The number of admissions to substance abuse treatment for cocaine and heroin abuse declined between 2004 and 2005, but the number of those seeking treatment for narcotic pain medication or methamphetamine/amphetamine increased sharply during that same time period, says a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Five substances accounted for 95 percent of all substance abuse treatment admissions in 2005 alcohol; opiates, primarily heroin; marijuana/hashish, cocaine; and stimulants, primarily methamphetamine, said SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D.  At the same time, we continue to see disturbing signs that misuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem.  Based o­n these findings, we can anticipate a growing demand over the next several years for treatment services that address prescription drug misuse. 

Too many Americans suffer from the disease of addiction, said John P. Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy. But we know that treatment works: There are millions of Americans who are successfully in recovery for drug and alcohol addiction.  At the same time, there are millions more who are still in denial about their drug problem.  We encourage families and friends of those struggling with drug addiction to learn how to recognize the symptoms of drug dependence and intervene early to help them."

After six previous years during which the proportion of heroin admissions had exceeded that of cocaine admissions, the proportion of heroin admissions fell below that of cocaine admissions, says Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) Highlights 2005. In 2004, there were 259,349 admissions to treatment for cocaine and 266,013 for heroin.  In 2005 there were 256,491 admissions for cocaine abuse and 254,345 admissions for heroin. 

The total number of people using methamphetamine/amphetamine is small relative to other illicit drugs, with approximately 1.3 million persons ages 12 or older reporting use of the drug in 2005, according to SAMHSA’s National Survey o­n Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). But the number of those seeking treatment for methamphetamine/amphetamine increased 12 percent between 2004 and 2005, the report said.  There were 151,649 admissions in 2004 rising to 169,489 in 2005.  From 1995 to 2005 there was a 172 percent increase in the number of admissions for methamphetamine/amphetamine, and the proportion of treatment admissions for methamphetamine/amphetamine rose from 4 percent to 9 percent. 

The proportion of those seeking treatment for prescription narcotic pain medication increased 9 percent between 2004 and 2005, to 64,120 admissions. Medications abused by those seeking treatment in this category included codeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, morphine, opium, oxycodone, pentazocine, propoxyphene, tramadol, and other drugs with morphine-life effects.  Between 1995 and 2005, the number of admissions for these drugs increased more than 300 percent. 

The number of those seeking treatment for marijuana abuse decreased slightly from 300,792 in 2004 to 292,250 in 2005.  Between 1995 and 2005, the number of treatment admissions for marijuana increased 70 percent.

The proportion of admissions for alcohol abuse treatment declined from 52 percent in 1995 (858,287 admissions) to 39 percent in 2005 (723,646 admissions).  Forty-five percent of primary alcohol admissions reported secondary drug abuse as well. 

Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) Highlights 2005 provides annual information o­n demographic and substance abuse characteristics of the 1.8 million annual admissions to treatment for abuse of alcohol and drugs in facilities that report to individual State administrative data systems.  TEDS does not include all admissions to substance abuse treatment. In general, TEDS includes admissions to facilities that receive State alcohol and/or drug agency funds (including Federal Block Grant funds).

Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) Highlights 2005 is available o­nline at http://oas.samhsa.gov , or by calling SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse for Alcohol & Drug Information at 1-800-729-6686 and asking for publication number SMA 07-4229.  The full TEDS report with state-by-state data will be available during the summer of 2007.