DC Has the Highest Rate of Alcohol and Drug Abuse

A new report released last week by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that Washington DC topped that nation in terms of alcohol and drug abuse. According to the Washington Examiner, 11.3 percent of people 12 and older had abused alcohol or drugs in the past year. The national average is far lower at 8.9 percent.

In terms of drinking, 8.1 percent of adults age 26 or older were deemed alcohol dependent according to the report seen on NBC Washington.

Having lived in DC for five years from age 23 until age 28, I'm not surprised by these findings. Washington, DC is a culture of high stress jobs and happy hours that often go long into the night every night of the week.

The report also found DC topped the list in drug abuse. It was one of 10 states where residents smoked marijuana. Alaska used the most marijuana. Cocaine use was also high with 3.78 percent of residents saying they had used cocaine over a one year period, according to the story on NBC Washington.

Six other states saw increases in alcohol consumption including Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

Like this? Follow my Twitter feed.

Follow me on Facebook.