Drug Use by State: 2022’s Problem Areas
from Wallet Hub, May 4, 2022
Drug abuse has a long and storied history in the United States, and we’ve been “at war” with it since 1971 under the Nixon administration. Yet despite the country’s best efforts to fight it, the problem is getting worse, and is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. There were over 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending in April 2021, up 28.5% from the previous year. It’s crucial for the government to address this issue and prevent it from getting any worse.
Given the uncertain future and lack of significant progress to date, it’s fair to wonder where drug abuse is most pronounced and which areas are most at risk. This report attempts to answer those questions by comparing the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 21 key metrics, ranging from arrest and overdose rates to opioid prescriptions and employee drug testing laws.
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| Overall Rank |
50 |
| State |
Hawaii |
| Total Score |
25.2 |
| Drug Use & Addiction |
39 |
| Law Enforcement |
45 |
| Drug Health Issues & Rehab |
51 |
| Opioid Prescriptions per capita |
51 |
| % of adults with unmet drug treatment needs |
50 |
| Drug treatment facilities per capita |
5 |
|