Opiate Addiction Up, Cocaine Addiction and Meth Addiction Down in Ohio
According to the Chillicothe Gazette, the use of opiates like prescription drugs and heroin is increasing in Ohio while the use of cocaine and methamphetamine, based on a new epidemiological report called “Surveillance of Drug Trends in the State of Ohio.” This upward trend of prescription drug abuse especially is one that is echoing throughout the country.
The Plan to Fight Drug Addiction in Ohio
Angela Dawson is the director of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services. She said: “While we are encouraged to see a downward trend with cocaine and methamphetamine use, we continue to maintain concern with the alarming proliferation of prescription drug abuse and the relatively high availability of heroin. Our goal must, at all times, be to help reduce the stigma that underlies the disease of addiction, no matter the drug of choice, so as to ensure prevention, treatment and recovery support services remain well-funded and accessible to all who need them.”
Prescription Drug Addiction Rising
Prescription drug abuse, especially prescription pills, is increasingly more common due in part to its ease of access, especially to younger people. The most popular in Ohio include Opana, oxycodone, hydrocodone, Xanax, Piperazine, Ritalin and Adderall.
Dave Webber is a crime prevention specialist and he says that his concern is for the growing abuse of and addiction to oxycodone and OxyContin specifically, because it is a drug that seems to affect multiple generations of users and can be deadly. Oxycodone overdose and emergency room visits that involve the use of OxyContin are increasingly common in Ohio and across the country.
Heroin Addiction Stays Level
In some parts of Ohio, heroin addiction decreased slightly but in other parts, there was a significant shift in the numbers in the other direction. Across the country, this seems to be the same consensus: heroin addiction has basically stayed the same.
Ecstacy addiction, too, remained high but unchanged compared to past studies.
Crack, Cocaine and Meth Addiction Decreasing
Except for highly populated urban areas, there is a general downward trend in crack and powder cocaine use. For example, both are still seen in overdose deaths, crime and emergency room reports in Columbus, Ohio like other urban centers across the country.
In suburban and rural areas, however, crystal meth has historically been a problem. But perhaps due to the move of certain over the counter drugs used as an ingredient to make the crystal meth and a crackdown by local law enforcement on meth labs, there has been a huge downturn in the use of the drug.
Webber says: “The use of meth labs has slowed down.”
Find the whole report on drug abuse and addiction trends in Ohio online.
Tags: crack addiction, crystal-meth-addiction, heroin addiction, opiate addiction, Prescription Drug Addiction
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