Shatterproof Statement on SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health Staffing Cuts
NORWALK, Conn., April 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Staff at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) responsible for conducting the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were impacted by the recent reduction in force within HHS and its component agencies. There is reason to be concerned that these changes will impede the public's ability to access important data from this survey that has been ongoing since 1971.
NSDUH provides valuable insights annually on the scope of the problem of drug use in the United States, including the types of substances used, treatments engaged, and payors involved in paying for that treatment. This data informs policymakers and market participants on unmet needs and solutions to address addiction. Nearly 49 million Americans ages 12 and older had a substance use disorder (SUD) within the past year, and the NSDUH is an invaluable source of nationally representative data on the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs and the trends and challenges driving the addiction crisis in the U.S.
HHS Secretary Kennedy and Congress have made addressing addiction a priority, and it is essential that we have a robust, best-practice national survey to inform substance use policy and treatment resources. Ideally, this should include the publication of the forthcoming NSDUH 2024 data without interruption. This will enable Congress and state and local governments to make evidence-informed decisions in the fight against addiction – one of our nation's most pressing public health challenges that take the lives of nearly 250 people a day.
'Without this single, historic measure of U.S substance use and misuse, we lose our ONLY way to monitor and manage problems that seriously affect the entire population,' said Thomas McLellan, PhD, Emeritus Professor, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and Shatterproof Scientific Advisor. 'America cannot be great if it continues to suffer from substance use disorder - and without NSDUH we will lose our major monitoring and management tool.'
As one of the leading national nonprofits focused on helping people navigate the complexities of SUD, Shatterproof urges the Trump Administration and Congress to make publication of the NSDUH a very timely priority.
About Shatterproof
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the addiction treatment system in the U.S. Shatterproof is focused on guiding society, especially families, through the complexities of a substance use disorder; informing the public on prevention, treatment and recovery from addiction; and educating the public to reduce addiction stigma to ensure that people who use substances or have a substance use disorder can live healthy and fulfilled lives. Find Shatterproof on Facebook, X and YouTube: @ShatterproofHQ or follow them on Instagram at @weareshatterproof. To learn more, visit www.Shatterproof.org.
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