“Addiction is a crisis that affects millions, but breaking it down into numbers reveals just how widespread substance use really is:

• According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 16.9 million young adults (ages 18-25)—nearly half of this age group—reported drinking alcohol in the last month.*
• Of these, 8.3 million were men (48.4%) and 8.6 million were women (50.8%).
• Each year, excessive alcohol consumption leads to more than 178,000 deaths in the U.S., making it one of the leading preventable causes of death.*
• Opioid misuse, another major concern, claimed the lives of over 106,000 individuals in 2021—a number that continues to grow.*

These statistics are more than just numbers—they reflect real people, families, and communities affected by substance use and its consequences. But here’s the good news: understanding the science and realities of addiction is the first step toward creating a healthier path forward.”

Gibson Center for Behavioral Change – Hope, Strength and Evolve (https://gibson-center.com/fact-over-fiction-national-drug-and-alcohol-facts)