Washington
It should be noted that these Washington state drug abuse statistics are not intended as an academic reference. The data collected is from State and Federal sources.
Washington Addiction Treatment Statistics
According to the Substance Abuse Treatment Episode Data Set, 38,086 people entered drug and alcohol rehab in 2010. 62.7 % of that number were males and 37.3% were females.
In 2007-2008, Washington was one of the top ten states for rates in several drug-use categories among persons age 12 and older: past-month illicit drug use; past-month marijuana use; and past-year non-medical use of pain relievers.
Approximately 10% of Washington residents reported past-month use of illicit drugs; the national average was 8%.
Alcohol Addiction in Washington
In 2010, 4,869 people went to rehab for alcohol addiction and 10,960 people were admitted for alcohol combined with a secondary drug.
Alcohol-only admissions have declined, from over 45 % of all admissions in 1992 to just over 19% in 2005. Concomitantly, drug-only admissions have increased, from 11% in 1998 to 27% in 2005. Since 2005, there has been a steady increase of people attending treatment for alcohol combined with a secondary drug.
Commonly Abused Drugs in Washington
The graph above depicts substance abuse primary admissions in Washington in 2010. The data show that marijuana, followed by stimulants (including methamphetamine), is the most commonly cited drug among primary drug treatment admissions in the state.
Heroin
There were 3,584 people who went to drug rehab for abusing heroin. The largest population to be admitted into treatment was 21-25 year olds.
Marijuana
Among those entering drug rehab, marijuana ranks among the most commonly abused drug in Washington. There was a reported 8,544 people who went to drug treatment for marijuana dependence in 2010. The most significant group of people who went to drug treatment this year was 12-17 years olds at 46.6%.
Amphetamines
4,711 people entered treatment for abusing amphetamines in 2010, 51.2% were female and 48.8% were male. In 2007, there were 6,378 people who went to treatment for amphetamine addiction, which has decreased over time.
Prescription Drugs
In 2010, there were 3,102 people who went to treatment for other opiates, not including heroin, while 46.7% were male and 53.3% were female. Since 2005, there has been an increase in people admitted into treatment for other opiates which matches the national trend.
Washington Drug and Alcohol Fatalities, Injuries and Drug Court Statistics
As a direct consequence of drug use, 1,003 persons died in Washington in 2007. This figure is greater than the number of persons in Washington who died from motor vehicle accidents (649) and firearms (548) in the same year.
Washington drug-induced deaths (15.5 per 100,000 population) exceeded the national rate (12.7 per 100,000).
Washington Drug and Alcohol Addiction Resources
- Alcoholics Anonymous (go to the AA main page, click on find a meeting, follow link to state pages, click on Washington)
- Narcotics Anonymous
- Alanon and Alateen Family Group
