Each and every state has its own drug-related problems, but in Arizona, drugs can be obtained much easier due to the state bordering a country that provides a continuous stream of these straight into the United States. It is apparent that in the last few years Arizona has become one of the top states in the U.S. posing with this issue and raising the number of people who will use: meth, marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. While the issue grows every year, so do numerous drug and alcohol rehab facilities within the state’s communities to help certain individuals recover from their drug addiction. Take a look at some of the analysis reports and statuses about Arizona’s ever-growing drug problem.
In a report that was released in 2009, there were 105,000 shipment seizures all containing marijuana and in 2010 that number had increased to 119,000. An analysis by the Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base reported that Arizona rated at 8.9% for marijuana usage and it may not seem much, but the national average was reported at 6.3%. Marijuana usage in Arizona was 2.6% higher than the nation’s average. In 2011 the United States Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center published a journal that was called “Arizona High-Density Drug Trafficking Area – Drug Market Analysis 2011”. The publication focused on Arizona’s ever-growing rise on drug trafficking, drug users, and sellers. One report in the publication stated that heroin seizures increased from 2009 at 190 to 263 a year later. Knowing this information puts almost all the state’s residents in daily exposure to the possibility of drug addictions and drug-related issues.
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported that the state’s accidental drug overdose deaths are rising every year beginning in 2003. The report included not only illegal drugs but also legal prescription medicines. In 2010 to 2011, the state was reported that it contained the sixth highest level of prescription medicine abuse compared to the nationwide result. This report resulted in the state creating an anti-drug abuse program within its communities, but in a recent study by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the programs were proven weak. The study stated that 5.66% of the state’s residents were misusing prescription drugs being compared once more to the national rate of 4.57%. This study was based on residents ages 12 and up.
Due to the rising drug problem every year in Arizona, many of its high school districts have added a voluntary substance abuse program to help students recover from their individual addiction and to also prevent the other students from ever attaining any drug habit. By adding the program to the state’s high school districts it helps to move forward in strengthening the anti-drug abuse program within its communities. While small recovery programs are working their way up to prevent more drug abuse in the state, it is the prestigious rehab centers that have risen in Arizona that are beginning to pull together the anti-drug movement for the state.
With the ability to easily access drugs for the residents of Arizona, it becomes even easier for them to turn into drug addicts. They become different people and turn their families’ lives upside down. That’s when Arizona’s anti-drug movement comes into play to help these people and the state recover. For many of these users, it will take more than just a community program to help them. Rather, they would need to enter one of Arizona’s treatment centers. One of these being The River Source.
For Arizona to start recovering from its drug problems, it must help lessen its drug users. This can only happen if these users are intervened by their friends, family, and even a community to tell them that they have a drug addiction problem that needs to be treated. For one to turn their life around and focus on getting sober from using illegal or prescription drugs is a big jump, but checking into one of Arizona’s rehab centers will help any individual to cope and recover better than doing it on their own. There are numerous rehab centers located in Arizona, one of them being The River Source. If each individual drug addicted user were to check into a treatment facility to help kick their habit, Arizona would be able to show better results in reports about drug-related issues.
Arizona’s drug problems are unique and can seem uncontrollable, but with the rising rehab centers, facilities, and programs around the state the issue could lessen with time. Even though the state borders the country where drug trafficking can occur easier and distribute illegal drugs around Arizona, residents of the state can maintain low drug report levels by focusing on helping drug addicts recover from their addictions. Providing constant anti-drug programs in schools and solid rehab centers can be the key to solving much of Arizona’s drug-related problems. The more drug users that are helped the better the state will function and recuperate from the high report numbers they have been getting the last several years.
