Chapter 2
Characteristics of Admissions by Primary Substance: 2012
All Admissions Aged 12 and Older
Alcohol Only
Alcohol with Secondary Drug Abuse
Heroin
Opiates Other than Heroin
Smoked Cocaine (Crack)
Non-Smoked Cocaine
Marijuana/Hashish
Methamphetamine/Amphetamines
Tranquilizers
Sedatives
Hallucinogens
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Inhalants
This chapter highlights important findings in the 2012 TEDS data. The tables include items in the TEDS Minimum and Supplemental Data Sets for 2012. (See Appendix B for a complete data dictionary.) Data are tabulated as percentage distributions of treatment admissions according to primary substance of abuse. It is important to note that percentages in charts, narrative lists, and percentage distributions in tables may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
The Minimum Data Set consists of items that include:
- Demographic information
- Primary, secondary, and tertiary substances and their route of administration, frequency of use, and age at first use
- Source of referral to treatment
- Number of prior treatment episodes
- Service type, including medication-assisted opioid therapy
The Supplemental Data Set consists of 17 items that include psychiatric, social, and economic
measures.
Not all states report all data items in the Minimum and Supplemental Data Sets. Most states report the Minimum Data Set for all or nearly all TEDS admissions. However, the items reported from the Supplemental Data Set vary greatly across states.
The figures in this chapter represent counts of admissions for each primary substance of abuse by gender, age, and race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic of Mexican
origin, Hispanic of Puerto Rican origin,1 American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific
Islander).
1
All Admissions Aged 12 and Older
- The average age at admission was 35 years; 7 percent of admissions were aged 12 to 17 years [Table 2.1a].
- Non-Hispanic Whites made up 61 percent of all treatment admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 (39 percent were males and 22 percent were females). Non-Hispanic Blacks made up 20 percent of all admissions (14 percent were males and 6 percent were females) [Table 2.3a].
- Forty percent of treatment admissions had not been in treatment before the current episode, while 13 percent had been in treatment five or more times previously [Table 2.5].
- Most admissions (61 percent) received ambulatory treatment, 22 percent received detoxification, and 17 percent received rehabilitation/residential treatment [Table 2.7].
- Self- or individual referrals and the criminal justice/DUI source were responsible for 36 percent and 34 percent, respectively, of referrals to treatment [Table 2.6].
- Less than one-quarter (22 percent) of admissions aged 16 and older were employed [Table 2.8].
- Twenty-nine percent of admissions aged 18 and older had not completed high school or attained a GED [Table 2.9].
Figure 5. All admissions, by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Alcohol Only
- Admissions for abuse of alcohol alone, with no secondary drug abuse, represented 21 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b].
- The average age at admission among admissions for alcohol only was 41 years. The average age at admission for alcohol with secondary drug was 37 years [Table 2.1a]. Admission for alcohol only or with secondary drug was the most likely reason for admissions aged 30 and older [Table 2.1b].
- Non-Hispanic Whites made up 66 percent of all alcohol-only admissions (approximately 46 percent were males and 21 percent were females) [Table 2.3a].
- Eighty-seven percent of alcohol-only admissions reported that they first became intoxicated before age 21, the legal drinking age. Almost one-third (30 percent) first became intoxicated by age 14 [Table 2.5].
- Among admissions referred to treatment by the criminal justice/DUI source, alcohol-only admissions were more likely than admissions for alcohol with secondary drug abuse to have been referred as a result of a DUI/DWI offense (28 vs. 16 percent) [Table 2.6].
- Some 34 percent of alcohol-only admissions aged 16 and older were employed compared with 22 percent of all admissions that age [Table 2.8].
Figure 6. Alcohol-only admissions, by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Alcohol with Secondary Drug Abuse
- Admissions for primary abuse of alcohol with secondary abuse of drugs represented 18 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b].
- The average age at admission for primary alcohol with secondary drug abuse was lower, at 37 years, than for abuse of alcohol alone (41 years) [Table 2.1a].
- Non-Hispanic Whites accounted for 58 percent of admissions for primary alcohol with secondary drug abuse (41 percent were males and 17 percent were females). Non-Hispanic Blacks made up 23 percent of admissions (18 percent were males and 6 percent were females) [Table 2.3a].
- Almost half (45 percent) of admissions for primary alcohol with secondary drug abuse first became intoxicated by age 14, and 93 percent first became intoxicated before age 21 (the legal drinking age) [Table 2.5].
- Admissions for primary alcohol with secondary drug abuse were less likely to be in treatment for the first time than alcohol-only admissions (35 vs. 46 percent) [Table 2.5].
- Among admissions referred to treatment by the criminal justice/DUI source, admissions for alcohol with secondary drug abuse were more likely than alcohol-only admissions to have been referred to treatment as a condition of probation/parole (30 vs. 17 percent) [Table 2.6].
- Among admissions for alcohol with secondary drug abuse, marijuana and smoked cocaine were the most frequently reported secondary substances (25 percent and 8 percent, respectively) [Table 3.8].
Figure 7. Alcohol admissions with secondary drug abuse,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Heroin
- Heroin was reported as the primary substance of abuse for 16 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b].
- Sixty-five percent of primary heroin admissions were non-Hispanic White (41 percent were males and 24 percent were females). Non-Hispanic Blacks made up 15 percent (10 percent were males and 5 percent were females) [Table 2.3a]. Among admissions of Puerto Rican origin, 39 percent were for primary heroin abuse [Table 2.2]. See Chapter 3 for additional data on heroin admissions.
- Injection was reported as the usual route of administration by 71 percent of primary heroin
admissions; inhalation was reported by 24 percent. Daily heroin use was reported by 67 percent of primary heroin admissions [Table 2.4].
- Most primary heroin admissions (80 percent) had been in treatment prior to the current episode, and 27 percent had been in treatment five or more times [Table 2.5].
- Primary heroin admissions were less likely than all admissions combined to be referred to treatment by the criminal justice/DUI source (16 vs. 34 percent) and more likely to be self- or individually referred (57 vs. 36 percent) [Table 2.6].
- Medication-assisted opioid therapy was planned for 28 percent of heroin admissions [Table 2.7].
- Only 13 percent of primary heroin admissions aged 16 and older were employed (vs. 22 percent of all admissions that age); 41 percent were unemployed (vs. 39 percent of all admissions that age) [Table 2.8].
Figure 8. Heroin admissions, by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Opiates Other than Heroin
- Opiates other than heroin were reported as the primary substance of abuse for 10 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b]. These drugs include methadone, buprenorphine, codeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, morphine, opium, oxycodone, pentazocine, propoxyphene, tramadol, and any other drug with morphine-like effects.
- Forty-seven percent of admissions for opiates other than heroin were aged 20 to 29 compared with 30 percent of all admissions [Table 2.1a]. The peak age at admission for both males and females was about 25 years [Figure 9].
- Non-Hispanic Whites made up approximately 86 percent of admissions for primary opiates other than heroin (46 percent were males and 40 percent were females) [Table 2.3a].
- Primary opiates other than heroin were most frequently used orally (59 percent), followed by inhalation (21 percent) and injection (17 percent) [Table 2.4].
- Seventy-nine percent of admissions for opiates other than heroin reported first use after age 16 compared with 50 percent for all substances combined [Table 2.5].
- Medication-assisted opioid therapy was planned for 18 percent of admissions for primary
opiates other than heroin [Table 2.7].
- Sixty-five percent of admissions for primary opiates other than heroin reported abuse of other substances. The most commonly reported secondary substances of abuse were marijuana (26 percent), alcohol (20 percent), and tranquilizers (16 percent) [Table 3.8].
Figure 9. Non-heroin opiate admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Smoked Cocaine (Crack)
- Smoked cocaine (crack) was reported as the primary substance of abuse by 5 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b].
- Seventy-seven percent of primary smoked cocaine admissions were aged 35 or older compared with 45 percent of all admissions. The average age at admission for primary smoked cocaine was 42 years [Table 2.1a]. Admissions among non-Hispanic Black males peaked at 48 years; admissions among non-Hispanic White males peaked at 43 years of age [Figure 10].
- Non-Hispanic Blacks accounted for 56 percent of primary smoked cocaine admissions (35 percent were males and 21 percent were females), and non-Hispanic Whites accounted for 33 percent
(17 percent were males and 16 percent were females) [Table 2.3a].
- Primary smoked cocaine admissions were more likely than all admissions combined to receive rehabilitation/residential treatment (30 vs. 17 percent) [Table 2.7].
- Only 10 percent of primary smoked cocaine admissions aged 16 and older were employed compared with 22 percent of all admissions that age [Table 2.8].
- Sixty-nine percent of primary smoked cocaine admissions reported abuse of other substances. The most commonly reported secondary substances of abuse were alcohol (46 percent) and marijuana (30 percent) [Table 3.8].
Figure 10. Smoked cocaine (crack) admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Non-Smoked Cocaine
- Non-smoked cocaine was reported as the primary substance of abuse by 2 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b].
- The average age at admission for primary non-smoked cocaine admissions was 37 years [Table 2.1a]. However, the peak age among non-Hispanic White male admissions was 16 years younger than the peak age among non-Hispanic Black male admissions (32 vs. 46 years of age). Admissions among both non-Hispanic White females and non-Hispanic Black females peaked in their early-30s [Figure 11].
- Non-Hispanic Whites accounted for 45 percent of primary non-smoked cocaine admissions
(28 percent were males and 17 percent were females), and non-Hispanic Black males accounted for 23 percent [Table 2.3a].
- Seventy-nine percent of admissions for primary non-smoked cocaine reported inhalation as the usual route of administration, followed by injection (11 percent) [Table 2.4].
- Non-smoked cocaine admissions were more likely than smoked cocaine admissions to be referred to treatment by a criminal justice/DUI source (37 vs. 26 percent) [Table 2.6].
- Seventy-one percent of admissions for primary non-smoked cocaine reported abuse of additional substances. Alcohol was most common, reported by 40 percent, followed by marijuana (32 percent) [Table 3.8].
Figure 11. Non-smoked cocaine admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Marijuana/Hashish
- Marijuana was reported as the primary substance of abuse by 17 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b].
- The average age at admission for primary marijuana admissions was 25 years [Table 2.1a], although the peak age at admission for both genders in all race/ethnicities was 15 to 17 years [Figure 12]. Thirty-nine percent of marijuana admissions were under age 20 (vs. 10 percent of all admissions), and
primary marijuana abuse accounted for 76 percent each of admissions aged 12 to 14 and admissions aged 15 to 17 years [Tables 2.1a-b].
- Non-Hispanic Whites accounted for 44 percent of primary marijuana admissions (31 percent were males and 13 percent were females), and non-Hispanic Black males accounted for 24 percent [Table 2.3a].
- Twenty-four percent of primary marijuana admissions had first used marijuana by age 12 and another 32 percent by age 14 [Table 2.5].
- Primary marijuana admissions were less likely than all admissions combined to be self- or individually referred to treatment (18 vs. 36 percent). Primary marijuana admissions were most likely to be referred by a criminal justice/DUI source (52 percent) [Table 2.6].
- More than 4 in 5 marijuana admissions (85 percent) received ambulatory treatment compared with about 3 in 5 of all admissions combined (61 percent) [Table 2.7].
- Fifty-six percent of primary marijuana admissions reported abuse of additional substances. Alcohol was reported by 40 percent [Table 3.8].
Figure 12. Marijuana/hashish admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Methamphetamine/Amphetamines
- Methamphetamine/amphetamines were reported as the primary substance of abuse by 7 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b]. Methamphetamine admissions represented 93 percent of this group [Table 1.1a].
- Primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions were on average 33 years old at admission [Table 2.1a]. Admissions for both genders in all race/ethnicities peaked in the late 20s and early 30s; non-Hispanic White male admissions had a secondary peak in their mid-30s [Figure 13].
- Non-Hispanic Whites accounted for 69 percent of primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions (36 percent were males and 33 percent were females) [Table 2.3a]. Twelve percent of all primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions were of Mexican origin [Table 2.2].
- The usual routes of administration for primary methamphetamine/amphetamines were smoking (62 percent), injection (25 percent), and inhalation (8 percent) [Table 2.4].
- Primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions were more likely than all admissions combined to be referred to treatment by the criminal justice/DUI source (47 vs. 34 percent) [Table 2.6].
- Primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions were more likely than all admissions combined to receive long-term rehabilitation/residential treatment (15 vs. 7 percent) [Table 2.7].
- Sixty-seven percent of primary methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions reported secondary use of other substances, primarily marijuana (36 percent) and alcohol (29 percent) [Table 3.8].
Figure 13. Methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Tranquilizers
- Tranquilizers were reported as the primary substance of abuse by 1 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b].
- The average age at admission for primary tranquilizers was 34 years [Table 2.1a].
- Non-Hispanic Whites accounted for 82 percent of admissions for primary abuse of tranquilizers (males and females each accounted for 41 percent) [Table 2.3a].
- Twenty-three percent of primary tranquilizer admissions first used tranquilizers after age 30 [Table 2.5].
- Primary tranquilizer admissions were the least likely of all admissions to receive ambulatory treatment (39 vs. 49 percent or above). They were the most likely of all admissions to receive hospital inpatient detoxification (11 vs. 6 percent or below) [Table 2.7].
- Secondary abuse of another substance was reported by 74 percent of primary tranquilizer
admissions. Secondary abuse of opiates other than heroin was reported by 29 percent, alcohol by 24 percent, and marijuana by 23 percent [Table 3.8].
Figure 14. Tranquilizer admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Sedatives
- Admissions for primary sedative abuse were responsible for less than one-quarter of 1 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b].
- Six percent of primary sedative admissions were aged 65 and older compared with 1 percent of total admissions [Table 2.1a].
- Non-Hispanic Whites accounted for 79 percent of primary sedative admissions (45 percent were females and 34 percent were males) [Table 2.3a].
- Twenty-seven percent of primary sedative admissions first used sedatives after age 30 [Table 2.5].
- Primary sedative admissions were more likely than all admissions combined to receive short-term
rehabilitation/residential treatment (11 vs. 9 percent) [Table 2.7].
- More than one-third (35 percent) of primary sedative admissions aged 18 and older had more than 12 years of education (vs. 27 percent of all admissions) [Table 2.9].
- Fifty-eight percent of primary sedative admissions reported abuse of other substances as well, primarily alcohol (20 percent), marijuana (19 percent), and opiates other than heroin (18
percent) [Table 3.8].
Figure 15. Sedative admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Hallucinogens
- Hallucinogens were reported as the primary substance of abuse by one-tenth of 1 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b]. Hallucinogens include LSD, DMT, STP, mescaline, psilocybin, peyote, etc.
- Twenty-nine percent of hallucinogen admissions were under age 20 compared with 10 percent of all admissions combined. Only 31 percent were 30 years of age or older compared with 59 percent of all admissions [Table 2.1a].
- Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of admissions for primary hallucinogen abuse were non-Hispanic Whites (52 percent were males and 20 percent were females), and non-Hispanic Black males accounted for 9 percent [Table 2.3a].
- Forty-three percent of primary hallucinogen admissions reported not using the drug in the past month [Table 2.4].
- Primary hallucinogen admissions were more likely than all admissions combined to receive rehabilitation/residential treatment (25 vs. 17 percent) [Table 2.7].
- Seventy-seven percent of primary hallucinogen admissions reported abuse of drugs in addition to hallucinogens, mainly marijuana (47 percent), alcohol (31 percent), methamphetamine/amphetamines (11 percent), and opiates other than heroin (9 percent) [Table 3.8].
Figure 16. Hallucinogen admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Phencyclidine (PCP)
- Phencyclidine (PCP) was reported as a primary substance of abuse by approximately one-third of
1 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b].
- More than one-half (54 percent) of PCP admissions were aged 25 to 34 compared with about one-quarter (29 percent) of all admissions combined [Table 2.1a].
- Non-Hispanic Blacks accounted for 64 percent of primary PCP admissions (37 percent were males and 27 percent were females) [Table 2.3a].
- Among admissions referred to treatment through the criminal justice/DUI source, primary PCP admissions were more likely than all admissions combined to be referred as a condition of probation/parole (51 vs. 34 percent) [Table 2.6].
- Primary PCP admissions were more likely than all admissions combined to receive rehabilitation/residential treatment (30 vs. 17 percent), particularly short-term rehabilitation/residential treatment (18 vs. 9 percent) [Table 2.7].
- Only 12 percent of PCP admissions aged 18 and older had more than a high school education (vs. 27 percent of all admissions combined) [Table 2.9].
- Sixty-seven percent of primary PCP admissions reported abuse of other substances. Marijuana was reported as a secondary substance by 40 percent of primary PCP admissions, while alcohol was reported by 33 percent. [Table 3.8].
Figure 17. Phencyclidine (PCP) admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

Inhalants
- Inhalants were reported as the primary substance of abuse by one-tenth of 1 percent of TEDS admissions aged 12 and older in 2012 [Table 1.1b]. Inhalants include chloroform, ether, gasoline, glue, nitrous oxide, paint thinner, etc.
- Nine percent of primary inhalant admissions were aged 12 to 14 years and another 14 percent were aged 15 to 17 years compared with about one percent and six percent of all admissions, respectively [Table 2.1a].
- Two-thirds (68 percent) of primary inhalant admissions were non-Hispanic White (43 percent were males and 25 percent were females). Four percent of all primary inhalant admissions were males of Mexican origin [Table 2.3a].
- Primary inhalant admissions were about as likely as all admissions combined to be referred to treatment through the criminal justice/DUI source (32 vs. 34 percent) and less likely to be a self- or individual referral (31 vs. 36 percent) [Table 2.6].
- Sixty-five percent of primary inhalant admissions reported abuse of other substances, principally alcohol (36 percent) and marijuana (31 percent) [Table 3.8].
- Reflecting their overall youth, inhalant admissions were more likely than all admissions
combined to have a dependent living arrangement (35 vs. 21 percent) or Medicaid as the expected source of payment for treatment (25 vs. 15 percent) [Tables 2.10 and 2.13].
Figure 18. Inhalant admissions,
by gender, age, and race/ethnicity: 2012

TO TABLES