This State Has the Biggest Drug Problem in America, According to Data

There's no question that the United States has become more lenient when it comes to certain drugs—just look at the increasing number of states legalizing the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana. However, the misuse of harder, more dangerous drugs—particularly opioids and powerful stimulants—is an ever-increasing problem in the U.S., too often with fatal consequences. In fact, opioid overdoses are so high in this country that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies it as an epidemic. With that in mind, Best Life set out to bring more awareness to the issue by identifying the state with the biggest drug problem in America.

To get to the root of the problem, we diligently pored over the most recent results of the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and used the number of people in each state with illicit drug use disorder (meaning they are addicted to one or more illicit substances) and the most recent population data to calculate how many people have illicit substance use disorder per capita*. According to the survey, illicit drug use "includes the misuse of prescription psychotherapeutics or the use of marijuana, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or methamphetamine."

Next, we turned to the CDC for the number of drug overdose deaths—primarily caused by cocaine and all forms of opioids—reported in each state for the 12-month period ending July 2020, again using population data to calculate overdose deaths per capita. Finally, we gathered the most recent data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on the number of drug arrests over a 12-month period to include drug-related arrests per capita as our final metric.

We then gave each metric a weighted value before running them through our exclusive algorithm to see how each state scored on our 100-point scale Drug Misuse Index. Read on to discover the state with the biggest drug problem in America, and to see where your state falls. Also, if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, contact SAMHSA for more information on how to get help.

*Per capita equates to per 100,00 residents in all instances. 

Editor's note: "N/A" indicates that data was not available for that particular metric. We adjusted the algorithm to ensure that each state was scored fairly and accurately.

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,853.56

Overdose deaths per capita: 13.80

Drug-related arrests per capita: 76.96

Drug Misuse Index Score: 0.00

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,982.43

Overdose deaths per capita: 14.72

Drug-related arrests per capita: 268.90

Drug Misuse Index Score: 15.66

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,861.03

Overdose deaths per capita: 9.31

Drug-related arrests per capita: 464.90

Drug Misuse Index Score: 16.69

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,572.64

Overdose deaths per capita: 12.83

Drug-related arrests per capita: 480.03

Drug Misuse Index Score: 18.31

And for more details on the substances consumed across the country, This State Has the Most Vices in America, According to Data.

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,846.02ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

Overdose deaths per capita: 15.76

Drug-related arrests per capita: 351.22

Drug Misuse Index Score: 20.03

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,330.72

Overdose deaths per capita: 18.79

Drug-related arrests per capita: 132.29

Drug Misuse Index Score: 20.12

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,365.81

Overdose deaths per capita: 18.13

Drug-related arrests per capita: 167.58

Drug Misuse Index Score: 21.85

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,619.81

Overdose deaths per capita: 13.01

Drug-related arrests per capita: 255.62

Drug Misuse Index Score: 23.35

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,376.92

Overdose deaths per capita: 19.87

Drug-related arrests per capita: 148.17

Drug Misuse Index Score: 23.71

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,359.47

Overdose deaths per capita: 12.89

Drug-related arrests per capita: 357.63

Drug Misuse Index Score: 24.83

And for the place that doesn't always use the best judgement, This Is the Most Reckless State in America, According to Data.

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,056.87

Overdose deaths per capita: 16.63

Drug-related arrests per capita: 361.80

Drug Misuse Index Score: 25.88

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,123.57

Overdose deaths per capita: 13.03

Drug-related arrests per capita: N/A

Drug Misuse Index Score: 26.34

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,733.94

Overdose deaths per capita: 18.45

Drug-related arrests per capita: 142.99

Drug Misuse Index Score: 27.41

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,902.56

Overdose deaths per capita: 15.00

Drug-related arrests per capita: 491.14

Drug Misuse Index Score: 28.43

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,154.83

Overdose deaths per capita: 21.43

Drug-related arrests per capita: 256.82

Drug Misuse Index Score: 29.05

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,304.33

Overdose deaths per capita: 26.97

Drug-related arrests per capita: 134.63

Drug Misuse Index Score: 33.28

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,072.29

Overdose deaths per capita: 17.89

Drug-related arrests per capita: 449.23

Drug Misuse Index Score: 33.63

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,921.93

Overdose deaths per capita: 15.14

Drug-related arrests per capita:  583.01

Drug Misuse Index Score: 34.69

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,750.29

Overdose deaths per capita: 16.76

Drug-related arrests per capita: 322.57

Drug Misuse Index Score: 36.00

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,112.78

Overdose deaths per capita: 26.25

Drug-related arrests per capita: 303.60

Drug Misuse Index Score: 39.14

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,230.79

Overdose deaths per capita: 11.02

Drug-related arrests per capita: 714.90

Drug Misuse Index Score: 41.54

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,695.57

Overdose deaths per capita: 10.29

Drug-related arrests per capita: 916.51

Drug Misuse Index Score: 43.27

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 3,205.18

Overdose deaths per capita: 23.40

Drug-related arrests per capita: 144.55

Drug Misuse Index Score: 44.04

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,027.48

Overdose deaths per capita: 18.68

Drug-related arrests per capita: 610.18

Drug Misuse Index Score: 44.09

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,555.05

Overdose deaths per capita: 15.20

Drug-related arrests per capita: 845.78

Drug Misuse Index Score: 44.50

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,098.41

Overdose deaths per capita: 32.14

Drug-related arrests per capita: 256.34

Drug Misuse Index Score: 45.67

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,957.94

Overdose deaths per capita: 24.59

Drug-related arrests per capita: 533.56

Drug Misuse Index Score: 47.86

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,237.71

Overdose deaths per capita: 21.77

Drug-related arrests per capita: 532.00

Drug Misuse Index Score: 48.08

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,684.08

Overdose deaths per capita: 33.54

Drug-related arrests per capita: 103.37

Drug Misuse Index Score: 48.95

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,359.91

Overdose deaths per capita: 33.89

Drug-related arrests per capita: 193.42

Drug Misuse Index Score: 49.31

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,131.67

Overdose deaths per capita: 36.72

Drug-related arrests per capita: 226.83

Drug Misuse Index Score: 51.98

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,766.23

Overdose deaths per capita: 19.17

Drug-related arrests per capita: 554.89

Drug Misuse Index Score: 54.60

And for where you'll probably have a hard time finding too many teetotalers, This Is the Hardest-Partying State in America, According to Data.

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,728.59

Overdose deaths per capita: 29.25

Drug-related arrests per capita: 662.40

Drug Misuse Index Score: 59.41

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,614.29

Overdose deaths per capita: 30.91

Drug-related arrests per capita: 372.21

Drug Misuse Index Score: 59.98

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,279.90

Overdose deaths per capita: 30.82

Drug-related arrests per capita: 479.66

Drug Misuse Index Score: 60.51

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 3,279.05

Overdose deaths per capita: 25.19

Drug-related arrests per capita: 364.85

Drug Misuse Index Score: 61.92

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,134.44

Overdose deaths per capita: 31.22

Drug-related arrests per capita: 537.39

Drug Misuse Index Score: 62.15

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,901.33

Overdose deaths per capita: 33.77

Drug-related arrests per capita: 274.66

Drug Misuse Index Score: 63.78

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,349.32

Overdose deaths per capita: 33.54

Drug-related arrests per capita: 443.37

Drug Misuse Index Score: 63.99

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 3,820.28

Overdose deaths per capita: 23.82

Drug-related arrests per capita: 280.83

Drug Misuse Index Score: 64.10

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2.060.30

Overdose deaths per capita: 33.28

Drug-related arrests per capita: 540.50

Drug Misuse Index Score: 64.43

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 1,927.58

Overdose deaths per capita: 32.63

Drug-related arrests per capita: 624.56

Drug Misuse Index Score: 66.19

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People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,273.08

Overdose deaths per capita: 38.75

Drug-related arrests per capita: 483.78

Drug Misuse Index Score: 73.73

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,372.60

Overdose deaths per capita: 40.02

Drug-related arrests per capita: 433.22

Drug Misuse Index Score: 74.46

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,634.93

Overdose deaths per capita: 41.97

Drug-related arrests per capita: 339.70

Drug Misuse Index Score: 76.57

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,051.05

Overdose deaths per capita: 41.67

Drug-related arrests per capita: 527.88

Drug Misuse Index Score: 77.31

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,151.10

Overdose deaths per capita: 36.98

Drug-related arrests per capita: 654.73

Drug Misuse Index Score: 79.19

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,108.60

Overdose deaths per capita: 39.67

Drug-related arrests per capita: 701.05

Drug Misuse Index Score: 85.73

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,567.36

Overdose deaths per capita: 48.06

Drug-related arrests per capita: 380.69

Drug Misuse Index Score: 87.94

People with illicit substance use disorder per capita: 2,120.36

Overdose deaths per capita: 61.83

Drug-related arrests per capita: 337.25

Drug Misuse Index Score: 99.99

And for the state that enjoys one particular substance more than any other, This Is the Most Stoned State in America.