Substance use

Substance use disorders (SUD) affect people from all walks of life and all age groups. SUD is a treatable mental disorder that affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or addictive substances. Substances like alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine are also considered drugs. When you’re addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes.

The risk of addiction and how fast you become addicted vary by drug and person. Some drugs, such as opioid painkillers, have a higher risk and cause addiction more quickly than others.

As time passes, you may need larger doses of the drug to get high. Soon, you may need the drug to feel good. As your drug use increases, you may find that it’s increasingly difficult to go without the drug. Attempts to stop drug use may cause intense cravings and make you feel physically ill. These are called withdrawal symptoms.

The reality behind Utah's opioid addiction

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Utahns died as a result of drug overdose in 2023.
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of Utah overdose deaths involved at least one prescription opioid in 2023.
0%
of Utah overdose deaths were due to a fentanyl-related overdose in 2023.
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Utahns died from a drug overdose on average each month in 2023.
Fentanyl test strips

Fentanyl overdoses and deaths have increased over the past few years. Most people don't know it is a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

Any drug not prescribed by a licensed pharmacist could contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. Taking a few minutes to test your drug can be lifesaving. If fentanyl is detected, think twice about using your drug.

If you choose to use.

Bring the basics.

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Naloxone

Naloxone is a prescription medication used to reverse an opioid overdose. It usually works within 3-5 minutes and, depending on the device, is effective when sprayed in the nose or injected into a muscle.

Utah now has a standing order for naloxone prescriptions. This means that Utah pharmacists can now dispense naloxone without a prescription. A full list of locations offering naloxone can be found here. 

Tobacco prevention

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The Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TCPC) uses comprehensive strategies to reduce tobacco use and tobacco-related disease and death. Their primary focus is on developing strategies and implementing activities that will prevent the use of tobacco and, at the same time, implement and support activities that will control or alleviate the negative health effects of direct use or indirect exposure to tobacco.
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Designed to cater to you, we are here to provide you with tools, resources, contacts, links, and additional information that you may need to quit tobacco.

Get free tools like nicotine patches and gum to make quitting easier. Don't let sleek designs and unique flavors cloud your judgment; vaping is still addictive.

Learn More

Alcohol use and alcoholism

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Of Utah adults reported current alcohol use in 2021.
0%
Of Utah adults reported binge drinking.
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In the nation, the number of alcohol poisoning deaths.
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Utahns die from alcohol-attributable causes each year.
Alcohol misuse includes any alcohol use that puts your health or safety at risk or causes other alcohol-related problems. Alcohol use that involves uncontrolled drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol, or continued use even when it causes problems is called alcohol use disorder (AUD).
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Alcohol has been one of the most widely used substances by youth in Utah. Similar to Utah adults, in 2017, adolescents reported much lower rates of current alcohol use than the national average (8.8% of 8th, 9th, and 12th grade students compared to 19.8% nationwide). The prevalence of binge drinking among Utah youth who did drink was 50.8% compared to the national average of 57.8%.

Learn more about alcohol use