2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use & Health is the primary source of information on the prevalence, patterns, and consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use in the general U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population, age 12 and older. 

Key points from the study include, in 2008:

• 23.1 million persons aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem (9.2 percent of the persons aged 12 or older), consistent with numbers reported in previous years.
• Of those needing treatment, 2.3 million (0.9 percent of persons aged 12 or older and 9.9 percent of those who needed treatment) received treatment at a specialty facility. Therefore, 20.8 million Americans (8.3 percent of the population aged 12 or older) who needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol addiction did not receive treatment at a specialty substance abuse facility in the past year.
• Of those who wanted treatment, made an effort to get treatment, but did not get it, 37.4 percent said lack of health insurance or inability to pay for treatment was the number one barrier to getting help.

The study is available at www.oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k8nsduh/2k8Results.cfm.