Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs in Arkansas
The rates of substance abuse and addiction in Arkansas are similar to the rates across the United States. Even so, the abuse of opioid pain relief medications and meth in this state outpaces the country by far. This is why there are so many addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs for all types of addiction in Arkansas.
With more than 3 million residents, Arkansas is like any other large state in the sense that it has been fighting the drug war for a long time. Today, it works extra hard to try and help its residents overcome their addictions.
If you have a member of your family or a friend who is struggling with alcohol or drug abuse, you should keep in mind that addiction rehabilitation programs and services are available all through Arkansas.
Substance Abuse In Arkansas
According to recent research, Arkansas ranks somewhat low on the national stage for drunk driving and alcohol abuse. Even so, it still ranks highly for the use of methamphetamines and prescription medications.
In fact, it is estimated that close to 2.5 percent of the entire population of Arkansas is addicted to these illicit substances. In particular, these people tend to abuse the following drugs on a frequent basis:
- Heroin
- Marijuana
- Methamphetamines
- Prescription opioid medications like morphine and OxyContin
In fact, this state has the 2nd highest rate of opioid prescriptions in the United States. By 2016, for instance, there were 114.6 prescriptions of these drugs for every 100 people. This is in start comparison to the national average of 66.5 opioid prescriptions for every 100 people the same year.
According to the 2010 NSSATS by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), the 62 addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers in Arkansas had close to 4,000 people enrolled for ongoing therapy.
- 14 centers were primarily focused on providing mixed treatment - or dual diagnosis treatment - for people struggling with both a substance use disorder and a co-occurring mental health disorder; they had 1,444 patients enrolled
- 33 of these facilities primarily focused on substance abuse treatment and had an enrollment of about 1,800 patients
- 49 of these centers provided their services for 562 people patients struggling alcohol use disorders only
- 53 addiction treatment centers focused on rehabilitating 1,350 people just for drug abuse
- 53 facilities focused on treating 2,024 people struggling with both drug and alcohol abuse
Commonly Abused Substances In Arkansas
But which are the most commonly abused substances in this state? Before jumping into this list of the most commonly abused drugs in Arkansas, consider the following statistics on substance use in the state:
TEDS reported that the state ranked 25th nationally in terms of the number of drug overdoses in 2013 - at 12.5 individuals for every 100,000.
BHB reported that more than 70,000 people in Arkansas abused or were dependent on illicit drugs in 2013.
In 2013, a single day count found that 5,927 people were enrolled in addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs or centers across Arkansas; of this number, 53% were seeking treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, 31.3 percent for drug abuse related problems only, and 15.7 percent were getting treated for an alcohol use disorder only
From 2005 to 2013, the total number of people in Arkansas who were receiving treatment services for illicit substance abuse was higher than the total average for the United States; close to 78.5 percent of those who abused illicit substances during this period never received any form of ongoing treatment or rehabilitation
1. Alcohol Addiction
The SCS in Arkansas reported that the state suffered 176 fatalities related to alcohol in 2010. The TEDS report by SAMHSA also noted that fewer than 305 people per every 100,000 checked into addiction treatment centers with alcohol as their primary substance of abuse in 2011.
The Behavioral Health Barometers (BHB) released by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) on the state profile for Arkansas, more than 124,000 people above the age of 12 years abused or were dependent on alcohol in any given year from 2009 to 2013. This report was released in 2014. Of these people, 132,000 were adults over the age of 12 years who reported that they drank alcohol heavily from 2012 to 2013.
2. Marijuana Addiction
In 2011, fewer than 123 individuals in every 100,000 enrolled into a treatment center citing that a marijuana addiction. Even so, 1 out of every 4 people in the state between the ages of 18 and 25 smoked the drug in 2013. Marijuana was also ranked among the top 3 drugs responsible for arrests for possession. This is according to the Arkansas State Legislature Report for 2014.
3. Amphetamine Addiction
The abuse of amphetamines has been growing in this state. In 2008, for instance, more than 4334 people enrolled into a rehab center to receive treatment for an amphetamine addiction. Even so, this figure excludes the rising numbers of people who continue losing the battle to methamphetamine abuse and addiction. For example, 10 percent of all the addiction treatment cases in Arkansas in 2010 were related to methamphetamines.
4. Prescription Drugs
Between 36 and 77 people in every 100,000 people were admitted into a treatment center for issues related to the abuse of prescription drugs in 2011. The Arkansas Drug Control Update also reports that the state ranked top 10 in the country for the abuse of pain relief medications for non-medical reasons from 2010 to 2011. This was among people who were above the age of 12 years.
5. Cocaine Addiction
The abuse of cocaine in this state is below the national average for the United States. However, a government report from 2007 states that this form of substance abuse is high among people between the ages of 18 and 25.
6. Heroin
TEDS reports that Arkansas saw a drop in the total number of people checking into rehab centers for the abuse of heroin - especially from 2009 to 2011. This shows that the rates of heroin abuse are also dropping, particularly when you consider that most people who abuse it do so alongside cocaine.
Drug Court Statistics, Injuries, And Fatalities In Arkansas
According to the State Crash Summary for 2010, it was reported that Arkansas:
- Endured 9 boating accidents out of a total of 72 linked to drugs and alcohol as the main contributing factor; 3 of these accidents proved fatal
- Enjoyed a success rate of 87% of all the people involved with the criminal justice system remaining drug free after they completed a court ordered addiction treatment program - which is in start comparison to the 50% who were on probation
- Experienced over 4,000 crashes related to drugs and/or alcohol
- Had 79 court programs related to drugs, 43 drug courts for adults, 13 for juvenile offenders, 9 for DWI charges, 5 for swift legal action, 3 for veterans, only 1 hope court, 2 mental health courts, 4 domestic violence courts, 1 misdemeanors drug court, and 1 smart sentencing court
- Saw 261 fatalities related to alcohol and drugs
- Saw over 2312 people participating in an adult drug court in the state in 2013
- The top criminal offense for admission into the DOC rose from controlled substances and narcotics violations
Addressing Addiction In Arkansas
With so many drug related problems, it comes as no surprise that Arkansas has been making headways to fight the drug war. In particular, the state does this by running a number of outreach and awareness programs, such as:
a) Prescription for Life
This is an interactive program created by the office of the Attorney General of Arkansas. It is designed to educate high school students in the state about the dangers and adverse consequences of substance abuse.
The program was launched in 2017 and it is designed to control, decrease, and potentially put a stop to the drug menace in the state. It targets high school students because a recent report showed that 40% of them admitted to experimenting with prescription drugs.
This is an education program and it is provided free of charge for all schools in the state.
2. Take Back Days
This program was also started by the office of the Attorney General of Arkansas. Take Back Days provides mobile units for collecting prescription drugs in 75 countries within the state.
The program works in tandem with law enforcement officials. Through it, the state collects unused prescriptions and OTC (over the counter) medications that have been voluntarily surrendered by local residents.
It is part of the larger Monitor, Secure, and Dispose program. The days of collection are hosted twice every year - in the fall and in the spring - and the collected drugs are disposed of in ways that are friendly to the environment.
Addiction Treatment In Arkansas
If you are struggling with addiction in Arkansas, know that help is at hand. You can find an accredited and licensed addiction treatment and rehabilitation center to help you detox safely, receive the medications you need, participate in ongoing therapy, and learn how to prevent yourself from relapsing.
