Vast Majority Agree That Addiction Is a Serious Issue in the United States Today

Washington, DC, January 23, 2020 — A new Ipsos poll on addiction finds that a quarter of Americans know someone they encounter while going about their daily life that is currently struggling with addiction (26%). This is followed by the number of Americans who say they have family members (22%), friends (19%), and acquaintances (18%) who have this problem Only 8% say they struggle with addiction themselves. Adults without a college degree are significantly more likely to have family members, friends, and acquaintances that are currently struggling with addiction than adults that have a college degree. Respondents with a college degree are more likely to be in treatment or ongoing therapy than respondents without a college degree (45% and 32% respectively).

Of the substances listed, 36% say that the people they know with addiction issues are addicted to alcohol, followed by opioids/narcotics (19%), cocaine/methamphetamine (17%), and prescription drugs (16%). Another 15% report that the people they know with addiction issues are addicted to more than one substance.

As a result of their addiction, nearly half report that their friends, acquaintances, and family members have been imprisoned (47%, 47%, and 46% respectively). One in five report that their acquaintances and friends have passed away due to addiction (20% and 19% respectively).

A quarter of Americans have cut off contact with someone with addiction issues and one in 10 have financially supported someone who required assistance due to their addiction (11%). Nearly nine in 10 agree that addiction is a serious issue in the United States today (86%), and 78% agree that addiction is a disease and warrants support and treatment.

About the Study

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between January 17-21, 2020. For this survey, a sample of roughly 1,003 adults age 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 586 adults without a college degree, and 417 adults with a college degree.

The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel (see link below for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link below for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing a sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the U.S. Population using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2016 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Posthoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and education.

Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=1,003, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/-5.0 percentage points).

The poll also has a credibility interval of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points for adults without a college degree and plus or minus 5.5 percentage points for adults with a college degree.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Chris Jackson
Vice President, US
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2025
[email protected]

Kate Silverstein
Media Relations Specialist, US
Public Affairs
+1 718 755-8829
[email protected]

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