Voices for Children - Addiction Statistics & Resources

Addiction and Families

According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD), alcoholism and drug addiction affects the whole family – young, teenage, or grown-up children; wives or husbands; brothers or sisters; parents or other relatives and friends. One family member’s addiction to alcohol and drugs impacts the whole family and home life. (1)

Alcohol Dependency Statistics:

Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States. Approximately 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence. (1)
In the U.S., 7 million children live in a household where at least one parent is dependent on or has abused alcohol. (1)
Alcoholism is the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the nation – 8,000 deaths are annually attributed to excessive alcohol use. (1)

Drug Dependency Statistics:

An estimated 20 million Americans aged 12 or older (8% of the population) have used an illegal drug in the past 30 days. (2)
Each year more teens enter addiction treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than all other illegal drugs combined. (1)
The estimated economic cost of drug abuse exceeds $190 Billion annually. (1)

The NCADD has found through research that parents play a key role in their child’s decision to use alcohol or drugs. Kids who learn a lot about the risks of alcohol and drugs from their parents are up to 50% less likely to use. However, use of alcohol and drugs by older siblings can influence the alcohol and drug use of younger siblings. (1)