider comprehensive addiction recovery programs offered at Fort Wayne Recovery as a starting point. There are also many treatment facilities across America that you can choose from, with some offering free services, so you do not have a reason not to get help.

Final Words

Alcohol and drugs have ruined millions of lives. The sad part is they affect not only the person involved but an entire community, with the person’s loved ones at the center of it all. 

But there is hope and help for the willing. Don’t suffer in silence. Talk to someone about your struggle today.