Almost 49 Million U.S. Teens and Adults Had a Substance Use Disorder in 2022

Almost 49 million teens and adults in the United States had a substance use disorder in 2022, according to new government data.

The 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that of those nearly 49 million people, about 30 million had an alcohol use disorder and 27 million had a substance use disorder , including about 6 million with an opioid use disorder. The survey found about 8 million people had both alcohol and substance use disorders, CNN reports.

The survey found substance use disorders were considered severe for more than one in five people. Almost one-fourth of adults had a mental illness, including 1 in 12 who experienced both mental illness and substance use disorder.

According to a government news release, in 2022, 70.3 million people aged 12 or older (or 24.9%) used illicit substances in the past year. Marijuana was the most used illicit substance, with 22.0% of people aged 12 or older (or 61.9 million people) using it in the past year.