A new study by financial company WalletHub just revealed the most — and least — drug addicted states in the U.S.
According to the study, New Mexico is the most drug-infested state in the country, and its teenagers are sadly ranked the most addicted.
The study found that Arkansas ranked second overall, citing concerns centered around youth exposure to drugs, limited access to support services, and a high number of opioid prescriptions.
A surprise find, Alaska was ranked third, citing the second-highest number of overdose deaths nationwide and the sixth-highest year-over-year increase in those fatalities. Nearly 30 percent of students reported being offered, sold or given illegal drugs on school property, the ninth-highest rate in the country.
As for the states with the least drug addiction problems?
Utah ranked lowest in all categories, with Florida and Minnesota second and third from the bottom, according to the report.
In order to determine which states have the biggest drug problems, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia in three overall categories — drug use and addiction; law enforcement arrests and convictions; and drug health issues, including mental and physical rehab
They broke it down further using 20 factors for each state, such as number of opioid prescriptions, drug arrests and overdose deaths.
“Drug problems can start from multiple sources, like taking illegal substances with friends of getting hooked on a prescription that was originally given for a legitimate medical issue,” said Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst.
“As states fight drug addiction, they need to consider all angles and make sure they are not just addressing things from a law enforcement perspective but also providing the resources necessary to help people with addictions get clean.”
Other notable findings included:
Teenage drug use:
- New Mexico ranked highest, followed by Maine, Vermont, Delaware and Massachusetts.
Lowest drug addiction problems:
- Utah ranked as the state with the lowest drug addiction problems, behind South Dakota, Iowa, Wyoming and Texas.
Drug use among adults:
- Vermont had the highest percentage of those who had used drugs in the past month, followed by New Mexico, Maine, Washington, D.C. and Oregon. Utah again ranked lowest, along with Texas, Wyoming, Iowa and Alabama. Vermont’s adult drug use rate is reported as being twice that of Utah’s.
Overdose deaths:
- West Virginia recorded the highest overdose death rate per capita in the country, followed by Alaska, the District of Columbia, Washington and New Mexico.
- Nebraska had the lowest rate of overdose deaths, with South Dakota, Iowa, Arkansas and North Dakota also among the states with the fewest overdose deaths.