Quick Facts on Drug Addition

1. Over 20 million Americans over the age of 12 have an addiction (excluding tobacco

2. 2. 47.7 million people used mind-altering substances last year. Of those, 36 million used cocaine/crack, 36 million used marijuana and 18.9 million people misused prescriptions in the past year

3. 63,000 deaths are attributed to drug overdoses each year

4. Men and women are at equal risk for developing an alcohol or drug addiction.

5. Addiction costs the economy $740 billion dollars annually in the form of increased healthcare costs, damages from drug related crimes, cost of law enforcement and incarceration, and loss of workplace productivity

6. Genetics is believed to account for 50% of the probability of developing an addiction. Other key factors include lifestyle, stress level and social and intellectual engagement

7. In 2014:

• Heroin accounted for over 15,000 deaths

• Natural and semi-synthetic opioids accounted for over 14,000 deaths

• Methadone accounted for over 3,000 deaths

• Synthetic opioids other than methadone accounted for over 20,000 deaths

• Cocaine accounted for over 10,000 deaths

• Stimulant with abuse potential accounted for over 7,0000