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Drug treatment centers

All you need to do is turn on the news or read articles online or in print to learn that many people within the United States are experiencing issues with both legal and illegal drugs. While some of these individuals may be what is commonly referred to as recreational users, others have serious substance abuse disorders. In these cases, it’s vital for them to obtain treatment at drug addiction centers.

The Prevalence of Marijuana Usage

Even though marijuana is legal for recreational use in several states, people throughout the country continue to obtain it for these purposes regardless of whether or not it is legal. A recent survey was released by Yahoo News and Marist College that showed approximately 35 million people in the United States are “regular users.” This was further qualified by indicating that these participants used marijuana a minimum of once or twice a month.

The Potential Effects of Prescription Painkiller Misuse

A large number of Americans aged 12 and older have misused prescription pain medication in the past and will continue to do so unless they receive drug abuse treatment. There were, for example, 20.5 million people diagnosed with substance abuse disorders in 2015. Out of this number, two million cases involved prescription pain relievers.

Fentanyl may be prescribed to some patients after surgery as well as for pain management. This synthetic opioid is stronger than morphine. In fact, studies show that it can be up to 100 times stronger.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that 11.5 million Americans misused prescription painkillers during 2016. It has also been determined that some individuals that misuse these prescriptions become heroin users. This has been found to be the case with four out of every five new heroin users.

The Relationship Between Heroin Usage and Opioid Addition

When individuals use heroin, some are more likely than others to develop an opioid addiction. Estimates indicate that this is the case with 23% of heroin users. In 2015, for example, it was determined that 591,000 individuals had a substance use disorder that involved regular heroin usage.

The Incidence of Cocaine and Methamphetamine Abuse

The National Institutes on Health issued a report on cocaine abuse. The results showed that adults between the ages of 18 to 25 were more like to abuse this drug than other age groups. While cocaine is not a methamphetamine, some individuals that use this drug may choose to also take methamphetamine. One of the reasons for this may be because effects of these drugs last longer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2015 alone, over 4,500 people died as a result of their methamphetamine abuse.

Learn About Drug Treatment Options

Drug addition centers provide a variety of treatment options to their clients. If you or someone in your family is experiencing any of the issues discussed above, contacting drug addition centers in your area can begin the recovery and rehab process. Drug abuse is a serious issue that can negatively impact entire families and communities, which is another important reason why contacting drug addition centers is essential.