States with the highest, lowest rates of substance use

There were more than 105,000 drug overdose deaths in the yearlong period ending October 2023, according to data from the CDC.

WalletHub compared the 50 states and Washington, D.C., to determine the states with the highest and lowest drug use by comparing 20 key indicators, including overdose rates, opioid prescription use and employee drug testing laws. The full methodology can be found here. States were graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the highest rates of substance use and other risk factors.

New Mexico scored 69.89 out of 100. Hawaii, the state with the lowest rate of substance use, scored 24.08.

Here are the 10 states with the highest rates of substance use and other risk factors and their respective scores out of 100:

1. New Mexico: 69.89
2. West Virginia: 63.56
3. Nevada: 56.93
4. Washington, D.C.: 56.61
5. Colorado: 56.46
6. Missouri: 55.93
7. Louisiana: 55.74
8. Arkansas: 54.67
9. Oklahoma: 53.65
10. Michigan: 51.64

Here are the 10 states with the lowest rates of substance use, starting with the state with the lowest rate of substance use:

1. Hawaii: 24.08
2. Utah: 29.52
3. Nebraska: 30.87
4. Florida: 32.89
5. Maryland: 33.11
6. Connecticut: 33.19
7. Minnesota: 33.46
8. Idaho: 33.64
9. Iowa: 33.79
10. New Hampshire: 36.25

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