National survey of 1,076 U.S. adults, including 304 adults in recovery from opioid addiction

Drug addiction ranks second only to mental illness as top U.S. health challenge, ahead of obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes

78% of adults in recovery say elected officials are paying at least as much attention to the opioid crisis as five years ago, compared with 54% of the general public

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mobilize Recovery today announced results of a new national survey showing that drug addiction ranks among the two most serious health problems facing the country, named by 41% of the general public and 51% of adults in recovery. It trailed only mental illness and ranked ahead of obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Adults in recovery were far more likely to say elected officials are paying at least as much attention to the opioid crisis as five years ago (78% vs. 54% of the general public).

The survey segmented responses by general public (n = 772) and people in recovery from opioid addiction (n = 304) and compared both groups on the same questions. The highest rated statement for both groups was that treatment that fits an individual’s circumstances could be valuable (89% general public; 93% recovery). Also nearly unanimous was the view that patients and doctors should be able to weigh more than one treatment option (88% general public; 92% recovery). The reality was different. Among adults in recovery, 44% said a provider discussed one option or none with them, and another 10% never saw a provider.

“These findings show that too many patients still aren’t getting a real choice,” said Ryan Hampton, co-founder of Mobilize Recovery. “Nearly half of people in recovery said their provider discussed just one treatment option or none. People can’t weigh an option they never hear about. We have to do better at making sure those conversations happen.”

Where both groups further agreed:

• Stigma about medication persists in both groups and runs deepest inside the recovery community. Only 35% of the general public and 39% of people in recovery described medication for opioid addiction as a legitimate treatment for a medical condition. Roughly a third of each group saw medication as temporary, 33% of the general public and 34% of people in recovery, saying it can help but should eventually be stopped. The most critical view was more common among people in recovery, where 22% said medication “replaces one dependency with another,” compared with 15% of the general public.
• Family and medication named as the top two supports. When asked what type of support makes the biggest difference in helping someone in recovery, 26% of the general public named family support, and 19% named medication. Among people in recovery, 23% named medication and 19% said family, effectively making these two tied at the top.
• Unanimous that paperwork should not cost someone their treatment. Exactly 55% of the general public and 55% of people in recovery strongly agreed that a person actively in treatment for opioid addiction should not lose Medicaid coverage because of a paperwork or reporting error. 84% of the general public and 89% of people in recovery said maintaining coverage and continuity of care matters for someone in active treatment.

Where views differed the most:

• People in recovery want the federal response to be aimed at attitudes, not just capacity. The general public led with expanding treatment availability (60% general public; 47% recovery) and more recovery support services (56% general public; 44% recovery). People in recovery ranked increasing public understanding of addiction (35% general public; 48% recovery) and successful reentry after incarceration (24% general public; 40% recovery) much higher.
• People in recovery have a more optimistic view of the opioid crisis than the public. 44% of adults in recovery said the opioid crisis has gotten better over the past five years, versus 18% of the general public. A quarter of people in recovery (24%) said it has gotten much better, compared with 4% of the general public.
• The public may not see the insurance barriers that patients run into. Among adults in recovery who used medication, 53% said an insurer delayed or denied coverage for their treatment. Asked whether people seeking treatment usually face delays, 34% of the general public said yes and 48% said they were not sure.

“I’m encouraged that people in recovery are feeling hopeful,” Hampton continued. “When you’ve seen treatment work in your own life, you believe it can work for someone else, too. But hope is not the same as progress. More than 44,000 people died of an opioid overdose last year, and fewer than one in five people with opioid use disorder receive medication to treat it. Heading into November, policymakers have an opportunity to show how they will keep people connected to care, widen treatment choice and turn lives saved into lasting recovery.”

The findings arrive in the 50^th year of the modern recovery movement and during National Recovery Month. Mobilize Recovery will use them in its ongoing advocacy work. The findings are available in further detail here.

Survey Methodology

The national survey of U.S. adults was fielded Aug. 14–18, 2026, and included 1,076 completed interviews: 772 respondents in the general population and an oversample of 304 adults who identified as being in recovery from opioid addiction. Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) include methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone, available in different formulations and dosing approaches. Results were weighted to national benchmarks, with the general population weighted to Census (ACS) benchmarks and the recovery sample scaled to National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) prevalence estimates. The margin of error for the full sample is +/-3.7 percentage points and is larger for subgroups. Findings among adults in recovery are reported on an unweighted base of 304. The survey was commissioned by Mobilize Recovery, conducted by G2 Analytics and funded by Indivior.

About Mobilize Recovery

Mobilize Recovery is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising up the voices of people whose lives are affected by addiction. The organization empowers advocates to take direct action by providing tools, training and education. Learn more on the Mobilize Recovery website, Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, or sign up for email updates.

Media Contact
Sarah Farinelli
843-377-6610
sarah.farinelli@curastrategies.com

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SOURCE Mobilize Recovery