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Substance Abuse or Dependence

The NHSDA Report:  Substance Abuse or Dependence

Highlights:

  • SAMHSA's National Household Survey on Drug Abuse defines substance dependence or abuse using criteria specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). The criteria includes symptoms such as withdrawal, tolerance, use in dangerous situations, trouble with the law, and interference in major obligations at work, school, or home during the past year.
  • In 2001, almost 17 million Americans aged 12 or older abused or were dependent on either alcohol or illicit drugs.
  • The highest rate of abuse or dependence on alcohol or illicit drugs was among 21 year olds.
  • Among past year heroin users, 50 percent abused or were dependent on heroin during the past year.

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This Short Report, The NHSDA Report:  Substance Abuse or Dependence, is based on SAMHSA's  National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), now called the  National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).  The survey is conducted by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS) in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is the primary source of information on the prevalence, patterns, and consequences of drug and alcohol use and abuse and for selected mental health measures in the general U.S. civilian non institutionalized population, age 12 and older.   SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use & Health also provides estimates for drug use and for selected mental health measures by State.

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This page was last updated on April 28, 2008.

SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.

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