WHAT IS ADDICTION?

Science has shown that addiction or substance use disorder is a brain disease that responds well to treatment. Research provides a better understanding of how drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and other chemical substances affect the brain. NAADAC supports continued research and is a powerful advocate for policies improving the understanding of - and financial support for - prevention and treatment of addiction.

Addiction is the number one public health issue in the United States today. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 22.1 million people aged 12 or older needed treatment for a substance use disorder in 2010. Of those 22.1 million people - almost 10% of the US population - only 2.6 million (11.2 percent of those who needed treatment) received the care they needed. Our mission is to lead, unify and empower addiction-focused professionals to achieve excellence through education, advocacy, knowledge, standards of practice, ethics, professional development, and research.