Oregon Drug Statistics Drug Abuse a Major Concern

When drug abuse becomes a concern for any location in the United States, there are many things that begin to become apparent within the area. Of the things that are noticeable with drug use there is the violence, arrests, crime, death and broken families and communities. One thing that typically lets people know when it is time to be concerned are the drug statistics within their state. This is why surveys are done and reports are given each year to tell the amount of use and drug activity that is going on in any given area. The Oregon drug statistics tell of a high amount of use and distribution of illegal drugs throughout the state which is a major reason for local police and residents to be concerned.

While all types of drugs are present and abused in the state of Oregon, some are more present that others. Drugs such as meth and marijuana pose pretty big threats to the state as they are widely used and sold to Oregon residents. Additionally, heroin, cocaine and prescription drugs that are obtained illegally are ravishing the state of Oregon and adding to the Oregon drug statistics. Prescription drug threats have actually risen in the last few years and the abuse of these pills is starting to make a trend of itself not just in Oregon but in the nation too. Drug treatment admissions for prescription drug abuse grew by over 350% from 2000 until 2009. The reports dont stop with prescription drug use either. Oregon has a drug abuse problem in general that is greater than that of the entire nation. As reported from 2006 and 2007 Oregon was in the top five states which had a very significant number of people having used drugs within the previous 30 days of the survey.

Drug abuse is a very serious threat to any state because it brings with it so much trauma and devastation. Residents in Oregon face deaths directly linked to drug abuse in great numbers. During 2009, there were 213 deaths involving drug use. Heroin held the spot for the largest number of drug fatalities in the state with 127 during 2009. Following heroin was meth with 87. Although some counties in Oregon see greater numbers of drug deaths than others, they are still present in every county throughout the state.

Drugs find their way into Oregon when they are transported by drug trafficking groups. Mexican drug trafficking rings are the most commonly seen not only in Oregon but in the entire nation due to the amount of drugs they smuggle across the border of Mexico and the large network of cartel members that they have stationed throughout the U.S. Once the drugs are transported into the state by means of private cars, public buses and delivery services, they find their way onto the streets when they are sold in wholesale amounts to local gang members and drug dealers. The local gangs then sell the drugs at retail prices on the streets to the Oregon residents which further adds to the Oregon drug statistics.

Drug dealers do not care who they sell to and not even children are safe from the destruction of drugs. As a matter of fact, children are often targeted by drug dealers and gang members to buy the drugs. Many times, the young are even recruited to distribute the drugs on the streets of Oregon. This leaves many parents in fear of letting their children outside their homes or letting them participate in outdoor activities.

Schools are also often the target of many drug dealers. Schools typically have drug free zones and strive to keep their environments drug free by promoting awareness to the kid. However, this does not always work as the drug dealers will base themselves on school propertys and even convince school students to sell their drugs inside the schools for them.

Parents should be highly aware of what their kids are doing when they are not at home. They should actively speak to their children about the dangers of drugs and drug activity so that there is an increased awareness throughout the communities. Teens are increasingly using drugs in Oregon. As a result, it is important to prevent a future generation of drug abusers by promoting a drug free lifestyle while the Oregon residents are still young.

It may not be easy to accept that your loved one is an abuser of illegal drugs however, the first step in them getting the help they need is for you, them and the community to admit that there is a problem. This is an important step in the recovery process because you cannot begin to fix a problem that no one recognizes as a problem. The next step in drug recovery is to participate in a drug treatment program. Many times it is easier for a loved one to accept that there is a drug problem then for the abuser themselves which makes it hard for the abuser to take the steps needed for recovery. This is when a loved one must step in with a drug intervention and make sure that the loved one goes to the drug treatment center to get the help they need.

There is no reason to be ashamed of having a loved one who is abusing drugs. You should take the steps necessary to help them quit using the drug so that they can live a better life. This means providing support and additional resources they may need during their drug recovery. Let them know that they are not alone nor will they be at any point during their recovery. This is the goal of drug treatment centers in Oregon. With dedicated staff, professional doctors, counselors and other recovering drug abusers, the addict is able to have plenty of support that can aid them in getting drug free and lessen the chances that they will ever relapse by providing after care programs and support groups so that they can enjoy the rest of their lives without the need for drugs.