South Dakota Drug Statistics and Facts

• The alcohol problem in South Dakota, is a male, white dominated problem. The majority of these people are aged between 18 to 25 and most of this use not just alcohol but also another type of substance.
• Cocaine is used in both powdered and Crack form, with Crack Cocaine presenting a problem, in South Dakota. Most Cocaine users (Crack or powdered) are between 31 to 40 years old.
• Over half of all Heroin users, in South Dakota, are between 36 to 45 years old. However, over half of all Marijuana users are between 12 to 20 years old.
• The suicide rate due to alcohol abuse among White South Dakota residents, is similar to the U.S. White suicide rates between 1999 and 2006, but the age-adjusted death rate from suicide with the Native American population is significantly higher (2.0 times) compared to the South Dakota White population.
• In 2010, there were 14,615 people who entered drug and alcohol rehabilitation in South Dakota, 72.1 percent of those that entered alcohol and drug treatment were males and 27.9 percent were females.
• South Dakota has 1 of the highest, if not the highest rate in the U.S. with respect to the percent of alcohol-related offenses compared to all offenses.
• There were a total of 4 deaths in 2012 due to alcohol related motor vehicle crashes, between the ages 13 to 19 years old, in South Dakota.
• Between 2006 and 2012, there were 61 deaths, and 730 injuries in South Dakota due to alcohol related motor vehicle crashes.
• 69% of South Dakota high school students had 1 or more drinks of alcohol, 1 or more days during their life, according to the 2011 South Dakota Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
• In 2006 and 2007 more than one-half of all offenses in South Dakota were alcohol-related offenses (such as DUI, liquor laws, drunkenness, etc.).
• The Journal of Studies on Alcohol says that nearly 75% of South Dakota teens living in permissive homes say they drank heavily in 9th grade. Only 8% of children from non-permissive homes said the same. Results were similar for 11th graders, 74% and 27%, respectively.
• In 2008, 39.7 percent of all accident fatalities, in South Dakota, were alcohol-related, and 659 persons were injured in alcohol-related crashes.
• From 2006 to 2008, in South Dakota, drug arrests have steadily increased for prescription drug violations. There were 44 arrests for the narcotic Vicodin/Hydrocodone in 2006. By 2008, arrests had risen to 120.
• For the years 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, South Dakotas percent for all ages for alcohol abuse or dependence, 9.4%, 10.0%, and 9.6% are higher than the national averages of 7.7%, 7.7%, and 7.6% respectively.
• In 2011, 59% of drug treatment admissions in South Dakota were for Marijuana, and 21% were for stimulants, including Meth.
• South Dakota ranked within the highest percentage of people abusing illegal drugs or dependent upon alcohol in 2006.
• For persons age 12 and older, binge drinking was higher in South Dakota than the national percent in all age groupings. In 2006 and 2007, the largest difference was found in the age group 18 to 25 where 53.0 percent of South Dakotans report binge alcohol use in the previous month compared to 42.0 percent nationally.
• The percentage for South Dakota for any illegal drug abuse or dependence was less than the national average across all age groups for 2006 and 2007.
• South Dakota percentages for alcohol dependence ranked high for the national average In 2010, and 11,319 people entered substance abuse treatment in South Dakota
• There were 357 South Dakota residents who were admitted for treatment of Opiate prescription drugs while 52 percent of those admitted were female.