NIDA Notes

High Rates of Illegal Drug Use Among Alcohol-Dependent Adults

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Adults dependent on alcohol report high rates of illegal drug use and nonmedical use of prescription drugs, as compared with the general population. Seventy percent of those with alcohol dependence had never received treatment for that problem or other substance abuse.

This figure includes a bar graph and a pie chart. The bar graph shows the percentage (on the y-axis) of either alcohol-dependent adults or the general population reporting use during the past year of each of seven categories (on the x-axis) The bar graph shows the percentage (on the y-axis) of either alcohol-dependent adults or the general population reporting use during the past year of each of seven categories (on the x-axis) of illicit drugs or prescription drugs used nonmedically.

Source

Hedden, S.L., et al. Patterns of illegal drug use among an adult alcohol dependent population: Results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 106(2-3):119–125, 2010; and comparison data for the general population aged 18 or older from the 2007 NSDUH. [Full Text (PDF, 532KB)]