Admissions for Prescription Painkillers on the Rise

Treatment admissions for misuse of prescription painkillers rose significantly over the past decade—from 1 percent of all admissions in 1997 to 5 percent in 2007.

According to SAMHSA’s recent report, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) 2007 Highlights, alcohol-related admissions account for the largest share (40 percent) of the 1.8 million treatment admissions that occurred in 2007. A decade ago, in 1997, alcohol-related admissions were 50 percent of all treatment admissions.

Other TEDS findings:

• The percentage of treatment admissions for primary heroin abuse is at about the same level it was a decade ago (14 percent).
• The percentage of treatment admissions primarily due to methamphetamine/amphetamine abuse is relatively small. Admissions accounted for 4 percent in 1997, rose to 9 percent in 2005, then decreased to 8 percent in 2006, and remained at 8 percent in 2007.
• The proportion of admissions for primary marijuana abuse increased from 12 percent in 1997 to 16 percent in 2003; however, admissions have remained steady at 16 percent each year after.

Read Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) 2007 Highlights.