Alcohol is the most common substance of abuse used by individuals who are homeless. Alcohol is a top substance of abuse for the homeless population due to it being easily available and cheap to buy. Mini bottles of alcohol can be found in liquor stores and sometimes in convenience stores for as little as $1.50.
Other drugs that are commonly sold on the street, like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, can also be significant drugs of abuse. Injection drug use, like that of heroin, cocaine, and meth, contributes significantly to homeless individuals with HIV and AIDS, and hepatitis. The use of shared needles, along with the high that these drugs give, usually results in unsafe sex and other risky behaviors. Other drugs abused by homeless people might also include synthetic cannabinoids, such as “spice.”  While it may be thought of as a legal alternative to marijuana and easily obtained in shady convenience stores, spice is highly addictive and can cause adverse side effects, like rapid heart rate, suicidal thoughts, and overdose. Death is a possibility also. Tobacco use disorders may be common among homeless individuals. The strategy to address the complications associated with the high rate of substance use disorders in homeless individuals is not an easy one.Better access to quality mental health care treatment for this group and access to affordable housing could go a long way in addressing the situation.  Providing job skills training for these individuals has been proposed to decrease substance abuse.Other proposals, such as community injection site programs, have been proposed to control the spread of disease related to needle sharing among this segment of the population.