86.6 million American adults faced mental illness or substance use disorder in 2024, according to new federal data. While adolescent mental health showed small signs of improvement, adult substance misuse and marijuana addiction surged.
Key Facts:
- 86.6 million American adults experienced either mental illness or substance use disorder in 2024.
- 23% of adults—61.5 million—reported a mental illness, unchanged from 2021.
- Substance misuse rose, with 25.5% of those aged 12+ using illicit drugs, up from 22.2% in 2021.
- Marijuana use increased from 19% in 2021 to 22.3% in 2024; 20.6 million had marijuana use disorder.
- Despite some positive shifts among adolescents, nearly 3 out of 5 adults still reported substance use.
The Rest of The Story:
A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) paints a complex picture of America’s behavioral health.
Based on a national survey of 70,000 people aged 12 and older, the 2024 data shows persistent mental health challenges and a surge in drug use, especially marijuana.
Among adults, mental illness remained widespread at 23%—the same level seen in 2021.
That translates to over 61 million Americans.
Suicide attempt rates also remained steady, with 2.2 million adults trying to take their own lives in 2024.
There were some bright spots among adolescents.
Major depressive episodes dropped from 20.8% in 2021 to 15.4% in 2024.
Suicide attempts among teens aged 12 to 17 declined from 3.6% to 2.7%.
However, nearly 1 in 5 adolescents still showed signs of generalized anxiety.
The most alarming data came from the substance abuse section. Overall substance use climbed, driven largely by marijuana.
Illicit drug use rose from 22.2% to 25.5% among Americans aged 12 and older.
Marijuana use disorder grew as well, impacting more than 20 million people.
SAMHSA official Art Kleinschmidt said the data helps guide solutions and supports “President [Donald] Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again.”
Commentary:
The numbers speak for themselves.
When nearly a third of American adults are suffering from mental illness or battling substance abuse, it reveals a deep fracture in our society.
This isn’t just a public health crisis—it’s a national emergency with long-term consequences.
Our culture has normalized substance use to a dangerous degree.
Marijuana, once treated with caution, is now widely accepted and even glamorized.
But the data show that more users are developing disorders, and more teens are getting hooked.
Legalization may have removed the stigma, but it didn’t eliminate the risk.
Meanwhile, mental health remains stagnant.
For all the talk about awareness and destigmatization, real outcomes haven’t improved.
Millions are still suffering. Millions more can’t access or afford the care they need.
The teenage data, while showing improvement, still points to a generation under stress.
Anxiety and depression are embedded into youth culture like never before.
Social media, isolation, and academic pressures all play a role.
Treating symptoms isn’t enough—we need to go after the root causes.
This crisis didn’t emerge overnight. It’s the result of years of neglect, bad policy, broken families, and cultural decay.
Now we’re living with the consequences: a nation self-medicating, spiraling further away from health, purpose, and responsibility.
But there’s reason to hope. We have a chance to turn things around.
With Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now heading Health and Human Services, there’s a new level of competence and seriousness we haven’t seen in decades.
Unlike his predecessors, Kennedy has been outspoken about the dangers of pharmaceutical overreach, addiction, and mental health neglect.
We believe Kennedy understands the stakes. He has the credibility and the resolve to take on the powerful interests that profit from this crisis.
If there’s ever been a time to focus the full weight of government on healing the country, it’s now.
Let’s hope this report becomes the spark for real change. The status quo is unsustainable.
America’s future depends on the health of its people.
The Bottom Line:
The new SAMHSA data confirms what many already sense—America is not well.
Mental illness and substance abuse are widespread, persistent, and in some areas worsening.
While some youth indicators improved, the overall trends demand urgent national attention.
With RFK Jr. now leading HHS, there’s renewed hope that someone might finally take this crisis seriously.
Let’s hope that “Make America Healthy Again” becomes more than a slogan—it must become a mission.
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