- SAMHSA’s 2024 national health survey shows mental illness rates remain steady, but substance misuse—especially marijuana—continues to climb. While adolescent depression and suicide attempts have declined, over 86 million U.S. adults still struggle with mental illness or addiction, posing urgent public health challenges.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — A sweeping new federal report released Monday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) underscores a troubling reality: more than 86 million American adults experienced either a mental illness or substance use disorder in 2024. While mental health trends showed modest stability and progress in key youth categories, substance misuse—particularly among adolescents and marijuana users—continued its upward trajectory.
Mental Health Trends in 2024
According to SAMHSA’s 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, based on responses from 70,000 Americans aged 12 and older, mental illness affected 23% of U.S. adults last year—roughly 61.5 million individuals—a rate unchanged from 2021. Suicide attempts among adults also remained static, with 2.2 million incidents reported.
However, teens aged 12 to 17 showed marked improvement: suicide attempts declined from 3.6% to 2.7%, and major depressive episodes dropped from 20.8% to 15.4%.
Adolescent anxiety remains a concern, with nearly one in five teens reporting symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.
Marijuana Use Fuels Drug Disorder Rise
While some substance misuse indicators improved, such as the alcohol use disorder rate dropping from 19.6% to 9.7%, the overall picture remains grim. Nearly 58.3% of U.S. adults admitted to using alcohol, nicotine, or illicit drugs in 2024. Binge drinking remained prevalent, with 58 million Americans ages 12 and older engaging in it monthly.
Illicit drug use rose significantly. In 2021, 22.2% of those surveyed reported using illicit drugs; that figure surged to 25.5% in 2024. The share of Americans with a diagnosed drug use disorder also rose from 8.7% to 9.8%.
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Rise in Marijuana Use and Related Disorders
SAMHSA attributed much of the increase to marijuana, now legalized in over half of U.S. states. Marijuana use among Americans aged 12 and up grew from 19% in 2020 to 22.3% last year—nearly 64 million people. Marijuana use disorder followed suit, affecting 7.1% of users (20.6 million), up from 6% in 2020.
“This report is incredibly valuable,” said SAMHSA’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Art Kleinschmidt, “for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again.”
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Liberilsm and the propaganda media fear mongering the cause of mental illness
IF you believe pot makes you want to commit suicide, you’ve definitely NEVER had any nor had it hit properly,,,(where five hours later, you “snap” out and ask WTH just happened? 🙂 )