Utah Drug and Alcohol Addiction Statistics
Although illicit drug abuse that includes heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine is concentrated in high population areas around Salt Lake City, prescription drug abuse is common throughout the state. While rates of illicit drug use in Utah are lower than national averages, prescription drug abuse is slightly above the national average.
Marijuana is commonly used in Utah, much of which is grown outdoors in the more rural areas of the state. Marijuana use among minors, however, is significantly lower than national averages. Only 20% of high school students in Utah reported ever having tried marijuana, compared with 40% nationally.
Utah has the lowest concentration of alcohol drinkers in the country. Only 28% of Utah adults reported having at least one drink in the past 30 days, while 58% of US adults drink regularly. Similarly, only 9.2% of Utah adults report binge drinking (five or more beverages on one occasion) in the past 30 days (24% nationally), and a mere 2.8% qualify as heavy drinkers (two or more drinks per day on average), compared with national rates of 6.8%.
Underage drinking rates are similar. Only 15% of Utah high school students report having at least one drink in the past 30 days, compared with 39% nationally. If they do drink, Utah adolescents also have significantly a higher average age of first use than the rest of the US – only 11% report having their first drink before age 13, while 20% of American adolescents drank before 13.
Utah does not have rates of behavioral disorders that vary significantly from national averages, though eating disorder rates are very slightly elevated.