Substance use can affect people in different ways, but all substances carry potential health risks that are important to understand. Short-term effects may include impaired judgment, changes in mood, increased heart rate, or slowed breathing, while long-term use can contribute to physical dependence, mental health challenges, organ damage, and other serious health concerns. The risks vary depending on the substance, the amount used, and individual factors such as age, health status, and frequency of use. Explore the resources below to learn more about specific substances, their effects, potential risks, and ways to make informed decisions about health and safety.
Substance Use Statistics
- Minnesota had one of the highest binge drinking rates in the nation in 2023, with 17% of adults reporting binge drinking.
- In Minnesota there were an estimated 2,844 alcohol-related deaths each year between 2020 and 2021, compared to 2,151 alcohol-related deaths each year during 2015 to 2019.
- In Minnesota in 2023, alcohol led to 26,082 inpatient hospitalizations and 32,879 emergency room visits for fully alcohol-attributable conditions.
- In the United States over half of people 12 and older have used illicit drugs at least once.
- In the United States 70.5 million or 24.9% of people 12 and over have used illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs within the last year.
- In the United States 64.4 million people have used tobacco or nicotine vaping products within the past month.
Our Brain & Substances
Most substances affect the brain’s reward and learning systems. Addiction is a condition where repeated substance use changes how the brain processes reward, motivation, decision-making, and other important functions. Overtime repeated substance use changes the brain. The brain’s reward system becomes less sensitive and reduces its response to dopamine. This makes everyday activities less enjoyable and often results in someone needing more of a substance to get the same effect or feeling (this is called tolerance). The brain can even associate different places, people, or emotions with substance use which can make those things become triggers. These cues or triggers can create intense feelings or cravings that are difficult to ignore.
Substances affect different people in different ways. No one thing can predict if a person will struggle with addiction. A combination of factors can put people at higher risk and increase their chances of developing a substance use disorder.
Some factors that can impact a person’s risk include:
- Genetics: people can inherit risk
- Age: The teenage brain is still developing and is generally more vulnerable to addiction
- Environment: Stress, peer influences, family dynamic, and access to substances all play a role
- Different substances have a higher potential to cause addiction than others
Overall, different biological and environmental factors interact with each other to affect a person’s likelihood of experiencing a substance use disorder.
Some of the factors that can affect someone’s risk of developing a substance use disorder are called risk and protective factors.
Risk factors include things like a family history of substance use, peer pressure, mental health challenges, trauma, and easy access to drugs or alcohol.
Protective factors such as strong family relationships, positive friendships, positive coping skills, school involvement, and community support can reduce the likelihood of substance use. While risk factors do not guarantee that someone will develop a substance use disorder, and protective factors do not eliminate all risk, they can both play an important role in shaping a person’s wellbeing.
Learn more:
- Understanding Drug Use and Addiction DrugFacts | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Risk and Protective Factors for Substance Misuse that Presents in Childhood
- Substance Use Among Youth | Reducing Health Risks Among Youth | CDC
- Why our brains are wired for addiction: What the science says
- Neuroscience: The Brain in Addiction and Recovery | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Treatment and Recovery | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
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