A recent survey from Faces & Voices of Recovery, a national leader in the drug policy field, found that Americans’ beliefs about addiction have shifted since the survey was first conducted by the organization in 2004.
Between 2004 and 2026, the survey found that the share of Americans who said “addiction to alcohol and other drugs” was one of the top health-related issues facing the nation rose from 26% to 36%. In 2026, it ranked behind only “mental illness,” which was acknowledged by 52% of respondents. For reference, heart disease, one of the nation’s leading causes of death, was at 18%. This trend has likely been driven by the rise in drug overdose deaths.
Over this same period, the survey also found that the percentage of Americans who said addiction was primarily a personal or moral weakness decreased from 34% to 16%. Likewise, the percentage who said it was primarily a disease or health problem decreased from 49% to 40%. In turn, the percentage that said it was both equally––a personal or moral weakness, and a disease or health problem––increased from 14% to 39%.
The percentage that was concerned about a lack of treatment and recovery programs for people with a substance use disorder increased from 32% to 59%.
Notably, when asked, “if you developed a problem with alcohol and/or drug use, would you know where to go to get the help you would need?” the percentage that said yes declined from 76% in 2004 to 63% in 2026. The survey explained that “despite greater public attention to behavioral health, perceived navigation of services has not meaningfully improved and may have become more uncertain.”
The percentage that said there was a “strong stigma” toward people with addiction was largely unchanged, at 62% in 2004 and 58% in 2026. However, the survey found that stigma against workers in long-term recovery declined, with the percentage saying they would be less likely to hire a qualified applicant if they knew the applicant was in recovery declining from 27% to 13%.
The survey found that “stress, anxiety, or insecurity about work, family, or other problems” was the top reason cited by respondents for contributing to alcohol or drug use, which was also the top reason cited in 2004. In 2026, this was followed by “emotional disorders or mental illness, such as depression or fear” and “a predisposition to addiction, due to genetics or family history.”
The percentage of respondents who said they “once [had] a problem with alcohol or drug use and no longer do” increased from 7% to 31%, which the survey said suggests an “increased recognition and openness about recovery.”