Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health
Population Health Research Brief Series
Adult ADHD is Linked to Higher Illicit Drug Use and Prescription Drug Misuse
Andrew S. London, Kevin M. Antshel, Joshua Grove, Iliya Gutin, and Shannon M. Monnat
October 2025
Abstract
Adolescents and young adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are more likely than their peers without ADHD to use illicit drugs and misuse prescription drugs.
This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the National Wellbeing Survey (NWS) to describe differences in lifetime and past-year use of 7 illicit drugs (marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and hallucinogens) and misuse of 4 categories of prescription medications (opioids, tranquilizers, sedatives, and stimulants) between U.S. adults ages 18-64 with and without self-reported healthcare provider-diagnosed ADHD in 2023.
The authors find that adults with ADHD are 1.6 to 3.3 times more likely to report past-year illicit drug use or prescription drug misuse, net of demographic factors.
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