Approximately 46.3 million people ages 12 or older, or 16.5 percent of the population, had a substance use disorder in 2021, according to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
To determine which states are experiencing the most substance use-related issues, personal finance website WalletHub compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C., across 20 key metrics, ranging from arrest and overdose rates to opioid prescriptions and employee drug testing laws.
Here are the five states found to have the highest rates of drug use among teenagers, according to a May 3 WalletHub report:
1. Vermont
2. New Mexico
3. Rhode Island
4. Arizona
5. Colorado