Statistics About Substance Abuse In Nashville and Available Help for Addiction

Like any other metropolitan area in the United States, Nashville has its share of substance abuse. Below you’ll find some facts and figures about alcohol and drug abuse in the area, as well as some resources to get the help you need. 

We’ve compiled a list of some of the most relevant facts and figures so you can understand how Nashville shapes up compared to other places in the country. But perhaps more importantly, we’ve also compiled a list of places you can get help for alcohol and other substance abuses in the area, should you or a loved one need them. 

And please remember, at Southeast Addiction Rehab Centers, we are always here to help. We have locations in Tennessee and Georgia to serve both you and your loved ones. We offer many services for addiction treatment such as: 

  • A Residential Detox Program
  • Partial Hospitalization Program
  • And An Intensive Outpatient program

Plus many more services to make your journey to recovery as comfortable and effective as possible. 

Read on for more addiction resources in the Nashville Area. 

Nashville Substance Abuse Statistics

In the Nashville area, there are more than 200,000 people that have reported using illegal  drugs within the past year, according to a report from the National Survey On Drug Use and Health. This accounts for more than 18 percent of the population in the area, and is higher than the rates for the state of Tennessee and the United States. 

In 2018, opioids killed more than 1300 people that year alone, marking this one of the greatest threats to the community. 

According to the same study, “In the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin MSA, an annual average of 218,000 persons aged 12 or older used any illicit drug in the past year. This represents 18.1 percent of the MSA population and is higher than the rates for the State of Tennessee (14.5 percent) and the Nation as a whole (14.7 percent). The rate of marijuana use in the past year was 13.8 percent, which was also higher than the rates in Tennessee and the Nation. The rate of nonmedical use of prescription-type pain relievers in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin MSA was 6.4 percent, which was similar to the rate in the State of Tennessee and the rate nationally.”

According to a study from the Metro Nashville Public Health Administration, “In 2021 there were 712 suspected drug overdose deaths [In Nashville/Davidson County], representing a 15% increase compared to 2020, where 621 overdose deaths were reported.

Seventy-four percent of overdose-related toxicology reports in 2021 detected fentanyl, a synthetic opioid pain reliever that has been the main driver in the increased number of drug overdose deaths in Nashville.”

In plain language, this means, like much of the rest of the United States, Fentanyl is driving overdose deaths at a disproportionate rate. 

NARCAN in Nashville

NARCAN, a drug generally administered as a spray in the nose, can block the effects of an opioid overdose and save the lives of those who are experiencing them. NARCAN training and distribution is handled officially by anti-drug coalitions in Tennessee. The anti-drug coalition providing NARCAN and training in its use is called Nashville Prevention Partnership. 

They can be reached at (615) 973-3323.

AA Meetings In Nashville

A list of all Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in greater Nashville can be found here:

https://aanashville.org/wp/meetings/

Other resources for Alcoholics Anonymous can also be found on the Nashville AA website. 

NA Meetings In Nashville

A list of all Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Nashville and anywhere in the U.S. can be found on AA’s website:

https://www.aa.org/

Hospitals In Nashville: 

If you need help for an acute problem with drugs or alcohol, such as an overdose, a hospital is likely your best option. This is a non-exhaustive list of hospitals in the Nashville Area. If you or someone you know is in a life threatening situation, please call 911. 

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville 37232

615-322-5000

Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital

2000 Church St., Nashville 37236

615-284-5555

Tristar Centennial Medical Center

2300 Patterson St., Nashville 37203

615-342-1000

Kindred Hospital

1412 County Hospital Road, Nashville 37218

615-687-2600

Get Care For Your Drug Or Alcohol Addiction In Nashville

If you are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction in Nashville, please call us at any time at 888-918-8263 and we can help you get on the road to recovery. We offer many services for people recovering from drug and alcohol abuse in the Nashville area, including inpatient rehabilitation services and wrap around services. 

We want to stress that help is out there. We are absolutely confident that, with appropriate help, you or your loved ones can recover from drug or alcohol addiction. We pride ourselves on helping our patients every day, and we believe we can likely help you too. 

Call today to get on the road to recovery and back to leading a healthy and happy life free from substances.