Statistics
Here is a link to Arizona’s 2009 Substance Abuse Epidemiology Profile. The data in this report are imperative for decision-making about the allocation of resources, including the funding of prevention, treatment and enforcement efforts. This report highlights the prevalence of substance use and its associated consequences; allows robust data-driven decisions and solutions to critical substance abuse problems facing Arizona; and provides a foundation for reducing the state’s substance use problem. Click below to view the entire report.
Click here for Arizona’s 2009 Substance Abuse Epidemiology Profile
Some key findings are noted below:
Table 5.8 presents the number and rates of drug-induced deaths in 2007 by county. The counties with the largest numbers of deaths were Maricopa County and Pima County, but this was an artifact of their large populations as they did not have the highest rates. Gila County, Graham County (both with 19.2 per 100,000 population), and Yavapai County (18.6 per 100,000) had high rates of drug-induced deaths.
• Seven of the 10 leading causes of death in Arizona are at least partially caused by the use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs. In addition, suicide and homicide, which are often associated with alcohol and drug consumption, are among the top 15 leading causes of death in Arizona.
• In 2008, there were 13,506 admissions to publicly-funded substance abuse treatment facilities in Arizona for alcohol or drugs.
• Whereas most of the rates for tobacco-related causes of death are lower in Arizona than across the nation, rates for causes of death related to alcohol are higher in Arizona compared to the U.S.
Tobacco
• While tobacco use rates continue to decline, tobacco remains the second most commonly used substance among most age groups in Arizona. Additionally, tobacco is associated with the largest number of deaths from any substance.
• Both Arizona and the U.S. have observed decreases in the percentage of youth indicating smoking in the past 30 days between 2004 and 2008, but this decrease was more significant in the U.S. than it was in the state.
Alcohol
• More than one in five men surveyed indicated binge drinking in the last 30 days.
• Greater percentages of Hispanic youth reported drinking anytime during their lifetime, within the past 30 days, and binge drinking within the past two weeks than any other ethnic group.
• In 2006 and in 2008, a slightly higher percentage of female youth in 8th, 10th and 12th grade reported ever using alcohol in their lifetime and drinking in the past 30 days than their male counterparts.
The data in Table 6.8 are consistent with the juvenile arrestee data regarding the high prevalence of methamphetamine use among adjudicated youth. Nearly one-fifth of juvenile commitments reported using amphetamine/methamphetamine on a weekly or more frequent basis prior to commitment.
Illicit Drugs
• There was a significant decrease in the amount of cocaine and methamphetamine seized in Arizona between 2006 and 2008. However, there was an almost 90 percent increase in the amount of heroin seized.
• Students in Arizona appear to experiment with drugs earlier than students nationally. In 2008, 34.7 percent of Arizona students in 8th grade reported trying illicit drugs in their lifetime compared to 19.6 percent of 8th graders across the nation.
• In 2008, 3.1 percent of 12th graders in Arizona reported having tried heroin in their lifetime, compared to 1.3 percent nationally.
• In 2006, higher percentages of Arizona youth used methamphetamine than those nationally. By 2008, these rates were reduced by 50 percent across all Arizona counties and are now similar to national levels.
• In 2008, over 22 percent of Arizona 8th, 10th and 12th graders reported using prescription drugs for uses other than those prescribed by a doctor at some point in their lifetime.
• Approximately 30 percent of property crimes are attributable to illegal drug use. Estimates place the value of stolen property in Arizona at more than $650 million in 2006.
• While the percentage of all individuals in Arizona classified as dependent or abusing drugs was similar to the percentage across the nation, the percentage of Arizona youth age 12-17 classified as such has been higher than the percentage across the U.S.
Because prescription pain killers can be obtained legally with a prescription, many people underestimate the potential harm of using these substances in a manner other than as directed by a doctor. Figure 5.6 presents the percentage of respondents who indicated nonmedical prescription pain killer use in the past year by age group from 2004-2007.
Substance Abuse in Critical Populations
• A large percentage of families involved in the child welfare system receiving substance abuse treatment services, adult arrestees in Maricopa County, and youth detained in Arizona’s juvenile detention facilities report using methamphetamine.
• Marijuana and alcohol are also problematic for adults and youth arrested in Maricopa County; further, a large percentage of these populations suffer from co-occurring substance abuse and mental health concerns.
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