State-by-State Data Trends in Substance Use, Mental Illness
For the benefit of policy makers, service providers, and others, a recent report from SAMHSA provides state-by-state analyses of trends in substance abuse and mental illness.
The report, State Estimates of Substance Use from the 2007–2008 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, includes data on alcohol dependence or abuse, binge alcohol use, cocaine, pain relievers, marijuana, and youth depression.
Among the report’s notable findings:
Cigarette use by adolescents decreased in 35 states between 2002 to 2003 and 2007 to 2008, and no increases were observed in any state during this period.
Minnesota had the Nation’s highest rate of past-year dependence on, or abuse of, alcohol among those age 12 or older (10 percent), while Kentucky had the lowest (5.7 percent).
Nine of 10 states having the highest levels of past-month illicit drug use among persons age 12 or older also had the highest levels of past-month marijuana use (in alphabetical order: Alaska, Colorado, District of Columbia, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington).
Thirteen states showed significant declines in past-year cocaine use among persons age 12 or older from 2006 to 2007 (in alphabetical order: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming).
Wyoming had the Nation’s highest rate of adolescents age 12 to 17 experiencing a major depressive episode in the past year (10.0 percent) while Maryland had the lowest (7.0 percent).
Download the report from SAMHSA’s Office of Applied Studies (OAS). Hard copies are limited. To order, call SAMHSA toll-free at 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727). Request publication number SMA10-4472.
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Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies. Figure 2.1. Illicit Drug Use in Past Month among Persons Age 12 or Older, by State: Percentages, Annual Averages Based on 2007 and 2008 NSDUHs. State Estimates of Substance Use from the 2007–2008 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Rockville, MD.
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