Administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) provides a clear picture of substance use and behavioral health issues within the United States. Since the program began in 1971, the use of drugs and alcohol and the incidence of behavioral health issues has increased year over year. And although there has been some periodic improvement in certain areas, it tends to be short-lived as new variables are introduced, such as fentanyl.
Recently published, the 2019 NSDUH Annual National Report is an extensive overview of trends concerning alcohol use, tobacco use, illicit substance use including opioids, cannabis, cocaine, and hallucinogens, and serious mental illnesses like depression.
Our clinical teams breaks down the 2019 report in an executive summary below, highlighting trends, concerns, and strategies for addressing these challenges.