From 1999 to 2017, the number of drug overdose deaths among U.S. females increased from 5,591 in 1999 to over 23 thousand in 2017. Globally, drug use is a general problem. In 2017, it was estimated that over half of all adults globally had used illegal drugs in their lifetime. As of 2016, there were an estimated 275 million global drug consumers and 30.5 million drug addicts. Despite the large number of drug users globally, the U.S. still shares the largest burden of alcohol and substance use disorders. According to recent data, over 5 percent of the global burden of substance use and alcohol use disorders were attributable to the U.S.

Opioid use in the United States

Among all demographics, drug overdose deaths continue to rise in the U.S. Opioids are the most commonly reported substance in drug-related deaths. The number of drug-related deaths in the U.S. due to opioids has dramatically increased in recent years. In 2017, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the opioid crisis in the U.S. Since then, there have been joint efforts among various governmental departments to address the opioid crisis through education and outreach.

Substance use treatment

Substance abuse treatment is vital in reducing the number of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. As of 2017, the state of California had the largest number of substance abuse treatment facilities in the U.S. However, many states in the U.S. have less than 100 substance abuse treatment facilities. Unsurprisingly, a recent survey indicated that a majority of U.S. adults thought there were not enough affordable and accessible substance abuse treatment facilities in the U.S.