Substance use disorder statistics

A substance use disorder means that repeated use of alcohol or other drugs causes harm. In the words of the United States national survey, that harm can show up as poor health, disability and difficulty keeping up with work, school or home life. It is a health condition, and it is treatable.

This page keeps alcohol, other drugs and tobacco apart, and never merges them. Where a survey counted any substance use disorder, the figure says so.

The figures also measure different things. Some count people who use a substance. Others count people who have a disorder, deaths, or people in treatment. Each figure says what it counts, who it counted and when.

Alcohol worldwide

These estimates come from the World Health Organization, based on its global status report on alcohol and health. Alcohol dependence is one part of the wider group of alcohol use disorders.

• An estimated 400 million people aged fifteen and older worldwide were living with an alcohol use disorder in 2019. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹
• An estimated 7% of people aged fifteen and older worldwide were living with an alcohol use disorder in 2019. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹
• An estimated 209 million people aged fifteen and older worldwide were living with alcohol dependence in 2019. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹
• An estimated 3.7% of the world's adults were living with alcohol dependence in 2019. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹
• Worldwide, alcohol consumption caused an estimated 4.7% of all deaths in 2019. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• Of the deaths caused by alcohol worldwide in 2019, an estimated 2 million were among men. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹
• Of the deaths caused by alcohol worldwide in 2019, an estimated 600,000 were among women. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹

Drugs worldwide

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates how many people use drugs other than alcohol and tobacco. Using a drug is not the same as having a drug use disorder. The death figures come from the World Health Organization.

• An estimated 316 million people aged 15 to 64 worldwide used a drug other than alcohol or tobacco in 2023. (modelled estimate, 2023 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• UNODC reports 244 million people who use cannabis worldwide, which makes cannabis the most widely used drug. (modelled estimate, published 2025, year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• UNODC reports 61 million people who use opioids worldwide. (modelled estimate, published 2025, year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• Of the deaths attributable to drug use worldwide in 2019, an estimated 0.4 million were among men. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• Worldwide, drug use disorders cost an estimated 28 million healthy years of life, lost to disability and early death, in 2021. (modelled estimate, 2021 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴

Tobacco worldwide

The World Health Organization says nicotine is highly addictive. Its figures below count tobacco users and deaths, not people with a tobacco use disorder. The fact sheet does not state the year its figures describe.

• There are 1.2 billion tobacco users worldwide. (published 2026, year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• Worldwide, tobacco kills over 1.6 million non-smokers each year through second-hand smoke. (published 2026, year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³

The treatment gap

Effective treatment exists, but the World Health Organization says treatment coverage remains incredibly low. It names stigma, discrimination and misconceptions about whether treatment works as reasons for the gap.

• In every country with data, no more than 14% of people with alcohol use disorders were in contact with treatment services. (published 2024, year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹

Substance use disorders and suicide

A review pooled studies that linked records of mental disorders with records of suicide in the general population. A rate ratio above one means suicide occurred more often among people with the disorder than in the comparison groups; here it occurred more than four times as often. The studies varied widely, and the authors note very high heterogeneity. The authors say their findings across mental disorders suggest that access to mental health care, and its quality, need to keep improving to prevent suicide. Effective treatment for substance use disorders exists, and the World Health Organization names stigma and misconceptions about whether treatment works as barriers to getting it. If you are thinking about suicide, please reach out now. Our page of helplines and suicide hotlines worldwide lists free crisis lines by country.

• In pooled record linkage studies of the general population, the suicide rate ratio for people with a substance use disorder was 4.4. (published 2019, year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁵

North America

The United States figures come from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which uses the criteria of the DSM-5. Canada's figures come from a national survey of people aged fifteen and older.

• In the United States, 16.8% of people aged 12 and older had a substance use disorder in the past year, in 2024. (survey, past 12 months, 2024 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 48.4 million people aged 12 and older had a substance use disorder in the past year, in 2024. (survey, past 12 months, 2024 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 27.9 million people aged 12 and older had an alcohol use disorder in the past year, in 2024. (survey, past 12 months, 2024 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 28.2 million people aged 12 and older had a drug use disorder in the past year, in 2024. (survey, past 12 months, 2024 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 25.9% of young adults aged 18 to 25 had a substance use disorder in the past year, in 2024. (survey, past 12 months, 2024 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 12.3% of people aged 12 and older with a substance use disorder in the past year received substance use treatment in that year, in 2024. (survey, past 12 months, 2024 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 74.3% of adults who felt they had ever had a problem with drugs or alcohol considered themselves to be in recovery or to have recovered, in 2024. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2024 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In Canada, 2.2% of people aged 15 and older met the criteria for an alcohol use disorder in the past year, in 2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁷
• In Canada, 1.4% of people aged 15 and older had a cannabis use disorder in the past year, in 2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁷

South America

Brazil's figure comes from a household survey of adults in the São Paulo metropolitan area. It describes that region, not the whole country.

• In a survey of adults aged 18 and over in the São Paulo metropolitan area, 3.6% had a substance use disorder in the previous twelve months. (survey, past 12 months, 2005-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁸

Europe

England's figures come from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. It used screening questionnaires for drinking and drug use, not a diagnostic interview. So these figures show risk and signs of dependence, not diagnosed disorders.

• Among adults aged 16 to 74 in England, 18.9% screened as drinking at hazardous levels or above, in 2023/4. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹
• Among adults aged 16 to 64 in England, 6.7% showed signs of dependence on illicit drugs, in 2023/4. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹

Africa

South Africa's figures come from the South African Stress and Health study, a national household survey of adults. It used the older DSM-IV criteria, which split alcohol problems into alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.

• In a national survey run in 2003-2004, 13.3% of South African adults had had a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2003-2004 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰
• In a national survey run in 2003-2004, 5.8% of South African adults had a substance use disorder in the previous twelve months. (survey, past 12 months, 2003-2004 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰
• In a national survey run in 2003-2004, 11.4% of South African adults had met the criteria for alcohol abuse at some point in their lives. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2003-2004 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰
• In a national survey run in 2003-2004, 4.5% of South African adults met the criteria for alcohol abuse in the previous twelve months. (survey, past 12 months, 2003-2004 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰

Asia

India's figures come from the National Mental Health Survey of adults in twelve states. It used the ICD-10 and counted tobacco use disorder among substance use disorders. This page shows its tobacco figures apart from alcohol and other drugs.

• In India, 4.6% of adults aged 18 and over in 12 states had a current alcohol use disorder, in a survey run in 2015-2016. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹
• In India, 9.1% of men aged 18 and over in 12 states had an alcohol use disorder, in a survey run in 2015-2016. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹
• In India, 0.5% of women aged 18 and over in 12 states had an alcohol use disorder, in a survey run in 2015-2016. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹
• In India, 0.6% of adults aged 18 and over in 12 states had a current use disorder involving drugs other than alcohol and tobacco, in a survey run in 2015-2016. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹
• In India, 20.9% of adults aged 18 and over in 12 states had a current tobacco use disorder, in a survey run in 2015-2016. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹
• In India, 86.3% of adults aged 18 and over in 12 states with an alcohol use disorder were not on treatment or were on inadequate treatment, in a survey run in 2015-2016. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹
• In India, 91.8% of adults aged 18 and over in 12 states with a tobacco use disorder were not on treatment or were on inadequate treatment, in a survey run in 2015-2016. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹

Middle East

Lebanon's figures come from a national household survey of adults, using the DSM-IV.

• In Lebanon, 2.2% of adults aged 18 and over in a national household survey had had a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2002-2003 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹²
• In Lebanon, 35.4% of adults aged 18 and over in a national household survey with a lifetime substance use disorder had ever sought treatment for it. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2002-2003 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹²

Oceania

Australia's figures come from the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, which used the ICD-10. Its substance use disorders cover harmful alcohol use, alcohol dependence and drug use disorders.

• In Australia, 3.3% of people aged 16 to 85 had a substance use disorder in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹³
• In Australia, 19.6% of people aged 16 to 85 had had a substance use disorder at some point in their lives, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹³
• In Australia, 4.4% of males aged 16 to 85 had a substance use disorder in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹³
• In Australia, 2.1% of females aged 16 to 85 had a substance use disorder in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹³
• In Australia, 7.8% of people aged 16 to 24 had a substance use disorder in the previous twelve months, the highest rate of any age group, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹³

National figures side by side

These surveys counted different groups, over different periods, with different criteria. Some count any substance use disorder and some count alcohol alone. Read each row with its label, and do not rank the countries.

How to read these figures

Using alcohol or drugs is not the same as having a disorder. Global counts of people who use drugs measure use, not a drug use disorder.

Surveys use different criteria. The DSM-IV split alcohol problems into abuse and dependence, and the ICD-10 uses harmful use and dependence. The United States survey uses the DSM-5. Figures built on different criteria do not line up exactly.

A lifetime figure is never lower than a past-year figure from the same people. Compare like with like.

Household surveys leave out some groups. South Africa's survey, for example, left out people living in hospitals and mental institutions.

The World Health Organization and United Nations figures are estimates. This page quotes them as published, with citation, and does not reproduce the datasets themselves.

Substance use disorders are treatable. The World Health Organization says access to screening, brief intervention, treatment and medication for alcohol use disorders remains very low. Stigma remains a barrier to care. A person with a substance use disorder deserves the same respect and care as anyone with another health condition.

If alcohol or drug use worries you, or someone close to you, a psychologist, counsellor or doctor can help. They can assess what is happening and plan care with you. Our guide on how to find the right therapist explains what to look for. If you are in distress right now, see our helplines and suicide hotlines worldwide.

Cite this page: TherapyRoute. Substance use disorder statistics. https://www.therapyroute.com/article/substance-use-disorders-and-addiction-2025-statistics-by-therapyroute. Last updated 10 October 2026.

References

1. [1] Alcohol. World Health Organization, 28 June 2024 who.int.
2. [2] Over 3 million annual deaths due to alcohol and drug use, majority among men. World Health Organization, 25 June 2024 who.int.
3. [3] Tobacco and nicotine. World Health Organization, 26 June 2026 who.int.
4. [4] UNODC World Drug Report 2025: Global instability compounding social, economic and security costs of the world drug problem. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 26 June 2025 unodc.org.
5. [5] The association between mental disorders and suicide: a systematic review and meta-analysis of record linkage studies. Journal of Affective Disorders (Too et al.), 2019 doi.org.
6. [6] Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US), July 2025 samhsa.gov.
7. [7] Mental disorders and access to mental health care (The Daily). Statistics Canada, 22 September 2023 www150.statcan.gc.ca.
8. [8] Mental disorders in megacities: findings from the São Paulo megacity mental health survey, Brazil. PLOS ONE (Andrade et al.), 2012 journals.plos.org.
9. [9] Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2023/4. NatCen Social Research for NHS England (Morris et al.), 27 November 2025 natcen.ac.uk.
10. [10] The South African Stress and Health (SASH) study: 12-month and lifetime prevalence of common mental disorders. South African Medical Journal (Herman et al.), 2009 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
11. [11] National Mental Health Survey of India, 2015-16: Prevalence, Patterns and Outcomes. NIMHANS (Gururaj et al.) for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2016 indianmhs.nimhans.ac.in.
12. [12] Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in Lebanon: first onset, treatment, and exposure to war. PLoS Medicine (Karam et al.), 2008 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
13. [13] National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 5 October 2023 abs.gov.au.