Revealed: Which Drugs Americans Are Least Likely to Seek Help For

A new report from The Haven Detox reveals that hallucinogens, alcohol, and cannabis have the largest treatment gaps—just 1 in 23 hallucinogen users and 1 in 19 alcohol users seek help—highlighting overlooked barriers to care. Opioids have the highest engagement, with 1 in 2 users receiving treatment, underscoring the disparities in substance treatment awareness and accessibility.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A new report ranks treatment rates by substance—hallucinogens come last

A new report from The Haven Detox ranks treatment rates by substance type, showing the treatment-to-use ratio for the most commonly abused substances. Using national survey data and treatment records, the study identifies which drugs have the widest gaps between substance use and treatment rates.

*Key Findings*

• Hallucinogens had the widest treatment gap: 7.4 million users, only 320,000 in treatment (1:23 ratio)
• Alcohol had the most total users—139.7 million—but only 7.1 million sought help (1:19 ratio)
• Cannabis showed a 1:16 treatment ratio (61.9M users vs. 3.7M in treatment)
• Opioids had a much higher treatment engagement: 5.1M users, 3.2M treated (2:1 ratio)
• Nicotine and other illicit drugs both showed a 1:13 treatment ratio
• Cocaine showed a 1:3 ratio—better than most, but still leaving gaps

*Top 3 Substances Users Least Often Seek Treatment For*

Hallucinogens lead this category with only 1 in 23 users seeking help, despite widespread recreational usage of substances like psilocybin, LSD, and DMT. Alcohol follows, with only 1 in 19 users getting treatment, despite its extensive use across the population. Cannabis ranks third, with just 1 in 16 users seeking professional help.

*Substances with Moderate Treatment Gaps*

Cocaine had one of the smaller treatment gaps, with a 1:3 treatment ratio—better than many substances but still significant. Nicotine, with 47.4 million users but only 3.8 million treatment cases (1:13), reflects persistent social normalization. Rising vaping trends, especially among young adults (15.5% of 21–24-year-olds in 2023), may further widen this gap. Other illicit substances, including methamphetamine and synthetic drugs, also had a 1:13 use-to-treatment ratio.

*Substance with Highest Treatment Engagement*

Opioids stood out for having the highest treatment engagement rate, with a 1:2 ratio. Of 5.1 million users, an impressive 3.2 million received treatment, highlighting national awareness and aggressive treatment initiatives.

*State-by-State Rankings for Substance Use*

The states leading total usage numbers and per capita use (per 1,000 residents) are detailed below:

• Hallucinogens: Florida (1.28M users), California (1.08M), Texas (765K); per capita highest in Vermont (112.3 per 1,000), Colorado (69.2), Alaska (63.7).
• Alcohol: California (5.78M users), Florida (2.99M), New York (2.98M); highest per capita use in Vermont (241.6 per 1,000), North Dakota (232.6), Montana (210.9).
• Cannabis: California (7.4M users), Florida (3.97M), New York (3.88M); per capita highest in Vermont (315.4 per 1,000), Maine (295.2), Alaska (232.5).
• Cocaine: New York (917K users), Florida (878K), California (848K); per capita highest in Vermont (86.2 per 1,000), District of Columbia (74.4), Massachusetts (50.4).
• Opioids: California (1.33M users), Florida (786K), Texas (683K); per capita highest in West Virginia (156.9 per 1,000), Kentucky (94.3), Oklahoma (88.7).

Methodology

This study utilizes data from the "2022-2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)" dataset and Haven data for treatment numbers.

State-level and total U.S. estimates were extracted for substance use from selected NSDUH tables, while substance use treatment data was sourced from HAVEN data.

Data analysis included compiling substance use data by state, calculating ratios of consumption to treatment at the national level, and identifying the top 5 states by both total and per capita consumption for each substance, with per capita rates calculated using state-level consumption estimates divided by state population.

Limitations of this study include reliance on NSDUH self-reported data, incomplete state-level data for all substances, use of both "past month" and "past year" consumption metrics, and the use of total state population for per capita calculations.

The full study and dataset are available upon request.

For press inquiries, contact:

Email: [email protected]

Media Contact

Ryan Milejczak, Purelinq, 1 6073739351, [email protected], purelinq.com

SOURCE The Haven Detox