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A public reference

U.S. Recovery and Substance Use Statistics: 2026

Current national figures on substance use, treatment, recovery, overdose, and alcohol harm. Every number links directly to its original public source.

Last updated
August 13, 2026
Coverage
United States
Primary sources
SAMHSA and CDC

The numbers in context

A clearer view of recovery and the need for support.

Recovery is deeply personal, and no single statistic can describe an individual's experience. These national figures are collected here to make reliable public data easier to find, quote, and understand.

The measures do not all describe the same thing. Some come from annual surveys, while others count deaths. Each entry includes its reporting period and a direct source so the context stays attached to the number.

44.6 million

people had a substance use disorder in 2025

That was 15.3% of people age 12 and older in the United States, based on SAMHSA's 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
7.6 million

people received substance use treatment in 2025

That represents 2.6% of people age 12 and older. This measure counts treatment received during the past year.

Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
31.7 million

adults said they had ever had an alcohol or drug problem

In 2024, 12.2% of U.S. adults age 18 and older said they had experienced a problem with alcohol or drugs at some point in their lives.

Source: SAMHSA, 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
68,641

predicted overdose deaths in the latest 12-month estimate

CDC's preliminary estimate covers the 12 months ending in February 2026. It was 12.1% lower than the previous 12-month period and remains subject to revision.

Source: CDC, provisional overdose data released July 15, 2026
79,384

drug overdose deaths were recorded in 2024

The final 2024 age-adjusted rate was 23.1 deaths per 100,000 people, down 26.2% from 2023.

Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Data Brief 549
178,000

people died from excessive alcohol use each year

CDC estimates this average for 2020 to 2021. The same data show approximately 58,700 deaths each year among girls and women.

Source: CDC, U.S. deaths from excessive alcohol use

Method and sources

How this page is maintained.

This page uses publicly available national data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is refreshed when a newer national release changes a figure above.

Survey data reflects respondents and reporting definitions from each release. Mortality figures may be final or provisional, as labeled. The original agency source is linked beside every statistic.

This is an informational resource, not medical advice. For help finding treatment or recovery support, visit SAMHSA's Find Help resources.

Cite this page

Make the original sources easy to follow.

Suggested citation: Brandy's Journey. "U.S. Recovery and Substance Use Statistics: 2026." Updated August 13, 2026. https://shop.journeybybrandy.com/recovery-statistics

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