The most recent national drug and alcohol use survey shows that illicit drug use rose among full-time U.S. workers in 2023, while alcohol use dropped slightly, compared with 2022. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released its annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) on July 30, 2024.
The survey’s definition of “illicit drug use” includes marijuana, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, methamphetamine, and misuse of prescription stimulants, tranquilizers, sedatives, and pain relievers.
The percentage of full-time workers reporting illicit drug use during the past month was 19.6% in 2023, up from 15.5% in 2022.
Marijuana’s increasing social acceptance is reflected in the increasing percentage of users. The survey shows that 18.1% of full-time workers used marijuana each month during 2023, up from 17.4% in 2022.
Alcohol use decreased slightly among full-time workers in 2023, compared with the previous year. Binge alcohol use dropped from 30.9% in 2022 to 29.3% in 2023, and the percentage of heavy drinkers dropped from 8.4% in 2022 to 7.9% of full-time workers in 2023.
The survey also breaks down the data on workers’ illicit drug use and alcohol abuse by gender, race/ethnicity, and education level.