Misuse of Prescription Drugs Research Report
What is the scope of prescription drug misuse in the United States?

All data refer to the United States population.

How many people misuse prescription drugs?

Among people aged 12 or older in 2020:

• 5.8% (or about 16.1 million people) reported misusing any prescription psychotherapeutic drug in the past 12 months.
• 1.8% (or about 5.1 million people) reported misusing prescription stimulants in the past 12 months.
• 2.2% (or about 6.2 million people) reported misusing prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in the past 12 months.
• 1.7% (or about 4.8 million people) reported misusing benzodiazepines in the past 12 months.
• 3.3% (or about 9.3 million people) reported misusing prescription pain relievers in the past 12 months.

Source: 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

How many young students misuse prescription drugs?

Among young people in 2021:

• An estimated 4.4% of 12^th graders reported misusing any prescription drug in the past 12 months.
• An estimated 3.0% of 8^th graders, 2.7% of 10^th graders, and 2.3% of 12^th graders reported misusing amphetamines in the past 12 months.
• An estimated 0.6% of 8^th graders, 0.3% of 10^th graders, and 0.5% of 12^th graders reported misusing Ritalin in the past 12 months.
• An estimated 1.8% of 8^th graders, 1.6% of 10^th graders, and 1.8% of 12^th graders reported misusing Adderall in the past 12 months.
• An estimated 1.8% of 12^th graders reported misusing sedatives (barbiturates) in the past 12 months.
• An estimated 1.1% of 8^th graders, 1.3% of 10^th graders, and 1.2% of 12^th graders reported misusing tranquilizers in the past 12 months.
• An estimated 1.0% of 12^th graders reported misusing narcotics other than heroin in the past 12 months.
• An estimated 0.8% of 8^th graders, 0.9% of 10^th graders, and 0.9% of 12^th graders reported misusing OxyContin in the past 12 months.
• An estimated 0.6% of 8^th graders, 0.5% of 10^th graders, and 0.9% of 12^th graders reported misusing Vicodin in the past 12 months.

Source: 2021 Monitoring the Future Survey

How many people have a prescription stimulant use disorder

• Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, an estimated 0.3% (or about 758,000 people) had a prescription stimulant use disorder in the past 12 months.
  Source: 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

How many people have a prescription tranquilizer or sedative use disorder?

• Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, an estimated 0.4% (or about 1.2 million people) had a prescription tranquilizer or sedative use disorder in the past 12 months.
  Source: 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

How many people have a prescription opioid use disorder?

• Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, an estimated 0.8% (or about 2.3 million people) had a prescription opioid use disorder in the past 12 months.
  Source: 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

How many people die from prescription opioids?

• In 2020, approximately 16,416 people died from an overdose involving prescription opioids. Learn more about overdose death rates.
  Source: CDC WONDER Database

How many people die from benzodiazepines?

• In 2020, approximately 12,290 people died from an overdose involving benzodiazepines. Learn more about overdose death rates.
  Source: CDC WONDER Database

How many people die from antidepressants?

• In 2020, approximately 5,597 people died from an overdose involving antidepressants. Learn more about overdose death rates.
  Source: CDC WONDER Database