Addiction Statistics in Colorado and Denver
Data on substance use disorder, overdose rates, and treatment access in Colorado. Understanding the scope of addiction in our communities helps us respond to it.
Addiction in Colorado: Understanding the Scope
Colorado has faced significant challenges with substance use disorder over the past decade, with rates of addiction and overdose death that reflect both national trends and state-specific factors. Understanding the scale of these challenges is important not to create despair but to underscore that addiction is a widespread public health issue that affects people across all communities, backgrounds, and demographics. No community in Colorado is untouched.
The data below reflects the most recent available figures from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and related public health sources. For the most current statistics, we recommend consulting the CDPHE website directly, as this information is updated regularly.
Substance Use in Colorado
Overall Prevalence
Colorado consistently ranks among the states with higher rates of substance use compared to the national average. Rates of past-month marijuana use, alcohol use disorder, and illicit drug use in Colorado have historically exceeded national averages, a pattern that reflects both the state's culture and, in the case of marijuana, its legal status.
Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol use disorder affects a significant portion of the Colorado adult population. It is among the most underestimated substance use disorders, partly because alcohol is legal and socially normalized. However, alcohol is also responsible for a substantial portion of substance-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and deaths in Colorado each year.
Opioid Use Disorder
Colorado, like most states, has been significantly affected by the opioid crisis. Prescription opioid misuse, heroin use, and the rise of illicitly manufactured fentanyl have all contributed to an opioid overdose death rate that has increased dramatically over the past decade. Fentanyl in particular has transformed the overdose landscape, with many overdose deaths now involving people who did not knowingly use fentanyl but encountered it in other drug supplies.
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine use has increased significantly in Colorado in recent years, contributing to both addiction rates and overdose deaths. Many recent overdose deaths in Colorado involve polysubstance use, with methamphetamine and opioids found together.
Overdose Deaths in Colorado and Denver
Overdose deaths in Colorado have increased substantially over the past decade. The majority of drug overdose deaths in Colorado in recent years have involved opioids, with fentanyl present in a growing proportion of those deaths. Denver County and the surrounding metro area consistently account for a significant share of the state's overdose deaths, reflecting both population concentration and substance use patterns in urban communities.
The rate of overdose death in Colorado has in recent years exceeded the national average. This is a public health emergency that affects families across the state, from rural mountain communities to the Denver metro area.
Treatment Access and Gaps
Who Receives Treatment
Despite high rates of substance use disorder, only a fraction of people who need treatment receive it in any given year. SAMHSA data consistently shows that the large majority of people with substance use disorder do not receive any form of treatment. Barriers to treatment include cost, lack of insurance coverage, stigma, insufficient awareness of available options, and lack of local treatment capacity.
Treatment in Colorado
Colorado has a network of addiction treatment providers including residential programs, outpatient programs, and Medication-Assisted Treatment providers. However, treatment capacity has not kept pace with the scale of need, and many individuals who seek treatment face wait times or geographic barriers. Denver Recovery in Denver and Lakewood is committed to reducing these barriers by offering accessible, insurance-accepted care across multiple levels of treatment.
What These Statistics Mean
Behind every data point is a person and a family. Addiction statistics are not abstract numbers. They represent neighbors, colleagues, parents, children, and friends. The scale of the problem makes it clear that addiction is not a rare or marginal issue affecting only certain populations. It is a widespread public health challenge that deserves the same urgency, resources, and compassion as any other medical condition.
If you or someone you love is struggling with substance use in Denver, Lakewood, or anywhere across Colorado, treatment is available and recovery is possible. The statistics show the scope of the problem. They also show that many people who need help are not getting it. Denver Recovery is here to change that for the people who reach out to us.
Denver Recovery serves individuals and families in Denver, Lakewood, Aurora, Golden, Jefferson County, and across the greater Colorado region.
Frequently Asked Questions: Addiction Statistics in Colorado
How common is addiction in Colorado?
Colorado consistently has rates of substance use disorder that meet or exceed national averages, particularly for alcohol, marijuana, and opioid use. The state has experienced significant increases in overdose deaths over the past decade, with opioids including fentanyl accounting for the majority. The Denver metro area reflects broader state trends while also having specific local patterns related to urban drug markets.
What substances are most commonly misused in Denver?
Alcohol is the most commonly misused substance in Denver and Colorado overall. Opioids, including prescription painkillers, heroin, and fentanyl, have driven the overdose crisis. Methamphetamine use has increased significantly in recent years and is now frequently involved in polysubstance overdose deaths. Marijuana, though legal in Colorado, is also associated with use disorder in some individuals.
How many people seek treatment each year?
A substantial number of Colorado residents receive treatment for substance use disorder each year through a network of residential, outpatient, and MAT programs. However, this number represents only a fraction of those who need treatment. National data consistently shows that fewer than 20 percent of people with substance use disorder receive any form of treatment in a given year, and Colorado follows this pattern.
Where do these addiction statistics come from?
The statistics referenced on this page are drawn from publicly available data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For the most current data, we recommend visiting the CDPHE and SAMHSA websites directly.
Next step
Help Is Available
If you or someone you love is part of the statistics described on this page, you are not alone, and there is a path forward. Denver Recovery offers compassionate, evidence-based addiction treatment in Denver and Lakewood, Colorado. Reach out today.