The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the nation’s drug problem. In fact, in 2020, there were over 88,000 drug overdose deaths, an increase of about 27% from 2019.
To address this issue, the government allocated $4 billion for programs to provide substance abuse and mental health care services under the American Rescue Plan stimulus.
Ranking drug use
WalletHub recently released a report to determine where drug abuse is most prominent and which areas across the United States are the most at risk. They measured drug use through 21 metrics, including arrest and overdose rates, opioid prescriptions and employee drug testing laws.
WalletHub’s full methodology can be found here.
Below are the nation’s drug use rankings from lowest to highest drug use.
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51. Hawaii
- Total Score: 26.44
- Drug Use & Addiction: 43
- Law Enforcement: 49
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 51
Image Credit: Art Wager.
50. Utah
- Total Score: 27.14
- Drug Use & Addiction: 50
- Law Enforcement: 37
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 38
Image Credit: ” 4kodiak”.
49. Minnesota
- Total Score: 28.21
- Drug Use & Addiction: 45
- Law Enforcement: 38
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 45
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48. Idaho
- Total Score: 30.77
- Drug Use & Addiction: 42
- Law Enforcement: 30
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 47
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47. Iowa
- Total Score: 31.92
- Drug Use & Addiction: 44
- Law Enforcement: 41
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 20
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46. Nebraska
- Total Score: 33.47
- Drug Use & Addiction: 46
- Law Enforcement: 23
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 21
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45. Virginia
- Total Score: 33.96
- Drug Use & Addiction: 48
- Law Enforcement: 14
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 41
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44. North Dakota
- Total Score: 34.5
- Drug Use & Addiction: 51
- Law Enforcement: 4
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 29
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43. South Carolina
- Total Score: 35.03
- Drug Use & Addiction: 26
- Law Enforcement: 50
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 36
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42. Alabama
- Total Score: 35.38
- Drug Use & Addiction: 32
- Law Enforcement: 51
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 5
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41. South Dakota
- Total Score: 35.49
- Drug Use & Addiction: 47
- Law Enforcement: 10
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 32
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40. Florida
- Total Score: 35.91
- Drug Use & Addiction: 33
- Law Enforcement: 36
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 35
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39. Kansas
- Total Score: 36.22
- Drug Use & Addiction: 36
- Law Enforcement: 29
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 26
Image Credit: Michael Pham.
38. Georgia
- Total Score: 36.25
- Drug Use & Addiction: 39
- Law Enforcement: 32
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 10
Image Credit: SeanPavonePhoto.
37. Wisconsin
- Total Score: 36.35
- Drug Use & Addiction: 41
- Law Enforcement: 15
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 46
Image Credit: FierceAbin.
36. Texas
- Total Score: 36.89
- Drug Use & Addiction: 49
- Law Enforcement: 16
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 13
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35. Washington
- Total Score: 37.95
- Drug Use & Addiction: 19
- Law Enforcement: 45
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 43
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34. North Carolina
- Total Score: 38.11
- Drug Use & Addiction: 29
- Law Enforcement: 26
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 39
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33. Mississippi
- Total Score: 38.55
- Drug Use & Addiction: 35
- Law Enforcement: 24
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 24
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32. Illinois
- Total Score: 39.35
- Drug Use & Addiction: 34
- Law Enforcement: 18
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 44
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31. California
- Total Score: 39.55
- Drug Use & Addiction: 31
- Law Enforcement: 35
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 17
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30. New York
- Total Score: 39.98
- Drug Use & Addiction: 40
- Law Enforcement: 11
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 25
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29. Oklahoma
- Total Score: 40.61
- Drug Use & Addiction: 28
- Law Enforcement: 34
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 15
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28. Maryland
- Total Score: 41.12
- Drug Use & Addiction: 15
- Law Enforcement: 40
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 31
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27. New Jersey
- Total Score: 41.79
- Drug Use & Addiction: 38
- Law Enforcement: 8
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 23
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26. Connecticut
- Total Score: 42.37
- Drug Use & Addiction: 23
- Law Enforcement: 25
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 33
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25. Rhode Island
Total Score: 42.71
Drug Use & Addiction: 17
Law Enforcement: 46
Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 7
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24. Pennsylvania
- Total Score: 42.74
- Drug Use & Addiction: 27
- Law Enforcement: 6
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 49
Image Credit: AppalachianViews.
23. Ohio
- Total Score: 43.08
- Drug Use & Addiction: 11
- Law Enforcement: 33
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 34
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22. Oregon
- Total Score: 44.17
- Drug Use & Addiction: 13
- Law Enforcement: 43
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 14
Image Credit: HaizhanZheng.
21. Wyoming
- Total Score: 44.2
- Drug Use & Addiction: 37
- Law Enforcement: 2
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 48
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20. Arizona
- Total Score: 44.23
- Drug Use & Addiction: 24
- Law Enforcement: 31
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 8
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19. Arkansas
- Total Score: 44.24
- Drug Use & Addiction: 30
- Law Enforcement: 5
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 37
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18. New Hampshire
- Total Score: 44.86
- Drug Use & Addiction: 21
- Law Enforcement: 17
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 42
Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr.
17. Vermont
- Total Score: 45.13
- Drug Use & Addiction: 7
- Law Enforcement: 47
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 19
Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr.
16. Louisiana
- Total Score: 45.43
- Drug Use & Addiction: 22
- Law Enforcement: 22
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 16
Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr.
15. Tennessee
- Total Score: 45.44
- Drug Use & Addiction: 8
- Law Enforcement: 27
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 40
Image Credit: Swarmcatcher.
14. Alaska
- Total Score: 45.67
- Drug Use & Addiction: 9
- Law Enforcement: 48
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 6
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13. Montana
- Total Score: 46.43
- Drug Use & Addiction: 18
- Law Enforcement: 20
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 22
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12. Massachusetts
- Total Score: 46.92
- Drug Use & Addiction: 16
- Law Enforcement: 21
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 18
Image Credit: Rolf_52.
11. Maine
- Total Score: 47.58
- Drug Use & Addiction: 4
- Law Enforcement: 44
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 11
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
10. Kentucky
- Total Score: 48.87
- Drug Use & Addiction: 6
- Law Enforcement: 9
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 50
Image Credit: Thomas Kelley.
9. Indiana
- Total Score: 48.94
- Drug Use & Addiction: 10
- Law Enforcement: 13
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 28
Image Credit: f11photo.
8. Michigan
- Total Score: 49.52
- Drug Use & Addiction: 14
- Law Enforcement: 19
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 9
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7. Delaware
- Total Score: 49.71
- Drug Use & Addiction: 5
- Law Enforcement: 42
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 4
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6. Nevada
- Total Score: 50.22
- Drug Use & Addiction: 12
- Law Enforcement: 39
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 2
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5. New Mexico
- Total Score: 53.28
- Drug Use & Addiction: 2
- Law Enforcement: 12
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 27
Image Credit: Davel5957.
4. Colorado
- Total Score: 53.68
- Drug Use & Addiction: 20
- Law Enforcement: 7
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 3
Image Credit: Jacob Boomsma / istockphoto.
3. Missouri
- Total Score: 53.98
- Drug Use & Addiction: 25
- Law Enforcement: 1
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 12
Image Credit: eyecrave.
2. West Virginia
- Total Score: 56.29
- Drug Use & Addiction: 3
- Law Enforcement: 3
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 30
Image Credit: hkim39 // istockphoto.
1. District of Columbia
- Total Score: 60.67
- Drug Use & Addiction: 1
- Law Enforcement: 28
- Drug Health Issues & Rehab: 1
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