Alcohol, Tobacco and Overdose Statistics

These figures describe different groups and years. Each entry shows who was counted, when the data were collected and where to check the source. They do not predict any person's recovery or measure RecoveryRoad's results.

Sources checked . Data years are shown separately below.

How should you read these figures?

This is an editorial reference page, not an original research dataset. We retain a figure only when a specific government report or clearly labeled official summary supports it. We distinguish survey estimates from death counts and preserve each source's population, definition and data period. A publication or review date is not the data year.

The adult alcohol-use-disorder count is included in the age-12-and-older count. Do not add those figures, cigarette and e-cigarette percentages, or overlapping causes of death together. These are selected dated reports, not a claim to include every newest estimate. Source checking is not a named clinical review or individual medical advice.

Alcohol

  • 27.9 million (9.7%)

    In 2024, an estimated 27.9 million people in the United States aged 12 or older had alcohol use disorder in the past year.

    Data period:
    2024
    Population:
    United States, people aged 12 or older
    Denominator:
    All people aged 12 or older represented by NSDUH; 9.7% of that age group.
    Definition:
    Past-year alcohol use disorder, based on NSDUH diagnostic criteria.
    Limits:
    Survey estimate of past-year alcohol use disorder, not all alcohol use or a recovery rate. This group includes adolescents. NIAAA warns that 2021-2024 NSDUH estimates are not comparable with 2020 or earlier estimates.
    Source:
    NIAAA, Alcohol Use Disorder in the United States; citing 2024 NSDUH Tables 5.9A and 5.9B (official summary; published or updated August 2025). Prevalence of Past-Year AUD, citing 2024 NSDUH Tables 5.9A and 5.9B; underlying tables not independently accessed.
    Source checked:

  • 27.1 million (10.3%)

    Among U.S. adults aged 18 or older, an estimated 27.1 million had alcohol use disorder in the past year in 2024.

    Data period:
    2024
    Population:
    United States, adults aged 18 or older
    Denominator:
    All adults aged 18 or older represented by NSDUH; 10.3% of that age group.
    Definition:
    Past-year alcohol use disorder, based on NSDUH diagnostic criteria.
    Limits:
    This adult population is included in the age-12-and-older figure; never add these counts together. Survey estimate, not an individual diagnosis or recovery forecast.
    Source:
    NIAAA, Alcohol Use Disorder in the United States; citing 2024 NSDUH Tables 5.9A and 5.9B (official summary; published or updated August 2025). Prevalence of Past-Year AUD, citing 2024 NSDUH Tables 5.9A and 5.9B; underlying tables not independently accessed.
    Source checked:

  • About 178,000 per year

    CDC estimated an annual average of about 178,000 U.S. deaths from excessive alcohol use during 2020–2021.

    Data period:
    2020-2021 annual average
    Population:
    United States deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use, including fully and partially alcohol-attributable conditions
    Denominator:
    An annual average count, not a percentage or a rate per person.
    Definition:
    Estimated annual average deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use across 58 fully or partially alcohol-attributable causes.
    Limits:
    Estimated attributable deaths across 58 causes, not a count limited to alcohol poisoning. The underlying annual average is 178,307. This is historical 2020-2021 data, not a measured 2024 or 2026 death count. It can overlap other cause-specific categories; do not add it to overdose totals.
    Source:
    CDC MMWR, Deaths from Excessive Alcohol Use, United States, 2016-2021 (primary report; published or updated February 29, 2024). Abstract, Results and Table 1.
    Source checked:

Nicotine

  • 9.9%

    In the 2024 National Health Interview Survey, 9.9% of U.S. adults currently smoked cigarettes.

    Data period:
    2024
    Population:
    U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 or older
    Denominator:
    All adults aged 18 or older represented by the 2024 NHIS.
    Definition:
    At least 100 cigarettes in a lifetime and smoking every day or some days at the time of the survey.
    Limits:
    Current cigarette smoking means at least 100 cigarettes over a lifetime and smoking every day or some days at survey time. This is not the share using any tobacco product. A newer CDC 2025 early-release estimate exists; this row deliberately uses the clearly defined 2024 study, not a claim to be the newest available estimate.
    Source:
    CDC/NCHS Health E-Stat 115, Cigarette and Electronic Cigarette Use Among Adults by Urbanization Level: United States, 2024 (primary report; published or updated March 2026). Findings, data source and methods; Table 1 total.
    Source checked:

  • 7.0%

    In the 2024 National Health Interview Survey, 7.0% of U.S. adults currently used e-cigarettes.

    Data period:
    2024
    Population:
    U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 or older
    Denominator:
    All adults aged 18 or older represented by the 2024 NHIS.
    Definition:
    Ever used an electronic vaping product and using one every day or some days at the time of the survey.
    Limits:
    Current use means every-day or some-day e-cigarette use after ever use. Some people also smoke cigarettes, so cigarette and e-cigarette percentages cannot be added. Not comparable directly to the youth past-30-day definition.
    Source:
    CDC/NCHS Health E-Stat 115 (primary report; published or updated March 2026). Findings, data source and methods; Table 2 total.
    Source checked:

  • 1.63 million (5.9%)

    In 2024, an estimated 1.63 million U.S. middle and high school students reported using an e-cigarette during the previous 30 days.

    Data period:
    2024
    Population:
    U.S. middle and high school students in grades 6-12 represented by the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey
    Denominator:
    All middle and high school students represented by the 2024 NYTS; 5.9% of that school population.
    Definition:
    Self-reported e-cigarette use on at least one day during the past 30 days.
    Limits:
    Self-reported school-survey estimate. Current means any use within the past 30 days, not necessarily daily use or a diagnosis of nicotine dependence. Does not include all young people outside the surveyed school population.
    Source:
    CDC/FDA, Notes from the Field: E-Cigarette and Nicotine Pouch Use Among Middle and High School Students, United States, 2024 (primary report; published or updated September 5, 2024). Investigation and Outcomes; Conclusions and Actions; Table.
    Source checked:

Drug overdose deaths

  • 79,384

    Final U.S. mortality data recorded 79,384 drug overdose deaths in 2024.

    Data period:
    2024
    Population:
    U.S. residents, all ages, drug overdose deaths recorded in final National Vital Statistics System mortality data
    Denominator:
    An annual death count, not opioid-only deaths or a population prevalence.
    Definition:
    Deaths with an underlying drug overdose cause, including unintentional, suicide, homicide and undetermined intent.
    Limits:
    All-drug overdose deaths, not opioid-only deaths. Final annual data differ from earlier provisional estimates and rolling 12-month counts. Drug-specific categories can overlap. Do not label the count a prevalence or recovery rate.
    Source:
    CDC/NCHS Data Brief 549, Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States, 2023-2024 (primary report; published or updated January 2026). Sex section and Figure 1 data table.
    Source checked:

What does nicotine withdrawal timing mean?

Nicotine withdrawal is usually hardest during the first week and often peaks in the first three days. Symptoms generally become less intense over the first month, but timing varies and some symptoms last longer. This is general information, not a promise about your symptoms or a schedule for treatment.

Source: National Cancer Institute, Handling Nicotine Withdrawal and Triggers When You Decide To Quit Tobacco. Checked October 31, 2026.

For support options, see our crisis resources. If you find an error, request a correction and include the exact source.

Citing this page

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Frequently asked questions

Where do these statistics come from?

Each entry links a specific CDC report or a NIAAA official summary of survey findings. It states the data period, population, denominator, definition, source publication date and limitations. For alcohol use disorder, the NIAAA summary was checked; the underlying SAMHSA tables were not independently accessed in this review.

Do these numbers describe recovery success rates?

No. The figures describe selected alcohol-use-disorder estimates, tobacco-use surveys and mortality records. They do not measure the effectiveness of RecoveryRoad, predict individual recovery or provide a universal relapse rate. A personal treatment decision needs qualified advice rather than a population statistic.

Why do the data years differ from the review date?

Reports are published after data collection and can be revised. The data period tells you when the events or survey responses were measured; the publication date tells you when the source was released. October 31, 2026 is the date we checked the selected sources, not the year of all the statistics.

Can I add these figures together?

Not generally. The adults with alcohol use disorder are included in the age-12-and-older estimate. People may use both cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Alcohol-attributable and drug-overdose deaths can overlap. Different survey populations and definitions are not interchangeable.

How should I cite a figure?

Cite the original report or labeled official summary linked beside the figure. Include its data year, population and definition, and follow the source's reuse terms. RecoveryRoad's reference page does not grant rights over third-party publications or replace the authoritative source.

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