According to combined 2002 to 2012 data from SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 1 in 16 veterans used marijuana in the past year, while 1 in 13 non-veterans did. The report also revealed that 3 percent of non-veterans used pain relievers for a nonmedical purpose within the past year; higher than the veteran rate of 2.4 percent.
The report, Veterans Less Likely than Nonveterans to Use Marijuana and Misuse Prescription Pain Relievers Combined 2002 to 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health is available online for download.
SAMHSA also released Prevalence of Past Year Substance Use and Mental Illness by Veteran Status in a Nationally Representative Sample earlier this year.
Many other resources to help veterans, active military members, and their families exist on the SAMHSA website.
Military and Behavioral Health Resources
- Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance (SMVF TA) Center
- Military OneSource
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network – Military Children and Families
- Co-occurring Disorders and Veteransnet
- SAMHSA’s Military Families Effort
- Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program
- Veterans Crisis Line and 1-800-273-8255
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