Drug Use Statistics in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has a population of 1,112,308 people. The most recent data from the 2023-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that approximately 211,000 people over the age of 12 had used illegal substances in the past month, around 18.97% of the population. 192,000 reported marijuana use in the past month and 277,000 in the past year.
The report also found that 20,000 Rhode Island residents had used cocaine in the past year, 5,000 had used meth, and 28,000 had misused prescription pain medication. 2,000 people over the age of 18 reported using heroin in the last year. Those reporting opioid misuse, including heroin, painkillers, and fentanyl, in Rhode Island totaled 29,000 people.
Alcohol Use in Rhode Island
Alcohol misuse was also reported in Rhode Island, with 527,000 people over the age of 12 saying they had used alcohol in the last month and 211,000 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 421,000 people.
Overdose Rates in Rhode Island
In the 12 months ending December 2025, Rhode Island recorded 219 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 Rhode Island at 19.7 per 100,000 people. The most recent available figure for alcohol-induced deaths, which covers 2021, was 216, or 19.7 per 100,000 people.
Addiction Treatment Statistics in Rhode Island
The NSDUH report also recorded the total number of substance use disorders in Rhode Island and those who currently require treatment. The report found that approximately 186,000 were recorded as having a substance use disorder (SUD) and 106,000 had an alcohol use disorder. 17,000 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 200,000 people in Rhode Island were classified as needing treatment in the past year, 36,000 received treatment for an SUD, and 156,000 did not receive the treatment they were classified as needing.
Local Government Assistance
The Rhode Island Department of Health understands that addiction is a disease and works to promote the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse in the area.
The department offers programs, information, and publications to help people of Rhode Island access treatment and recovery options for addicted individuals. Some services include prescriber continuing education sessions and the Recovery Hope Hotline to talk to a professional.
To get help, reach out to the department at 401-414-LINK 5465; they can connect you with treatment and recovery resources.
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- 2023-2024 NSDUH: Model-Based Estimated Totals for States (in Thousands). (2026, February 4). Samhsagov. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2023-2024-nsduh-estimated-totals-state
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- CDC NCHS, Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts (2026). Cdc.Gov. https://data.cdc.gov/d/xkb8-kh2a