North Carolina Drug and Substance Abuse Statistics

Overdose incidents have become an alarming issue across North Carolina (NC), touching nearly every community in the state. The numbers tell a story of lives lost, families impacted, and healthcare systems overwhelmed. 

Let’s take a look at what the latest data reveals about overdose trends and the toll they’re taking on North Carolina.

Key Takeaways

• Over 1,071,000 North Carolinians aged 12 and older used illicit drugs in the past month, based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2021-2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
• According to the NC Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 12 people die from drug overdoses each day in North Carolina, with over 4,300 deaths reported in 2022 alone.
• In 2022, 3,926,000 North Carolinians aged 12+ consumed alcohol in the past month, with 1,715,000 engaging in binge drinking.
• Over 1,562,000 people aged 12 and older needed substance use treatment in North Carolina, yet 1,276,000 individuals did not receive the care they needed in 2022, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Prevalence of Substance Use in North Carolina

• In North Carolina, 1,071,000 people aged 12 and older used illicit drugs in the past month, based on SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey.
• Among those aged 18-25, 217,000 people reported illicit drug use in the past month.
• For adults aged 18 and older, 1,019,000 people used illicit drugs in the past month.
• Within the 26+ age group, 802,000 people reported illicit drug use in the past month.

Main Substances of Abuse in North Carolina

Alcohol

• Based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2021-2022 survey, alcohol use in the past month was reported by 3,926,000 residents aged 12+, with 1,715,000 engaging in binge drinking. 
• Youth alcohol use (ages 12-20) reached 146,000 for regular consumption and 81,000 for binge drinking in 2022, according to SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey.
• For the 18-25 age group, 504,000 people consumed alcohol in the past month, with 269,000 binge drinking during this time.
• Among adults aged 18 and older, 3,878,000 consumed alcohol in the past month, including 1,693,000 who engaged in binge drinking.
• In the 26+ age group, 3,374,000 people consumed alcohol, with 1,424,000 binge drinkers in the past month.
• Over 3,961,000 people recognized significant risks associated with drinking five or more alcoholic beverages once or twice a week.
• Among adults aged 18 and older, 3,612,000 individuals perceived great risk from heavy alcohol use.

Cocaine

• Among the 12+ population, 151,000 North Carolinians used cocaine in the past year, according to SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey.
• In the survey, 120,000 of those aged 18-25 reported cocaine use in the past year.
• Within the 18+ population, 150,000 people used cocaine in the past year, including 35,000 adults aged 26 and older.
• According to SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey, 6,083,000 people aged 12+ perceived great risk from using cocaine once a month.

Marijuana

• According to the 2021-2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) by SAMHSA, first-time marijuana use among high-risk people aged 12+ totaled 114,000 during the survey year.
• Marijuana use in the past year reached 1,415,000 individuals based on SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey, with 930,000 using it in the past month.
• Among those aged 18-25, 315,000 people used marijuana in the past year, while 210,000 used it in the past month.
• In the 18+ age group, 1,341,000 individuals used marijuana in the past year, and 888,000 used it in the past month.
• Adults aged 26 and older accounted for 1,027,000 marijuana users in the past year and 677,000 users in the past month, according to SAMSHA.
• Based on SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey, 1,915,000 NC residents perceived great risk from smoking marijuana once a month. 

Tobacco

• Based on SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey, tobacco product use was recorded among 1,901,000 residents, while cigarette use involved 1,565,000 people.
• Among adults aged 18-25, 183,000 used tobacco products, including 125,000 cigarette users in the past month.
• For the 18+ population, 1,881,000 people used tobacco products, and 1,555,000 smoked cigarettes.
• Among adults aged 26 and older, 1,698,000 people used tobacco products, and 1,430,000 smoked cigarettes in the past month.
• More than 6,024,000 individuals acknowledged high risks from consuming one or more packs of cigarettes daily, with the 18+ group seeing the highest level of risk.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Prevalence in North Carolina

• Based on SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey, substance use disorders affected 1.3 million people in North Carolina.

• In 2022, 870,000 North Carolinians had alcohol use disorder, while 709,000 were diagnosed with drug use disorders, according to SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 data. 
• Drug use disorders affected 162,000 adults aged 18-25, according to data released by SAMHSA in 2022.
• Among individuals aged 18 and older, 659,000 people had drug-related disorders and 846,000 had alcohol-related issues, according to SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey.  
• Adults aged 26 and older accounted for 1,024,000 cases of substance use disorders. Within this demographic, 497,000 dealt with drug use disorders, while 684,000 reported alcohol use disorders.
• Pain reliever misuse disorder impacted 178,000 people, with most cases (158,000) occurring in the 26+ age group.

• Opioid use disorders were reported by 209,000 individuals, including 187,000 adults aged 26 and older.

Overdose Incidents in North Carolina

• According to the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), nearly 12 North Carolinians lost their lives to drug overdoses every day in 2022. This translates to over 4,300 deaths in one year.  
• In 2023, North Carolina saw a rate of 161.4 overdose-related visits per 100,000 people, amounting to 16,932 total visits, as reported by NCDHHS.
• In 2022, overdose deaths affected North Carolina residents at a rate of 41.4 per 100,000 people, resulting in a total of 4,339 lives lost, according to the NCDHHS.
• Among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities in North Carolina, the overdose death rate in 2020 was 83.6 per 100,000, with 104 people losing their lives.
• Based on NCDHHS data, the 2020 overdose death rate for non-Hispanic Black residents stood at 26.7 per 100,000, leading to 627 fatalities during the year.
• Hispanic residents experienced an overdose death rate of 10.7 per 100,000 in 2020, with 113 lives lost, according to the NCDHHS.
• In 2022, Asian residents in North Carolina reported the lowest overdose death rate in 2020 at just 4.6 per 100,000, which equated to 17 deaths.
• According to the NCDHHS, non-Hispanic White residents experienced a death rate of 36.1 per 100,000 in 2020, with 2,424 individuals losing their lives to overdoses.

Youth Substance Use in North Carolina

• According to SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 52,000 North Carolinians aged 12-17 used illicit drugs in the past month.
• In 2022, 73,000 youths aged 12-17 reported using marijuana in the past year, and 43,000 were using it in the past month, based on SAMHSA’s survey.
• According to SAMHSA, 1,000 teens used cocaine, 9,000 used hallucinogens, 1,000 used methamphetamine, and 16,000 misused prescription pain relievers in 2022. 
• Among youths aged 12-20, 146,000 reported drinking alcohol in the past month.
• In 2022, binge drinking—defined as consuming five or more drinks in one sitting—was reported by 81,000 youths aged 12-20.
• According to SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey, 349,000 teens aged 12-17 believed that drinking five or more alcoholic beverages once or twice a week posed significant risks to their health.
• Tobacco product use affected 20,000 North Carolinians aged 12-17 in the past month, according to SAMHSA. Within this group, 10,000 youths smoked cigarettes in the past month.
• In the past year, 61,000 teens aged 12-17 in North Carolina struggled with substance use disorders, according to SAMHSA’s report. Among these, 24,000 reported alcohol use disorders, while 50,000 teens faced drug use disorders.

Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility in North Carolina

• According to the 2022 NSDUH, 358,000 North Carolinians aged 12 and older received substance use treatment in the past year.
• The 2022 NSDUH found that 1,562,000 people aged 12 and older were classified as needing substance use treatment.
• Among adults aged 18-25, 42,000 individuals received treatment, while 279,000 were classified as needing treatment, as per the 2022 NSDUH.
• For adults aged 26 and older, 279,000 individuals received treatment, and 1,196,000 were identified as needing it, based on SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey.
• In the 18+ population, 320,000 adults received treatment, and 1,475,000 were classified as needing treatment.
• 1,276,000 North Carolinians aged 12 and older who were classified as needing treatment did not receive it.

• SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey reports that 282,000 individuals aged 18-25 received mental health treatment in the past year.
• For the 26+ group, 1,602,000 North Carolinians accessed mental health treatment during this time.
• Among adults aged 18 and older, 1,884,000 individuals received treatment for mental health concerns in 2022, according to SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 survey. 

FAQs

What Substances Are Most Commonly Abused in North Carolina?

Alcohol, marijuana, and opioids are among the most commonly abused substances in North Carolina, according to SAMHSA’s 2021-2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 

In 2022, over 3.9 million NC residents reported alcohol use, and 1.4 million used marijuana in the past year.

How Widespread Are Substance Use Disorders in North Carolina?

Substance use disorders affect over 1.3 million NC residents, according to SAMHSA’s latest data. This includes 870,000 individuals with alcohol-related disorders and 709,000 struggling with drug use disorders.

How Does Substance Use Impact Mental Health in North Carolina?

Substance use often overlaps with mental health issues. Over 1.8 million adults in North Carolina experienced mental illness last year, with many also struggling with substance use disorders. Learn more in our post called “North Carolina Mental Health Statistics”.