PurposeUnited States Military veterans are amongst the highest at risk for suffering from disabilities coupled with current substance use including tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol. We examined the association between using these substances and disability status among veterans in the United States. MethodsData came from n = 50,283 veterans who provided information on disability and were included in the current study using the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS). Weighted regression models were used to explore the association between disability and substance use adjusting for covariates (e.g., sex, age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation). Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. ResultsStudy sampler consists of 86.8% male and 71.3% white. About 37% (n = 20,295; extrapolated 8.4 million) reported having at least one disability. Compared to veterans with no disability, veterans with disability were more likely to smoke cigarettes (AOR=1.86; 95%CI: 1.24–2.80; P = .003), use e-cigarettes (AOR=1.99; 95%CI: 1.12–3.50; P = .0184) and be the dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes (AOR=2.69; 95%CI: 1.07–6.79; P = .0364). There were no significant differences in using smokeless tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana between the two groups (all P > .05). ConclusionsA significant number of veterans with disability were tobacco users compared to their counterparts. Also, in absolute terms, the use of other substances (alcohol and marijuana) was higher among veterans with disability though not significant in regression models. Consistent monitoring of substance uses among veterans, particularly among those with any disability is crucial. Also, long-term targeted interventions to curb substance use, especially tobacco use, among U.S. military veterans are warranted.