Alcohol, Drugs and the Homeless

How many homeless have substance abuse issues?

a. About 70 percent
b. About 90 percent
c. About 20 percent
d. About 40 percent














Answer:
Somewhere between c and d 20-40 percent. This number is difficult to determine because it is so difficult to find the homeless and get reasonable social statistics on them. However, it is certain that most of the homeless do not become that way due to drugs or alcohol. If a person becomes chronically homeless, the chances are much higher that he or she would become addicted to alcohol or drugs. However, a homeless person who obtains permanent housing is also likely to break that habit. More often than not, drugs or alcohol is a result of homelessness, not the other way around.