Texas Drug and Alcohol Statistics - Methadone dot org (NAMA Recovery)

Statistical Data on Drugs in Texas

Texas faces significant challenges related to substance abuse, with varying trends across different drugs and demographics. This report compiles statistics on drug use, overdose deaths, treatment admissions, and related issues in Texas over recent years.

Drug Overdose Deaths

3,136 overdose deaths per year in Texas
1.55% of all deaths in Texas are from drug overdose
Overdose death rate increased at 2.28% annually over 3 years
Overdose death rate: 10.8 per 100,000 residents (47.83% lower than national average)
Texas accounts for 4.46% of nationwide overdose deaths
Drug overdose deaths nearly tripled in the state from 2000 to 2018
In 2021, the drug overdose death rate increased to 16.8 per 100,000

While Texas has a lower overdose death rate than the national average, the steady increase is concerning and indicates a growing public health issue.

Opioid-Related Statistics

1,402 opioid overdose deaths in 2018
3,172 opioid overdose deaths in 2022 (58% of all drug overdose deaths)
Prescription opioids involved in 39% of opioid overdose deaths
Synthetic opioids involved in 25.5% of opioid deaths
Opioids involved in 46.7% of all overdose deaths
4.8 opioid overdose deaths per 100,000 residents in 2018 (67.1% below national rate)
Rate increased to 9.4 per 100,000 in 2021
0.25% of hospital births involve neonatal Opioid Withdrawal syndrome
Doctors write enough opioid prescriptions for 47.2% of residents

While opioid overdose rates are lower than the national average, they still account for a significant portion of overdose deaths in Texas. The involvement of heroin in nearly half of opioid deaths is particularly concerning.

Age Groups

Youth (Middle and High School Students)	22% report lifetime marijuana use 14% report past-month marijuana use 19% report lifetime misuse of prescription drugs 7% report past-month misuse of prescription drugs
College Students: Lifetime substance use rates	Alcohol: 78.7% Marijuana: 39.4% Tobacco: 46.5% Cocaine: 7.3% MDMA: 7.0%
Young Adults (18-44)	Account for 57.9% of opioid-related ED visits in 2021, up from 45.2% in 2016
Adults (45-64)	Account for 23.5% of opioid-related ED visits in 2021, down from 33.0% in 2016
Older Adults (65+)	65-74 age group: 9.2% of opioid-related ED visits in 2021
75+ age group	5.2% of opioid-related ED visits in 2021

There’s a concerning trend of substance use among youth and young adults. The shift in opioid-related ED visits towards younger age groups suggests changing patterns of opioid use and potentially reflects the impact of the ongoing opioid crisis on younger populations.

Marijuana Use Among Texas College Students

Lifetime Use:

Total: 39.4%
Male: 41.5%
Female: 37.7%

Past-Year Use:

Total: 27.5%
Male: 29.8%
Female: 25.7%

Past-Month Use:

Total: 19.5%
Male: 24.7%
Female: 14.3%

Marijuana use is prevalent among college students, with higher rates among males. The significant drop between lifetime and past-month use suggests experimentation rather than regular use for many students.

Methamphetamine Trends

Ranked as the top drug threat by DEA Field Divisions covering Texas
951 methamphetamine-related deaths in 2018
Nearly 800 deaths from methamphetamine in 2017
10,307 treatment admissions for methamphetamine in 2018
49,643 methamphetamine exhibits in toxicology labs
98.4% of samples in 2018 were made from P2P (increasing to 98.6% in 2020)
Average purity of methamphetamine from Mexico: 97.5% (increasing to 95.9% in 2020)

Methamphetamine poses a significant and growing threat in Texas, as evidenced by high death rates, treatment admissions, and lab identifications.

Heroin Use and Trends in Texas

Overdose Deaths:

684 heroin-related deaths in 2018
Heroin was a factor in 47.6% of all opioid overdose deaths
530 heroin-related deaths in 2016, up from 107 in 1999

Demographics of Heroin Users:

The proportion of White users increased from 40% in 1974 to 63% in 2018
Hispanic users accounted for 28% of admissions in 2018
African American users accounted for 7% of admissions in 2018
The average age of those seeking treatment increased from 27 in 1974 to 36 in 2018

Routes of Administration:

82% of users reported injecting heroin
14% reported inhaling heroin

Polysubstance Use:

Of heroin deaths in 2018, 12% also involved fentanyl
Heroin users in treatment also reported use of methamphetamine (19%), cocaine/crack (13%), or marijuana (10%)
54% of heroin combinations in toxicological analysis involved diphenhydramine (used to turn tar heroin into powder)
15% of combinations involved heroin and methamphetamine
3% of combinations involved heroin and fentanyl

Cocaine Trends

Prevalence and Deaths:

886 cocaine-related deaths in 2018
Cocaine deaths increased from 350 in 1999 to around 900 by 2018
In 2009-2010, Texas was one of the top ten states for past-year cocaine use among persons age 12-17

Demographic Shifts in Treatment:

Year	White (%)	Black (%)	Hispanic (%)
1994	28	58	13
2018	26	43	30

Usage Patterns:

In 1995, 76% of cocaine admissions smoked crack
In 2018, only 46% of admissions smoked crack
Shift towards more Hispanic users and older users over time

Drug Use Disorders

1.76 million Texans (7.2% of those aged 12 or older) have drug use disorders
461,000 Texans have opioid use disorders

A significant portion of the Texas population struggles with drug use disorders, indicating a need for expanded treatment and prevention efforts.

Emerging Trends

Fentanyl involvement in fatal drug poisonings increased from 11.5% in 2019 to 44.6% in 2022
Benzodiazepine deaths dropped from 572 in 2017 to 484 in 2018
Increase in use of synthetic marijuana and MDMA among college students

The rapid rise of fentanyl in overdose deaths is particularly alarming, while there are mixed trends in other drug categories.

Drug Treatment Admissions and Costs

35,995 patients serviced annually for drug rehab
31,281 patients in outpatient services
4,033 patients in residential (non-hospital) services
681 patients in hospital rehab
11 facilities offer free drug rehab treatment for all clients
Average individual total cost for residential rehab: $56,623
Average individual total cost for outpatient rehab: $1,698
Texas ranks 18th in cheapest to most expensive state for residential drug rehabilitation services

The high number of outpatient admissions suggests a preference for less intensive treatment options, possibly due to the significant cost difference between residential and outpatient care.

Economic Impact and Prevalence

Total economic cost of drug poisoning in Texas: $58.83 billion in 2022
Main burden: Value of life lost due to fatal drug poisoning

The economic and social impact of drug use in Texas is substantial, affecting a significant portion of the population and resulting in enormous economic costs.

Drug Arrests in Texas (2020)

Arrest Type	Number of Arrests	Percentage Decrease from 2019
Total	88,651	30.9%
Sale	13,873	30.5%
Possession	74,778	31.0%

The significant decrease in drug arrests from 2019 to 2020 could be influenced by factors such as policy changes or the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statistical Data on Alcohol in Texas

The following statistics provide a comprehensive overview of alcohol use, abuse, and related issues in Texas. The data covers various aspects, including general alcohol consumption, underage drinking, college student behavior, drunk driving incidents, alcohol-related deaths, and treatment data.

General Alcohol Use in Texas

Statistic	Value
Adults reporting alcohol consumption in past month	51.5%
Adults reporting binge drinking	16.4%
Adults reporting heavy drinking	5.7%
Persons 12 and older using alcohol in the last month	Over 10,600,000
Persons 12-20 years old using alcohol in the last month	Over 600,000
Persons 12 and older engaging in binge alcohol use in the last month	Over 5,300,000
Persons 12-20 years old engaging in binge alcohol use in the last month	Over 300,000

Texas shows lower overall alcohol consumption but higher binge drinking rates compared to national averages, indicating a tendency towards more risky drinking behaviors.

Alcohol-Related Deaths in Texas

Annual deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use: 10,647
Percentage of alcohol-related deaths under age 21: 3.97%
Percentage of alcohol-related deaths that are male: 71.1%
Percentage of deaths from chronic causes (e.g., Alcohol Use Disorder): 56.9%
Percentage of deaths among adults aged 35 and older: 81.9%
Years of potential life lost annually due to excessive alcohol use: 274,633
Increase in 5-year average annual rate of excessive alcohol deaths (2015-2019): Up to 44.2%
Deaths from excessive alcohol use per 10,000 adults: 4.90
Deaths from excessive alcohol use per 2,737 people aged 18 and older: 1

Alcohol-related deaths disproportionately affect males and older adults, with a concerning increase in death rates over recent years.

College Student Alcohol Use in Texas (2017 data)

Lifetime alcohol use: 79%
Past year alcohol use: 73%
Past month alcohol use: 58%
Male students reporting binge drinking in past month: 37%
Female students reporting binge drinking in past month: 34%
Students who drive after drinking at least once a month: 18%
Students who have ridden with an impaired driver: 22%
Students in fraternities/sororities using alcohol in past month: 73%
Non-Greek students using alcohol in past month: 54%

Alcohol use is prevalent among college students, with Greek life involvement associated with higher rates of use.

Sources of Alcohol for Underage College Students

Friends over 21: 70%
Parents or relatives: 49%
Friends under 21: 35%
Fake ID: 11%
Obtaining alcohol without being carded: 19%

Friends and family are the primary sources of alcohol for underage drinkers, with some success in obtaining alcohol illegally from commercial sources.

Trends in College Student Alcohol Use (2005-2017)

Lifetime use decreased by 5%
Past year use decreased by 5%
Past 30-day use decreased by 8%

While there’s been a slight decrease in alcohol use among college students over time, the rates remain high.

Self-Reported Drinking Levels Among College Students

Drinking Pattern	Percentage
Abstain completely	17%
Light drinkers	56%
Moderate drinkers	24%
Heavy drinkers	3%
Problem drinkers	0.5%

Most college students who drink consider themselves light drinkers, but a significant portion engage in moderate to heavy drinking.

Binge Drinking Among Texas Adults (2021-2022 data, in thousands)

Ages 12-17: 92
Ages 18-25: 849
Ages 26+: 4,417
Total 18+: 5,358

Binge drinking is most prevalent among adults 26 and older.

Underage Drinking in Texas

7th-12th graders who have used alcohol at least once: 52%
7th-12th graders who drank alcohol in the past month: 29%
Average age of first alcohol use (2022): 12.5 years (down from 12.9 in 2018)
High school seniors reporting alcohol use in past month: 47% (vs. 30% nationally)

Underage drinking remains a significant issue, with Texas youth showing higher rates of alcohol use compared to national averages.

Drunk Driving in Texas

Annual deaths from drunk driving accidents: Over 1,160
Percentage of traffic deaths involving a drunk driver: 26%
Frequency of drunk driving deaths: 1 every 7 hours and 32 minutes
Percentage of drivers in alcohol-related crashes aged 25 or under (2018): 28%
Percentage of drunk drivers killed in fatal crashes aged 25 and under (2018): 25%
DUI arrests of youth under 21 (2017): 4,208
DUI arrests of 20-24 year-olds (2017): 12,363 (18% of all DUI arrests)

Drunk driving remains a serious issue, particularly among young adults.

Alcohol-Associated Cancer Incidence Rates in Texas (2016-2020, per 100,000 population)

Non-Hispanic Black: 140.0
Non-Hispanic White: 132.2
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native: 120.2
Hispanic: 112.8
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander: 92.7

There are disparities in alcohol-associated cancer rates among different racial and ethnic groups.

Perception of Alcohol Use Risk

People aged 12 or older perceiving great risk from having 5+ drinks once or twice a week: 11,066,000
People aged 12-20 perceiving great risk from having 5+ drinks once or twice a week: 1,684,000
Students who identified themselves as heavy or problem drinkers: 3%
Students’ estimate of peers who are heavy or problematic drinkers: 23%

A significant number of Texans recognize the risks associated with heavy drinking.

Alcohol Use Disorder and Treatment in Texas

Estimated persons 12 and older with alcohol use disorder in the last year: Over 1 million
Persons 12 and older needing but not receiving alcohol use treatment in the last year: Over 1 million
Admissions to treatment where alcohol was the primary substance (2018): 16,165
Characteristics of those admitted to treatment:
- Nearly two-thirds were male
- Over half were in the 26-44 age group
- Over half were non-Hispanic white, followed by Hispanic/Latino at over 29%

There’s a significant gap between those needing treatment and those receiving it.

Economic Impact of Alcohol Abuse in Texas

Cost to taxpayers due to excessive alcohol use (2022 adjusted): $25.408 billion
Cost per drink (2022 adjusted): $2.69

The economic burden of alcohol abuse in Texas is substantial, highlighting the need for effective prevention and intervention strategies.