Highlights

This report presents results from the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) for 2006, and trend data for 1996 to 2006. The report provides information on the demographic and substance abuse characteristics of the 1.8 million annual admissions to treatment for abuse of alcohol and/or drugs in facilities that report to individual State administrative data systems.

TEDS is an admission-based system, and TEDS admissions do not represent individuals. Thus, for example, an individual admitted to treatment twice within a calendar year would be counted as two admissions.

TEDS does not include all admissions to substance abuse treatment. It includes facilities that are licensed or certified by the State substance abuse agency to provide substance abuse treatment (or are administratively tracked for other reasons). In general, facilities reporting TEDS data are those that receive State alcohol and/or drug agency funds (including Federal Block Grant funds) for the provision of alcohol and/or drug treatment services.

Major Substances of Abuse

• Five substances accounted for 96 percent of the 1,800,717 TEDS admissions in 2006: alcohol (40 percent), opiates (18 percent, primarily heroin), marijuana (16 percent), cocaine (14 percent), and stimulants (9 percent, primarily methamphetamine) [Table 2.1b].

Alcohol

• Alcohol as a primary substance accounted for two in five (40 percent) of all TEDS admissions in 2006, down from more than half (51 percent) in 1996. Forty-five percent of primary alcohol admissions reported secondary drug abuse as well [Table 2.1b].
• Alcohol admission rates generally were highest in the New England, Pacific, and West North Central States. For the United States as a whole, the alcohol admission rate declined by 25 percent between 1996 and 2006, from 392 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 295 per 100,000. Rates declined in 32 of the 42 States reporting in both years and increased in 10 States [Table 2.3b and Figure 3].
• About three-quarters of admissions for abuse of alcohol alone and for abuse of alcohol with secondary drug abuse were male (75 percent and 74 percent, respectively) [Table 3.1a].
• More than two-thirds (69 percent) of alcohol-only admissions were non-Hispanic White, followed by Hispanics (13 percent) and non-Hispanic Blacks (11 percent). Among admissions for alcohol with secondary drug abuse, 60 percent were non-Hispanic White, followed by 24 percent who were non-Hispanic Black and 11 percent who were Hispanic [Table 3.1a].
• The average age at admission among alcohol-only admissions was 39 years, compared with 35 years among admissions for primary alcohol with secondary drug abuse [Table 3.2a].
  

Heroin

• Heroin as a primary substance increased from 14 percent of all TEDS admissions in 1996 to 16 percent in 2001. It declined to 14 percent in 2004 and remained stable through 2006. Heroin represented 93 percent of all primary opiate admissions in 1996, but fell to 77 percent in 2006 [Tables 2.1a and 2.1b].
• Heroin admission rates were highest in the New England and Middle Atlantic States. For the United States as a whole, the heroin admission rate decreased by 5 percent between 1996 and 2006, from 106 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 101 per 100,000. Heroin admission rates declined in 21 of the 41 States reporting in both years and increased in 20 States [Table 2.4b and Figure 4].
• About two-thirds (68 percent) of primary heroin admissions were male [Table 3.1a].
• More than half (52 percent) of primary heroin admissions were non-Hispanic White, followed by 24 percent who were of Hispanic origin and 22 percent who were non-Hispanic Black [Table 3.1a].
• For primary heroin admissions, the average age at admission was 36 years [Table 3.2a].
• Sixty-four percent of primary heroin admissions reported injection as the route of administration, 32 percent reported inhalation, and 2 percent reported smoking [Table 3.4].

Opiates Other than Heroin

• Opiates other than heroin include methadone, codeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, mor­phine, opium, oxycodone, pentazocine, pro­poxyphene, tramadol, and any other drug with morphine-like effects. TEDS admissions for primary abuse of opiates other than heroin made up 1 percent of all admissions from 1996 through 1999. It rose to 4 percent in 2005 and 2006. Opiates other than heroin represented 7 percent of all primary opiate admissions in 1996, but rose to 23 percent in 2006 [Table 2.1b].
• Admission rates for opiates other than heroin were generally highest in the New England and East South Central States. For the United States as a whole, the admission rate for opiates other than heroin increased by 314 percent between 1996 and 2006, from 7 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 29 per 100,000. Admission rates for opiates other than heroin increased in all of the 42 States reporting in both years [Table 2.5b and Figure 5].
• Just over half (54 percent) of primary non-heroin opiate admissions were male [Table 3.1a].
• Most primary non-heroin opiate admissions (88 percent) were non-Hispanic White [Table 3.1a].
• For primary non-heroin opiate admissions, the average age at admission was 33 years [Table 3.2a].
• Almost three-quarters (72 percent) of primary non-heroin opiate admissions reported oral as the route of administration, while 14 percent reported inhalation and 11 percent reported injection [Table 3.4].
  

Cocaine/Crack

• The proportion of admissions for primary cocaine abuse declined from 16 percent in 1996 to a low of 13 percent in 2001 and 2002. The proportion rose slightly to 14 percent in 2003 and remained stable through 2006 [Table 2.1b].
• Cocaine admission rates were generally highest in the Middle Atlantic and South Atlantic States. For the United States as a whole, the cocaine admission rate declined by 16 percent between 1996 and 2006, from 124 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 103 per 100,000. Cocaine admission rates declined in 28 of the 42 States reporting in both years, increased in 13 States, and were stable in 1 State [Table 2.6b and Figure 6].
• Smoked cocaine (crack) represented 71 percent of all primary cocaine admissions in 2006, down from 74 percent in 1996 [Table 2.1a].
• Fifty-eight percent of primary smoked cocaine admissions were male compared with 65 percent of primary non-smoked cocaine admissions [Table 3.1a].
• Among primary smoked cocaine admissions, 49 percent were non-Hispanic Black, 41 percent were non-Hispanic White, and 8 percent were of Hispanic origin. Among primary non-smoked cocaine admissions, 54 percent were non-Hispanic White, followed by non-Hispanic Blacks (25 percent) and people of Hispanic origin (18 percent) [Table 3.1a].
• The average age at admission among smoked cocaine admissions was 38 years, compared with 33 years among non-smoked cocaine admissions [Table 3.2a].
• Eighty percent of primary non-smoked cocaine admissions reported inhalation as their route of administration, 11 percent reported injection, and 7 percent reported oral [Table 3.4].

Marijuana/Hashish

• The proportion of admissions for primary marijuana abuse increased from 12 percent in 1996 and 1997 to 16 percent in 2003 through 2006 [Table 2.1b].
• Marijuana treatment admission rates were generally highest in the West North Central and Pacific States. For the United States as a whole, the marijuana admission rate increased by 32 percent between 1996 and 2006, from 91 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 120 per 100,000. Marijuana admission rates increased in 28 of the 42 States reporting in both years and declined in 14 States [Table 2.7b and Figure 7].
• Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of primary marijuana admissions were male [Table 3.1a].
• Over half (52 percent) of primary marijuana admissions were non-Hispanic White, 29 percent were non-Hispanic Black, and 14 percent were of Hispanic origin [Table 3.1a].
• For primary marijuana admissions, the average age at admission was 24 years [Table 3.2a].
  

Methamphetamine/Amphetamine and Other Stimulants

• The proportion of admissions for primary abuse of methamphetamine/amphetamine and other stimulants increased from 3 percent in 1996 to 9 percent in 2005 and 2006 [Table 2.1b].
• Methamphetamine/amphetamine treatment admission rates were generally highest in the Pacific and Mountain States. For the United States as a whole, the methamphetamine/amphetamine admission rate increased by 156 percent between 1996 and 2006, from 25 per 100,000 population aged 12 and over to 64 per 100,000. Methamphetamine/amphetamine admission rates increased in 41 of the 42 States reporting in both years and were stable in 1 State [Table 2.8b and Figure 8].
• Fifty-four percent of primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions were male [Table 3.1a].
• Two-thirds (68 percent) of primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions were non-Hispanic White, followed by 19 percent who were of Hispanic origin and 3 percent each who were Asian/Pacific Islander or non-Hispanic Black [Table 3.1a].
• For primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions, the average age at admission was 31 years [Table 3.2a].
• Sixty-five percent of primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions reported smoking as the route of administration, 18 percent reported injection, and 11 percent reported inhalation [Table 3.4].
  

Adolescent Substance Abuse

• The number of adolescents aged 12 to 17 admitted to substance abuse treatment increased 5 percent between 1996 and 2006. However, this represented a 24 percent increase between 1996 and 2004, followed by a 15 percent decrease between 2004 and 2006 [Table 5.1a].
• The increase in adolescent substance abuse treatment admissions was largely accounted for by the net 23 percent increase in the number of adolescent primary marijuana admissions (a 43 percent increase between 1996 and 2004, followed by a 14 percent decrease between 2004 and 2006). The proportion of adolescent primary marijuana admissions grew steadily from 56 percent of adolescent admissions in 1996 to 66 percent in 2005 and 2006 [Tables 5.1a and 5.1b].
• In 2006, half (51 percent) of adolescent admissions were referred to treatment through the criminal justice system. Seventeen percent were self- or individual referrals, and 11 percent were referred through schools [Table 5.3a].
• The number of marijuana-involved adolescent substance abuse treatment admissions referred through the criminal justice system increased by 30 percent between 1996 and 2006, while marijuana-involved adolescent admissions referred through other sources decreased by 4 percent during that period [Table 5.5a].
  

Heroin Admissions and Medication-Assisted Opioid Therapy

• While the number of heroin admissions increased by 10 percent between 1996 and 2006, the number for whom medication-assisted opioid therapy was planned declined by 22 percent. In 1996, medication-assisted opioid therapy was planned for 42 percent of all primary heroin admissions. By 1996, it was planned for less than a third (29 percent) [Table 5.6b].

Polydrug Abuse

• More than half (56 percent) of all TEDS 2006 admissions reported abuse of multiple substances. Alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine were the most commonly reported secondary/tertiary substances. Alcohol was reported as a substance of abuse by 61 percent of all admissions (40 percent as a primary substance and 21 percent as a secondary/tertiary substance). Marijuana was reported as a substance of abuse by 37 percent of all admissions (16 percent as a primary substance and 21 percent as a secondary/tertiary substance). Cocaine was reported as a substance of abuse by 32 percent of all admissions (14 percent as a primary substance and 18 percent as a secondary/tertiary substance) [Table 5.8].
  

Race/Ethnicity

Among all racial/ethnic groups except Hispanics of Puerto Rican origin, alcohol (alone or in combination with other drugs) was the most frequently reported primary substance at treatment admission. However, the proportion reporting primary use of the other four most common substances varied considerably by racial/ethnic group.

• Among non-Hispanic Whites, alcohol (43 percent) was followed by opiates (18 percent), marijuana (14 percent), and cocaine and stimulants (10 percent each) [Table 3.1b].
• Among non-Hispanic Blacks, alcohol (31 percent) was followed by cocaine (27 percent), marijuana (22 percent), opiates (15 percent), and stimulants (1 percent) [Table 3.1b].
• Among admissions who were of Mexican origin, alcohol (36 percent) was followed by stimulants (22 percent), marijuana (18 percent), opiates (14 percent), and cocaine (9 percent) [Table 3.1b].
• Among admissions who were of Puerto Rican origin, opiates (46 percent) were followed by alcohol (25 percent), marijuana and cocaine (13 percent each), and stimulants (1 percent) [Table 3.1b].
• Among admissions who were of Cuban origin, alcohol (35 percent) was followed by opiates (31 percent), cocaine (16 percent), marijuana (10 percent), and stimulants (3 percent) [Table 3.1b].
• Among Alaska Natives, alcohol (47 percent) was followed by opiates (21 percent), marijuana (11 percent), cocaine (10 percent), and stimulants (9 percent) [Table 3.1b].
• Among American Indians, alcohol (64 percent) was followed by marijuana (13 percent), stimulants (10 percent), opiates (6 percent), and cocaine (5 percent) [Table 3.1b].
• Among Asians/Pacific Islanders, alcohol (33 percent) was followed by stimulants (27 percent), marijuana (20 percent), and opiates and cocaine (9 percent each) [Table 3.1b].
  

To Table of Contents