Ohio has witnessed an increase in the rates of substance abuse and addiction - particularly involving drugs like opioids. The Washington Post, on the other hand, reported that drugs have been taking so many lives across the state that bodies are now being stored in cold-storage trailers due to the fact that almost all morgues are now at full capacity.
According to SAMHSA - the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - more than 37,000 people enrolled in a drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation facility in the state in 2014 alone. Most of these people were addicted to opioids.
Ohio also leads the rest of the United States in various categories of substance abuse and addiction - particularly with regards to the abuse of prescription drugs. The CDC - the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - also reports that the state is ranked among the top 5 in the country for the total number of residents in every segment of 100,000 people who struggle with an addiction.
Although marijuana addiction is a common problem in the United States, there are many other illegal drugs that are abused in states such as Ohio. This largely depends on the substances that are available, accessible, and affordable in certain parts of the country.
The Department of Health in the state of Ohio, for instance, reports that heroin is among the most commonly abused illicit drugs among local residents. This problem is so widespread that it could surpass the misuse of prescription opioid medications.
In particular, the following are some of the figures for the state:
Other reports show that over 700,000 people in the state abuse and misuse substances every year. Further, Ohio spends a minimum of 2 cents for every dollar on drug awareness and addiction prevention programs.
Like in the rest of the United States, Ohio struggles with relatively high rates of alcohol abuse and addiction. This problem has been rising in the state, with close to 20 percent of its adult residents aged 18 years and older engaging in binge drinking at least once according to reports from the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
The state has also seen an increase in the total number of traffic accidents involving substance abuse - specifically alcohol intake. This rate in Ohio is now considered to be higher than that reported at the national level.
More than 300,000 residents of the state have been reported to be struggling with an illicit drug abuse and addiction problem. However, these numbers do not include those involving prescription drug abuse.
In particular, Ohio has seen an increase in the rates of prescription opioid drug abuse. This mostly involves medications like morphine, methadone, oxycodone, and hydrocodone, among many others.
If you are struggling with a substance use disorder involving either an illicit drug or legal substances like alcohol, it is recommended that you enroll in an addiction treatment center in Ohio so that you can get the help you need.