How Pervasive Drug Use Is In Texas In 2019

Drug abuse in Texas is no laughing matter according to a new report from personal finance website WalletHub. The study compares 50 states and Washington, D.C. in terms of 22 metrics, including arrest and overdose rates, opioid prescriptions, and employee drug testing laws, WalletHub said in a news release.

Washington, D.C., Michigan, and Missouri recorded the most drug use in the U.S. Minnesota, Hawaii, and Idaho had the least among of drug use. Texas was ranked 37.

Data for the report was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Recovery.org, among many other places.

What drug abuse and prevention looks like in Texas according to WalletHub (1=Biggest Problem; 25=Avg.):

• 50th – Share of Teenagers Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month
• 50th – Share of Adults Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month
• 32nd – Opioid Pain Reliever Prescriptions per Capita
• 48th – Drug Overdose Deaths per Capita
• 24th – Drug Arrests per Capita
• 45th – Share of Adults Who Needed but Didn’t Receive Treatment for Illicit Drug Use in the Past Year
• 3rd – Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities per 100,000 People (12 Years and Older) Using Illicit Drugs