Sponsors (2)
The resolution raises awareness of adolescent risk and the large unmet need and recovery population—supporting prevention and expanded treatment/recovery services—while creating pressure for increased federal spending and posing a risk of greater stigma for people who use drugs or are in recovery.
People with substance use disorders and the recovery community: Documents a very large unmet need for treatment (only ~9M treated vs ~48M with a disorder) and recognizes >23M in recovery, strengthening the case for expanded treatment access, recovery services, and continued funding.
Adolescents/children: Highlights the link between teen substance initiation and higher risk of adult misuse, supporting earlier and targeted prevention efforts for youth.
Taxpayers: The findings could be used to justify increased federal spending on prevention and treatment programs, which may raise public spending or taxes.
People who use drugs and people in recovery: Emphasizing high prevalence without contextual nuance may increase stigma toward people who use drugs or are in recovery, potentially harming their social and economic opportunities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Records 2024 factual findings on U.S. substance use, linking adolescent initiation to adult misuse and reporting national counts for binge drinking, illicit drug use, SUD, treatment, and recovery.
Official title: Supporting the designation of October 2025 as "Substance Use & Misuse Prevention Month" to raise awareness of substance use and misuse in the United States.
Introduced October 30, 2025 by John Peter Ricketts · Last progress October 30, 2025
States national factual findings about substance use in the United States for 2024, including links between adolescent initiation and later adult misuse and estimates of prevalence for binge drinking, illicit drug use, substance use disorders, treatment receipt, and recovery. It reports numeric estimates for people ages 12 and older (for example: tens of millions who binge drink, use illicit drugs, have a substance use disorder, received treatment, or are in recovery). The resolution is informational: it records statistics and a public-health conclusion rather than creating new programs, mandates, or funding. Its primary effect is to raise awareness and provide a congressional record of the scale of substance use and recovery in the U.S.