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Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019

Substance Abuse Hits Home for Close to Half of Americans

Author:    
Source:     The Gallup Organization
Publication Date:     OCTOBER 14, 2019
 Link: Substance Abuse Hits Home for Close to Half of Americans
Stephan:   Yesterday I ran a report on youth suicides, but the symptoms of social dysfunction in the United States hardly end there. Look at these figures on the prevalence of Americans turning to drugs and alcohol for relief from depression, stress, and anxiety.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • More than a third of Americans say alcohol has caused trouble in family
  • More than a fourth report family troubles because of drug abuse
  • Altogether, 46% have experienced one or the other issue

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Close to half of U.S. adults, 46%, have dealt with substance abuse problems in their family: 18% have had just alcohol problems and 10% have had just drug problems, while 18% have experienced both.

Summary of Americans’ Experience With Drinking and Drug Abuse as Family Problems

U.S. adults

%

Drinking, only, a cause of trouble in family
18

Drugs, only, a cause of trouble in family
10

Drinking and drugs both causes of trouble in family
18

Neither
54

GALLUP, 2018-2019

These findings are based on combined 2018-2019 data from Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits poll, conducted each July. Overall, across the two polls, 36% of Americans reported that drinking has been a cause of trouble in their family and 28% said the same of drug abuse.

Both questions are lifetime measures, asking Americans if drinking or drug abuse has ever been a problem in their family. It might be expected that the rates […]

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