Healthy Communities

Substance Misuse Education and Prevention

What is substance misuse?

Substance misuse is the use of illegal drugs, alcohol, prescription, or over-the-counter medication in a way that could be harmful or in a way that they are not intended to be used. A substance can be defined as anything that you put into your body that alters how your brain functions. The misuse of substances regularly can alter the way the brain functions. Commonly misused substances include:

Substance Misuse Education and Prevention

Substance misuse is a serious public health issue in Arkansas. According to provisional data from the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) Vital Statistics, in 2021, there were 628 drug overdose deaths in Arkansas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 841,000 people have died in the United States since 1999 from a drug overdose. The Substance Misuse Education and Prevention Section at the Arkansas Department of Health was established in the fall of 2017 to help address the opioid epidemic and substance misuse. This section is funded through grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 

Reports

Substance Misuse Data Dashboards

2023

2022: 

Education and Prevention Programs

Resources

Office Address Phone Fax
Substance Misuse & Injury Prevention 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 10
Little Rock, AR  72205
501-683-0707 501-682-0427

Public Health Accrediation Board
Arkansas Department of Health
© 2017 Arkansas Department of Health. All Rights Reserved. www.healthy.arkansas.gov
4815 W. Markham, Little Rock, AR 72205-3867
1-800-462-0599