Michigan Is One Of The Top States For High Drug Usage In 2022

Substance abuse is a serious problem on the rise in the United States. While this isn't a new problem, after the 2020 pandemic shutdown, drug abuse and relapses have been reported to be on a steeper rise than in years prior.

With National Prevention Week in full swing and the number of annual drug overdose deaths in the U.S. reaching over 100,000, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on the States with the Biggest Drug Problems.

Their study compares the 50 states and the District in terms of 21 key metrics, ranging from arrest and overdose rates to opioid prescriptions and employee drug testing laws.

The state with the lowest drug use is, Minnesota:

Jokes aside about it being too cold to do anything in Minnesota, they are the state with the least amount of drug use issues. They are one of the states with the least amount of opioid subscriptions, as well as being the state with the second least amount of addictions reported overall.

The state with the highest drug use is, West Virginia:

The Mountaineer state ranks in the top five when it comes to drug arrests and reported addictions, and being one of the states hit the worst by the opioid crisis, they consistently struggle the most of all states.

How does Michigan match up to the rest of America?

While Marijuana is legal here, that doesn't mean Michiganders don't have their own struggles with other drugs that are illegal. According to wallethub when it comes to drug usage in Michigan, compared to the rest of the nation (1=Biggest Problem;  25=Avg.) we are:
• 15th – Share of Teenagers Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month
• 12th – Share of Adults Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month
• 11th – Opioid Pain Reliever Prescriptions per 100 People
• 24th – Drug Overdose Deaths per Capita
• 8th – Share of Adults Who Couldn’t Get Treatment for Illicit Drug Use in the Past Year
• 6th – Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities per 100,000 People (Age 12+) Using Illicit Drugs

Michigan was also 8th in the country for states with high drug usage due to these statistics.

While Michigan does offer many services to help those in need when they are struggling with drug use, we are also losing several options in the coming months which may only impact this problem further.

Here's hoping that Michigan can turn the curve when it comes to drug usage. With drugs becoming less stigmatized and help more available as well as the legalization of marijuana, there is hope that we can be better in the future.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance abuse, there is help. You can call the SAMHSA national hotline at 1-800-662-4357 to find resources. Please take care of yourself, you are important and loved.