Substance Use Statistics in Hawaii
Hawaii has a population of 1,446,146 people. The most recent data from the 2023-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that 156,000 people over the age of 12 had used illegal substances in the past month, around 10.79% of the population. 140,000 reported marijuana use in the past month and 197,000 in the past year.
The report also found that 12,000 Hawaii residents had used cocaine in the past year, 10,000 had used meth, and 26,000 had misused prescription pain medication. 1,000 people over the age of 18 reported using heroin in the last year. Those reporting opioid misuse, including heroin, painkillers, and fentanyl, in Hawaii totaled 25,000 people.
Alcohol Addiction in Hawaii
Alcohol misuse was also reported in Hawaii, with 499,000 people over the age of 12 saying they had used alcohol in the last month and 226,000 reporting binge drinking. The perceived risk of people over 12 years of age indulging in problematic alcohol use (5 or more drinks twice a week) in a month was 561,000 people.
Overdose Rates in Hawaii
In the 12 months ending December 2025, Hawaii recorded 316 drug overdose deaths. This is the CDC's provisional count and covers overdoses of all intents, including accidental, suicide, homicide, and undetermined. That puts the overdose death rate at 134, or 9.3 per 100,000 people.
Treatment and Recovery in Hawaii
The NSDUH report also recorded the total amount of substance abuse disorders in Hawaii and those who currently require treatment. The report found that 172,000 were recorded as having a substance use disorder (SUD) and 106,000 had an alcohol use disorder. 21,000 people were recorded as having an opioid use disorder including those with painkiller, heroin, and other opioid-based use disorders.
The NSDUH report also measures the gap between the people who need substance use treatment and those who actually receive it. It found that 178,000 people in Hawaii were classified as needing substance use treatment in the past year, 32,000 received substance use treatment, and 136,000 did not receive the treatment they were classified as needing.
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