Understanding Substance Abuse, Addiction, and Treatment
Each year, more than 28,000 Americans die of opioid overdoses, and addiction to other drugs is a persistent problem. Our experts are looking at all facets of this immense public health crisis. We’re studying and defining causes and contributors, developing new nonaddictive drugs to treat pain, and identifying successful treatment interventions.
- We found that America’s suicide rates resulting from opioid poisoning doubled between 1999 and 2014, with the largest spike in people between the ages of 55 and 64.
- Our chemists are developing an alternative to opioids that treats neuropathic pain by targeting the cannabinoid receptors without producing marijuana-like effects in the brain.
- Our researchers found that one supervised injection site in an urban area prevented more than 2,300 public drug injections and resulted in the safe disposal of over 1,700 needles.
- Under our leadership, SAMHSA’s Performance Accountability and Reporting System delivered accurate data pertaining to 600 substance-abuse treatment providers in the United States.