Statistics on Specific Drugs of Abuse

The Office of Applied Studies (OAS) in the Federal  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) collects statistics on a variety of drug categories and specific drugs.  OAS  is the primary source of information on the prevalence and incidence of substance abuse in the United States and the characteristics of those who suffer from these problems.  SAMHSA’s OAS is also the national source of information on the location, organization, utilization, and capacity of providers that offer services to treat substance abuse.  

• Alcohol use, heavy drinking, and binge drinking

• Illegal drug use - - including cocaine, heroin, marijuana, injecting drug use and nonmedical use of prescription drugs

• List of specific drugs - - included in at least one of the OAS data systems

• Topics relating to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use

Other OAS Services:

• Highlights of recent OAS publications
• Short Reports to get information on selected topics
• Information about the OAS publication series
• Recently released OAS reports and publications on substance abuse
• Locator for an alcohol or drug treatment program with the services you want

Data on Specific Drugs of Abuse

Statistics on specific drugs are presented in the context of various OAS publications and reports.   Information on specific drugs may be obtained as follows:

Alcohol use, heavy drinking, and binge drinking: State and National data

Illicit Drug Use: Special reports

OAS Short Reports:  Fact sheets are available on poly drug use, marijuana, "club drugs", injecting heroin use, crack cocaine, and other major drugs of abuse.

Trends and prevalence in alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use and characteristics of drug users:  Data are provided on the following:  Alcohol, any illegal or nonmedical drug use, marijuana and hashish, cocaine, crack cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, PCP, LSD, heroin, nonmedical use of prescription drugs (stimulants, sedatives, tranquilizers, and analgesics), binge drinking, heavy alcohol use, cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco.

Primary drugs of abuse among admissions to alcohol and drug treatment:  Data are provided on the following:  Alcohol, opiates, heroin, methadone, cocaine, smoked cocaine, marijuana/hashish, stimulants, methamphetamine, amphetamines, tranquilizers, benzodiazepine, sedatives/hypnotics, hallucinogens, PCP, inhalants, over-the-counter drugs, and other drugs

Drugs used 5 years before and 5 years after substance abuse treatment:   Data are provided on the following:  alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, inhalants, PCP, hallucinogens, illegal methadone, narcotics, methamphetamines, downers, and other drugs

Number and characteristics of drug related mentions in emergency room visits (DAWN)  (See list of DAWN drugs below)

Numbers and characteristics of drug abuse deaths reported by medical examiners affiliated with SAMHSA’s Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN)  (See list of DAWN drugs below)

Drug Abuse Warning (DAWN) Drugs

The major drugs of abuse, such as alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, inhalants, and non medical use of prescription type drugs are included in the National Survey of Drug Use and Health and Drug and Alcohol Services Information System. 

Data in the DAWN system of emergency room visits and drug related deaths are provided on more specific drugs and include the following:  

Acetaminophen, Alcohol-in-combination with Illicit Drug Use, Alprazolam, Amitriptyline, Amphetamine, Amphetamines, Antidepressants,  Antipsychotics,  Aspirin, Ativan, Barbiturate Sedatives, Benadryl, Chlorpromazine, Chlorpromazine, Cocaine, Codeine,  D-propxyphene,  Dalmane, Darvocet N, Darvon, Demerol, Desipramine,  Diazepam, Dilaudid, Diphenhydramine, Diphenylhydantoin Sodium, Doxepin, Doxepin, Elavil, Fluoxetine, Fluoxetine, Flurazepam, Haldol, Hallucinogens,  Haloperidol, Heroin/morphine, Hydromorphone, Imipramine, Inhalants, Librium, Lidocaine, Lorazepam, Marijuana/hashish, Mellaril, Meperidine HCl,  Meprobamate, Methadone, Methamphetamine/speed, Narcotic Analgesics, Nembutal, Non-barbiturate Sedatives,  Non-narcotic Analgesics,   Norpramin,  Oxycodone, PCP,  Pentobarbital, Percodan, Phenobarbital, Prozac, Quinine,  Secobarbital, Seconal, Sinequan, Thioridazine,  Thorazine, Tofranil, Tranquilizers,  Tylenol,  Valium, Xanax, and Other Drugs.

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This page was last updated on 20 August, 2003.

SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.

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