Drug Use in Vermont
Vermont has a population of 648,493 people. The most recent data from the 2023-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that approximately 153,000 people over the age of 12 had used illegal substances in the past month, around 23.59% of the population. 144,000 reported marijuana use in the past month and 205,000 in the past year.
The report also found that 14,000 Vermont residents had used cocaine in the past year, 6,000 had used meth, and 14,000 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 Vermont totaled 13,000 people.
Alcohol Use in Vermont
Alcohol misuse was also reported in Vermont, with 329,000 people over the age of 12 saying they had used alcohol in the last month and 130,000 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 220,000 people.
Overdose Rates in Vermont
In the 12 months ending December 2025, Vermont recorded 150 drug overdose deaths. This is CDC's provisional count and covers overdoses of all intents, including accidental, suicide, homicide and undetermined. That puts the overdose death rate in Vermont at 23.1 per 100,000 people. The most recent available figure for alcohol-induced deaths, which covers 2021, was 138 or 21.4 per 100,000 people.
Substance Use Disorder and treatment in Vermont
The NSDUH report also recorded the total number of substance use disorders in Vermont and those who currently require treatment. The report found that approximately 119,000 were recorded as having a substance use disorder (SUD) and 64,000 had an alcohol use disorder. 10,000 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 123,000 people in Vermont were classified as needing treatment in the past year, 25,000 received treatment for an SUD, and 97,000 did not receive the treatment they were classified as needing.
Government Assistance for Rehab in Vermont
The Vermont Department of Health has a Division of Substance Abuse (DSU) that oversees the area's prevention, intervention, and treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. They work with national, state, and community organizations to develop programs and ensure the people of Vermont have access to the treatment they need.
The Vermont Department of Health has a VT Helplink that offers free and confidential alcohol and drug support and referral service to meet your specific needs. You will speak to a trained and caring professional who will help you find the proper recovery for your addiction.
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- CDC NCHS, Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts (2026). Cdc.Gov. https://data.cdc.gov/d/xkb8-kh2a