Drug abuse has a long and storied history in the United States, and we’ve been “at war” with it since 1971 under the Nixon administration. Yet despite the country’s best efforts to fight it, the problem is still prevalent. There were more than 103,500 drug overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending in November 2022. It’s crucial for the government to address this issue and prevent it from getting any worse. The government must also deal with the changing landscape of drug use, as newer drugs like fentanyl become more widespread. In fact, the DEA seized the equivalent of more than 410 million lethal doses of fentanyl in 2022.
Given the uncertain future and lack of significant progress to date, it’s fair to wonder where drug abuse is most pronounced and which areas are most at risk. This report attempts to answer those questions by comparing the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 20 key metrics, ranging from arrest and overdose rates to opioid prescriptions and employee drug testing laws.
Main Findings
Highest Drug Use by State
| Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Drug Use & Addiction | Law Enforcement | Drug Health Issues & Rehab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | 71.26 | 1 | 13 | 4 |
| 2 | West Virginia | 66.67 | 7 | 3 | 18 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 62.60 | 5 | 27 | 2 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 60.47 | 3 | 22 | 8 |
| 5 | Colorado | 58.22 | 17 | 4 | 17 |
| 6 | Missouri | 57.99 | 21 | 6 | 9 |
| 7 | Arkansas | 56.79 | 24 | 2 | 32 |
| 8 | Nevada | 55.79 | 22 | 29 | 1 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 55.34 | 15 | 28 | 3 |
| 10 | Michigan | 55.31 | 13 | 19 | 11 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 54.65 | 4 | 25 | 33 |
| 12 | Indiana | 54.23 | 14 | 12 | 26 |
| 13 | Alaska | 54.01 | 6 | 49 | 6 |
| 14 | Kentucky | 53.89 | 8 | 8 | 50 |
| 15 | Wyoming | 52.77 | 37 | 1 | 30 |
| 16 | Vermont | 52.02 | 2 | 47 | 20 |
| 17 | Mississippi | 51.03 | 23 | 23 | 14 |
| 18 | Arizona | 49.53 | 12 | 38 | 15 |
| 19 | Oregon | 49.50 | 10 | 44 | 10 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 49.36 | 16 | 46 | 5 |
| 21 | Delaware | 49.36 | 9 | 41 | 16 |
| 22 | Kansas | 49.17 | 27 | 24 | 13 |
| 23 | Maine | 47.02 | 11 | 45 | 23 |
| 24 | New York | 45.35 | 34 | 16 | 36 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 45.07 | 33 | 7 | 48 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | 44.85 | 29 | 21 | 35 |
| 27 | Georgia | 44.60 | 32 | 33 | 7 |
| 28 | Illinois | 44.23 | 35 | 18 | 38 |
| 29 | Montana | 44.05 | 25 | 35 | 22 |
| 30 | Ohio | 43.47 | 20 | 36 | 40 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | 43.28 | 40 | 10 | 37 |
| 32 | South Carolina | 42.70 | 18 | 50 | 25 |
| 33 | Washington | 42.30 | 19 | 48 | 34 |
| 34 | North Carolina | 42.09 | 26 | 26 | 47 |
| 35 | New Jersey | 41.36 | 44 | 15 | 31 |
| 36 | Maryland | 40.75 | 30 | 37 | 27 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | 40.59 | 38 | 14 | 49 |
| 38 | South Dakota | 40.52 | 47 | 9 | 24 |
| 39 | California | 40.44 | 36 | 31 | 28 |
| 40 | Texas | 39.83 | 49 | 11 | 21 |
| 41 | Virginia | 39.45 | 42 | 17 | 45 |
| 42 | North Dakota | 38.94 | 51 | 5 | 41 |
| 43 | Alabama | 38.16 | 28 | 51 | 12 |
| 44 | Connecticut | 36.93 | 31 | 43 | 44 |
| 45 | Iowa | 36.35 | 45 | 32 | 19 |
| 46 | Nebraska | 35.95 | 48 | 20 | 29 |
| 47 | Idaho | 35.63 | 43 | 30 | 39 |
| 48 | Minnesota | 34.15 | 41 | 39 | 43 |
| 49 | Florida | 33.39 | 39 | 40 | 46 |
| 50 | Utah | 30.87 | 46 | 34 | 42 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 22.80 | 50 | 42 | 51 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the worst conditions for that metric category.
- Highest
- 1. Vermont
- 2. New Mexico
- 3. Rhode Island
- 4. Arizona
- 5. Colorado
- Lowest
- 47. Tennessee
- 48. Arkansas
- 49. Florida
- 50. Alabama
- 51. Texas
- Highest
- 1. California
- 2. Nevada
- 3. New Mexico
- T-4. Arizona
- T-4. Tennessee
- Lowest
- 44. Ohio
- 45. Virginia
- 46. Wisconsin
- 47. Colorado
- 48. North Dakota
- Highest
- 1. Vermont
- 2. District of Columbia
- 3. Alaska
- 4. Oregon
- 5. Colorado
- Lowest
- 47. North Dakota
- 48. Hawaii
- 49. South Dakota
- 50. Alabama
- 51. Texas
- Most
- 1. Alabama
- 2. Arkansas
- 3. Tennessee
- 4. Louisiana
- 5. Kentucky
- Fewest
- 47. New York
- 48. New Jersey
- 49. Minnesota
- 50. California
- 51. Hawaii
- Most
- T-1. West Virginia
- T-1. District of Columbia
- 3. Tennessee
- 4. Louisiana
- 5. Kentucky
- Fewest
- 47. North Dakota
- 48. Texas
- 49. Iowa
- 50. South Dakota
- 51. Nebraska
- Most
- 1. South Dakota
- 2. Wyoming
- 3. Tennessee
- 4. North Dakota
- 5. Louisiana
- Fewest
- 46. Vermont
- 47. Michigan
- 48. Alaska
- 49. Washington
- 50. Massachusetts
- Highest
- 1. Nevada
- 2. New Mexico
- 3. Alaska
- 4. District of Columbia
- 5. Oklahoma
- Lowest
- 47. Hawaii
- 48. New Hampshire
- 49. North Carolina
- 50. Texas
- 51. Florida
- Fewest
- 1. Nevada
- 2. South Carolina
- 3. District of Columbia
- 4. Virginia
- 5. Texas
- Most
- 47. Wyoming
- 48. Utah
- 49. Hawaii
- 50. North Dakota
- 51. Kentucky
- Most
- 1. Maryland
- 2. South Dakota
- 3. Delaware
- 4. Connecticut
- 5. New Jersey
- Fewest
- 47. Nevada
- 48. West Virginia
- 49. Montana
- 50. Washington
- 51. Idaho
* % of Teenagers Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month
** % of Adults Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month
*** People Who Needed but Did not Receive Treatment in the Past Year
Blue States vs. Red States
Ask the Experts
For a better understanding of America’s relationship with drugs and advice on what people can do if they think a friend or family member has a problem, we asked the following questions to a panel of drug-addiction experts. You can find their bios and responses below.
- What are the most effective measures state and local authorities can take to combat the opioid epidemic?
- Why do American doctors over-prescribe pain medication? To what degree is this responsible for the current epidemic?
- What should family or friends do if they suspect someone has a drug problem?
- Do you think Naloxone – the drug used to counteract overdoses – should be readily available to anyone who requests it?
- Should the federal government require all rehab facilities to accept Medicaid as a form of payment? What other steps should Federal officials take to improve access to treatment?
Ask the Experts
Professor, Psychology Department – University at Albany, The State University of New York
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PharmD – Assistant Professor – Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Toxicologist – SUNY Upstate Medical University
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Associate Professor of Pharmacy and Toxicology, Professor of the Department of Psychology – University of Texas at Austin
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Ph.D. – Director, Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, Virginia H. Donaldson Professor in Translational Science, Departments of Psychiatry and Psychological Science – University of Vermont
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Pharm.D., BCPS – Assistant Professor – Pain Stewardship, The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy – University of Cincinnati & UC Health
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Ph.D.– Professor of Psychology – Towson University
Read More
Methodology
In order to determine which states have the biggest drug problems, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia in three overall categories: 1) Drug Use & Addiction, 2) Law Enforcement and 3) Drug Health Issues & Rehab.
Those categories include a total of 20 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the biggest drug problem.
We then determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score. This total score was the basis for our final ranking. So the state ranked 1st in this study has the biggest drug problem, based on the data at hand, while the state ranked 51st has the smallest drug problem.
Drug Use & Addiction – Total Points: 50
- Share of Teenagers Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month: Double Weight (~6.25 Points)
- Share of Teenagers Who Tried Marijuana Before Age 13: Full Weight (~3.13 Points)
- Share of Teenagers Offered, Sold or Given an Illegal Drug on School Property in the Past Year: Full Weight (~3.13 Points)
- Share of Adults Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month: Triple Weight (~9.38 Points)
- Share of Children Who Lived with Anyone Who Had a Problem with Alcohol or Drugs: Full Weight (~3.13 Points)
- Number of Opioid Pain Reliever Prescriptions per 100 People: Double Weight (~6.25 Points)
- Number of Clandestine Drug Laboratories or Dumpsites: Full Weight (~3.13 Points)
Note: The square root of the population was used to calculate the “Number of Residents” in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across states. - Overdose Deaths per Capita: Quadruple Weight (~12.50 Points)
- Overdose Deaths Growth (2021 vs 2020): Full Weight (~3.13 Points)
Law Enforcement – Total Points: 25
- Drug Arrests per Capita: Half Weight (~3.57 Points)
- Drug Arrests on College Campuses per 1,000 Students: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
- Maternity Drug Policy (Is Substance Abuse During Pregnancy a Crime?): Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
- States with Employee Drug Testing Laws: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
Note: This binary metric measures whether employee drug testing is or is not authorized in a state.
Drug Health Issues & Rehab – Total Points: 25
- Share of Adults Who Couldn’t Get Treatment for Illicit Drug Use in the Past Year: Triple Weight (~7.50 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of adults who needed but didn’t receive treatment for illicit drug use in the past year. - Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities per 100,000 People Using Illicit Drugs: Double Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: This metric considers people aged 12 or older. - Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services per 1,000 People Using Illicit Drugs: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Note: This metric considers people aged 12 or older. - Drug Treatment Programs Availability for Pregnant Women: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Note: This binary metric measures the availability or absence of drug treatment programs for pregnant women in a state. - Share of Medicaid Beneficiaries Treated for Substance Use Disorders: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Narcotics Anonymous & Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings Accessibility: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Substance Abuse & Behavioral Disorder Counsellors per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, U.S. Department of Education - Office of Postsecondary Education, Guttmacher Institute, OHS Health & Safety Services, Recovery.org and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
