Substance use disorders are significant contributors to disability and mortality in the United States and across the globe (Figure 1 and Figure 2). According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Education, tobacco smoking, alcohol use, and illicit drug use caused approximately 10.2 million deaths globally in 2010, with the majority being due to smoking (7 million deaths) and alcohol (3 million deaths) use [1]. In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 70 million individuals use tobacco products, 75 million individuals engage in heavy or binge drinking, and 22 million individuals aged 12 or over engage in some illicit drug use on a monthly basis. Over 400,000 premature deaths yearly are due to medical disorders directly attributable to the effects of smoking, including heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer. Similarly, each year, 100,000 premature deaths are attributable to the downstream effects of alcohol, including deaths from both accidents and chronic illness such as cirrhosis [2].
