America’s LGBT community has been in the spotlight recently, especially when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

But that community faces major health challenges.

A new GHN Commentary focuses on the significant toll that substance abuse is taking on the LGBT community.

“It’s estimated that up to 33 percent of the gay and lesbian population abuses alcohol and drugs, compared to less than 10 percent of the general population,’’ write Sadie Hosley and Tina Black of Georgia Detox and Recovery Centers. “This number is even higher for transgender individuals.”

Hosley and Black recommend how health care providers can help this population.

Here’s a link to their Commentary.

Georgia Health News welcomes Commentary submissions. If you would like to propose a Commentary piece for Georgia Health News, please email Andy Miller, editor of GHN, at amiller@georgiahealthnews.com