Drug Use Statistics in Maine
Maine has a population of 1,405,012 people. The most recent data from the 2023-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that approximately 341,000 people over the age of 12 had used illegal substances in the past month, around 24.27% of the population. 312,000 reported marijuana use in the past month and 410,000 in the past year.
The report also found that 22,000 Maine residents had used cocaine in the past year, 12,000 had used meth, and 30,000 had misused prescription pain medication. 3,000 people over the age of 18 reported using heroin in the last year. Those reporting opioid misuse, including heroin, painkillers, and fentanyl, in Maine totaled 30,000 people.
Alcohol abuse in Maine
Alcohol misuse was also reported in Maine, with 648,000 people over the age of 12 saying they had used alcohol in the last month and 243,000 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 508,000 people.
Drug overdose deaths in Maine
In the 12 months ending December 2025, Maine recorded 376 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 in Maine at 26.8 per 100,000 people. The most recent available figure for alcohol-induced deaths, which covers 2021, was 327, or 23.9 per 100,000 people.
Substance Addiction Treatment in Maine
The NSDUH report also recorded the total number of substance use disorders in Maine and those who currently require treatment. The report found that approximately 274,000 were recorded as having a substance use disorder (SUD) and 149,000 had an alcohol use disorder. 23,000 people were recorded as having an OUD, including those with painkiller, heroin, and other opioid-based drug use disorders.
The NSDUH report also measures the gap between the people who need SUD treatment and those who actually receive it. It found that 268,000 people in Maine were classified as needing treatment in the past year, 47,000 received treatment for an SUD, and 213,000 did not receive the treatment they were classified as needing.
Government assistance for addiction treatment in Maine
The Maine government has a Department of Health and Human Services that helps deal with substance use disorder and addiction problems in the state. Through its behavioral health office, the Maine government ensures residents have access to resources to help them overcome addiction through various projects and initiatives.
The Office of Behavioral Health funds mental health and substance use disorder services, training, housing, and technical assistance to help Maine residents overcome addiction. The office also offers outpatient treatment services, including outpatient, residential, and intensive programs, to help people reduce their drug use.
It ensures that residents suffering from addiction manage their symptoms and live healthy and dignified lives full of hope.
You can contact the Maine Office of Behavioral Health at 207-287-2595.