North Carolina Drug Statistics Tells of a High Need for Treatment Centers

The presence of drugs is nothing new to the state of North Carolina. It is something that has been an issue for quite some time and has had a significant impact on the North Carolina drug statistics for drug abuse. Mexican drug traffickers are the main source and reason for the presence of the drugs in the state. In fact, the state of North Carolina has a very high population of Hispanic residents which make it easy for Mexican drug traffickers to hide their illegal drug trafficking.

Illegal drugs and prescription pills are a very big threat to the state of North Carolina. Many illicit drugs are made, sold and abused in the state. Cocaine is the biggest threat to North Carolina and then marijuana, meth, heroin and prescription pills.

Powder cocaine is commonly cooked into a more potent form of the drug known as crack. It is crack that stands to be the greatest concern in the state of North Carolina. The reason for this is that crack is highly addictive, highly obtainable and highly dangerous. Crack is known to be linked to some very serious violent crimes. It seems that there are many people abusing crack in the state of North Carolina too. North Carolina drug statistics report that there was an increase in drug treatment admissions for crack in the amount of 21% during the 3 year period of 1996 to 1999. Additionally, there was a 12% increase in the amount of deaths related to cocaine/ crack abuse during 1999 and 2000.

Marijuana is more obtainable than cocaine and is also the mostly used drug throughout the state of North Carolina. Age has no determination for the average user either as residents of all ages abuse marijuana. The marijuana is grown outside in large cultivation sites hidden in forests and other rural areas. Marijuana is also grown indoors as well but not as frequently. Mexican drug organizations are the main source for both the growth and import of the drug into the state. However, there are other ethnic groups such as Jamaican and Caucasian that also produce and transport the marijuana.

Meth is becoming a bigger issue in North Carolina but is not as big of a threat as cocaine or marijuana. There are some places within the state that show reports of known cocaine users substituting the cocaine for meth. If this trend continues, it could lead to an overwhelming amount of residents abusing meth. Meth is mostly made in other states like California and in Mexico then shipped or transported to the state of North Carolina although, there have been North Carolina drug statistics that show a number of meth labs being busted in the state as well as an increase in those numbers. It is mainly the Mexican and Caucasian drug cartels that supply the state with wholesale amounts of the meth.

Heroin is not as big of a threat as any other drug but is still a concern to North Carolina. The reason that heroin is of a low concern is because it is not very obtainable and abuse is very low although, this is typically in any other area than in the cities. In the cities of North Carolina, heroin is more available and used. The drug has always been seen to be abused more in an older population by means of injecting the heroin through a needle into the bloodstream. However, since late in the 90s there is a stronger form of heroin that has been in circulation which is being used more by a younger generation. This purer form of heroin is typically snorted or smoked versus injected which creates a feeling of confidence in young adults that the drug is not that dangerous since, there is no risk of contracting diseases like HIV/AIDS as there is with needle use.

MDMA, hallucinogens and prescription pills are increasingly popular among the younger crowds in North Carolina. The biggest threat in this category of drugs though, is Oxycontin. Local police departments fight to keep the amount of prescription drugs from circulating in the streets by participating in fraud activities so that they can bring down large rings of prescription fraud activities although despite their efforts, there has not been very much change in the numbers for the amount of Oxycontin use or sales.

Drug addiction affects entire communities and not just the person who uses drugs. The drugs presence in communities alone brings violence, destruction and death. Still yet, many people are not aware of the high need to assess the drug problem in North Carolina. Some people think that the drug issue does not apply to them or that they have no business with the drug issue. However, these same people are in shock when they find that their loved ones are abusing drugs or that someone very close to them has died from a drug overdose. Many times, this is when someone will wake up and realize that the drug issue should be their concern but at that point it is already too late.

The most important thing that any community in North Carolina can do to fight the war on drugs, is to make everyone around them aware of what is going on. Tell your neighbor or child about the dangers of drug use/ association. Besides, if you ever find that your loved one is abusing drugs, contact your nearest drug treatment center right away.

Drug treatment centers are set up to help in the drug abuse war. Staff members at the drug treatment centers in North Carolina are dedicated individuals that understand the needs of a substance abuse patient. Counseling and support groups are available to keep the abuser focused on their recovery and there are other people there that they can relate to. It is important to catch the addiction early so that the abuser has a higher chance of escaping the drugs grips and living a fuller, brighter, more productive life without the use of drugs.