11.2: Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders - Epidemiology

Learning Objectives

• Describe the epidemiology of depressants.
• Describe the epidemiology of stimulants.
• Describe the epidemiology of hallucinogens.

It has been estimated that nearly 9% of teens and adults in the United States have a substance abuse disorder (SAMHSA, 2014). Asian/Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and African Americans are less likely to develop a lifetime substance abuse disorder compared to non-Hispanic white individuals (Grant et al., 2016). Native Americans have the highest rate of substance abuse at nearly 22 percent (NSDUH, 2013). Additional demographic variables also suggest that overall substance abuse is greater in men than women, younger versus older individuals, unmarried/divorced individuals than married, and in those with an education level of a high school degree or lower (Grant et al., 2016). With regards to specific types of substances, the highest prevalence rates of substances abused are cannabis, opioids, and cocaine, respectively (Grant et al., 2016).

Depressants

Concerning depressant substances, men outnumber women in alcohol abuse 2 to 1 (Johnston et al., 2014). Ethnically, Native Americans have highest rate of alcoholism, followed by White, Hispanic, African, and Asian Americans. With regards to opioid use, roughly 1% of the population has this disorder, with 80% of those being addicted to pain-reliever opioids such as oxycodone or morphine; the remaining 20% are heroin (SAMHSA, 2014).

Stimulants

Nearly 1.1% of all high school seniors have used cocaine within the past month (Johnston et al., 2014). Due to the high cost of cocaine, it is more commonly found in suburban neighborhoods where consumers have the financial means to purchase the drugs. Methamphetamine is used by men and women equally. It is popular among biker gangs, rural America, and urban gay communities, as well as in clubs and all-night dance parties (aka raves; Hopfer, 2011).

A growing concern is the abuse of stimulant medication among college students as 17% of college students reported abusing stimulant medications. Greek organization membership, academic performance, and other substance use were the most highly correlated variables related to stimulant medication abuse.

Hallucinogens

Up to 14% of the general population have used LSD or another hallucinogen. Nearly 20 million adults and adolescents report current use of marijuana. Men report more than women. Sixty-five percent of individuals report their first drug of use was marijuana—labeling it as a gateway drug to other illicit substances (APA, 2022). Due to the increased research and positive effects of medicinal marijuana, the movement to legalize recreational marijuana has gained momentum, particularly in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

Key Takeaways

You should have learned the following in this section:

• More men and Native Americans are addicted to depressants.
• Cocaine is more prevalent in suburban neighborhoods due to its cost and methamphetamine is used equally by men and women.
• Hallucinogens are used by up to 14% of the general population.

Review Questions

1. Identify the gender and ethnicity differences of substance abuse across the three substance categories.
2. Are these substances abused by other unique groups of people?