Drug Addiction and/or Alcoholism is not something most people can over come by themselves. A Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center is usually the best opportunity individuals have to beat drug and/or alcohol addiction and get their lives back on track. Some things to look for when deciding on a Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Facility are:
- Does the Drug Rehabilitation and Alcohol Treatment Center have proper credentials?
- How much does a Alcohol Rehab and Drug Rehab Program cost?
- What is the success rate of the Drug Rehab and Alcoholism Treatment Center in question?
Many people find that speaking to a counselor or Registered Addiction Specialist is extremely helpful when deciding on a Alcohol Rehab and Drug Treatment Center. Drug Counselors in Louisiana are a good source of information for figuring out what the best treatment option is for an individual. They are familiar with many of the programs in Louisiana and can increase your chances of getting into the correct Drug Rehab and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center that will best address your treatment needs.
If you would like to speak with a Registered Addiction Specialist regarding Drug Treatment and Alcoholism Treatment Facilities in Louisiana, call our toll-free number and one of our drug counselors will assist you in finding a Drug Treatment and Alcoholism Treatment Center. You can also fill out our form if you would like an Addiction Specialist to contact you directly and help you or your loved one find the appropriate Drug Treatment and Alcohol Rehabilitation Facility.
Drug Rehabs Louisiana is a not-for-profit social betterment organization. All calls and information provided is done free of charge and completely confidential. It's never too late to get help.
Drug Rehabs Louisiana
Historically, Louisiana was (and is today) a well known drug smuggling center. There are several factors that that contribute to this which are the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River. The Gulf of Mexico is the fifth largest sea in the world and forms the southern border of Louisiana. The coast consists of over 6,000 miles of navigable waterways, 7,721 miles of broken shoreline, and 397 miles of coastline highly conducive to maritime smuggling.
In addition to the Mississippi River that snakes its way through the state, Louisiana has an extensive network of rivers, lakes, bayous, and canals. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, 3,000 miles of canal extending along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts in the southern and eastern U.S., gives New Orleans direct access westward to points in Louisiana and Texas, as far as the Mexican border and eastward through natural and artificial channels to Florida. In addition, there are three deepwater ports located in Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, and New Orleans. Each year up to 100,000 barges move in and out of the New Orleans port, the Nation’s second largest port in exports.
Fortunately, there are many drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs in Louisiana and across the U.S. What if your loved one does not feel ready for treatment or want to get help? Addiction recovery can take place even when the person in need does not initially choose to enter into the program. Treatment does not need to be voluntary to be effective. Sanctions or enticements from family, employment settings, and/or the criminal justice system can significantly increase treatment entry, retention rates, and the ultimate success of drug treatment interventions.
2006-2007 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health:
Below is a table with data pertaining to the Selected Drug Use, Perceptions of Great Risk, Average Annual Marijuana Initiates, Past Year Substance Dependence or Abuse, Needing But Not Receiving Treatment, Serious Psychological Distress, and Having at Least One Major Depressive, by Age Group: Estimated Numbers (in Thousands), Annual Averages Based on 2006-2007 NSDUHs
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
Age 12+ |
Age 12-17 |
Age 18-25 |
Age 26+ |
Age 18+ |
| Past Month Illicit Drug Use | 284 | 36 | 92 | 156 | 248 |
| Past Year Marijuana Use | 349 | 45 | 122 | 182 | 304 |
| Past Month Marijuana Use | 187 | 21 | 70 | 95 | 165 |
| Past Month Use of Illicit Drugs Other Than Marijuana | 164 | 21 | 45 | 98 | 143 |
| Past Year Cocaine Use | 89 | 4 | 31 | 54 | 85 |
| Past Year Nonmedical Pain Reliever Use | 216 | 31 | 67 | 118 | 185 |
| Perception of Great Risk of Smoking Marijuana Once a Month | 1,581 | 144 | 154 | 1,283 | 1,437 |
| Average Annual Number of Marijuana Initiates | 36 | 19 | 16 | 2 | 17 |
| ALCOHOL | |||||
| Past Month Alcohol Use | 1,740 | 63 | 303 | 1,374 | 1,678 |
| Past Month Binge Alcohol Use | 847 | 36 | 198 | 613 | 811 |
|
Perception of Great Risk of Drinking Five or More Drinks Once or Twice a Week |
1,554 | 161 | 199 | 1,194 | 1,393 |
| Past Month Alcohol Use (Persons Aged 12 to 20) | 157 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Past Month Binge Alcohol Use (Persons Aged 12 to 20) | 93 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| TOBACCO PRODUCTS | |||||
| Past Month Tobacco Product Use | 1,138 | 50 | 226 | 862 | 1,089 |
| Past Month Cigarette Use | 944 | 41 | 196 | 708 | 904 |
|
Perception of Great Risk of Smoking One or More Packs of Cigarettes Per Day |
2,539 | 252 | 360 | 1,927 | 2,287 |
| PAST YEAR DEPENDENCE, .USE, AND TREATMENT | |||||
| Illicit Drug Dependence | 73 | 8 | 26 | 39 | 65 |
| Illicit Drug Dependence or Abuse | 107 | 16 | 38 | 53 | 91 |
| Alcohol Dependence | 118 | 7 | 33 | 79 | 111 |
| Alcohol Dependence or Abuse | 258 | 17 | 74 | 167 | 241 |
| Alcohol or Illicit Drug Dependence or Abuse | 323 | 27 | 94 | 202 | 296 |
| Needing But Not Receiving Treatment for Illicit Drug Use | 98 | 15 | 36 | 48 | 83 |
| Needing But Not Receiving Treatment for Alcohol Use | 249 | 16 | 72 | 161 | 233 |
| SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS | -- | -- | 91 | 303 | 393 |
| HAVING AT LEAST ONE MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODE | -- | 31 | 47 | 208 | 255 |
Louisiana Drug Use and Drug-Related Crime
- During 2007, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made 479 drug arrests in Louisiana.
- In 2008, there were 17,959 total arrests for drug abuse violations in Louisiana.
- Approximately 1.58 million (45.43%) Louisiana citizens reported that using marijuana occasionally (once a month) was a “great risk”.
- Additional 2006-2007 NSDUH results indicate that 107,000 (3.08%) Louisiana citizens reported illicit drug dependence or abuse within the past year. Approximately 73,000 (2.10%) reported past year illicit drug dependence.
- According to the El Paso Intelligence Center, there were 4 children in Louisiana affected by methamphetamine laboratories during 2008.
- During 2008, there were 25,392 admissions to drug/alcohol treatment in Louisiana. There were 24,506 such admissions during 2007.
- According to 2006-2007 NSDUH data, approximately 98,000 (2.82%) Louisiana citizens reported needing but not receiving treatment for illicit drug use within the past year.
- According to 2008 Louisiana Caring Communities Youth Survey data, approximately 5.2% of Louisiana 12th graders reported needed drug treatment.
- In the state of Louisiana it is estimated that there will be around 19,805 DUI's, and 235 deaths due to intoxicated driving this year. Statistics also show that there will be 1,200 deaths related to alcohol abuse, 6,152 tobacco related deaths, and 240 deaths due to illicit drug use.
- It is believed that there are around 206,919 marijuana users, 33,907 cocaine addicts, and 1,920 heroin addicts living in Louisiana. It is also estimated that there are 90,613 people abusing prescription drugs, 8,644 people that use inhalants, and 15,388 people who use hallucinogens.
- In Louisiana, there will be around 26,121 people arrested this year for drug related charges.
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Cocaine:
- Cocaine, primarily crack, is the predominant drug threat in Louisiana. The threat is derived from the high rate of addiction and violence associated with the drug. Cocaine is widely available and frequently distributed across the state. Cocaine abuse is reported in the metropolitan cities and rural areas. The abuse and distribution of cocaine is associated with many incidents involving violent crimes. Most of the powdered cocaine transported into Louisiana is converted into crack cocaine. Mexican DTOs and Black-American criminal groups transport the majority of the powdered cocaine into Louisiana. DTOs and criminal groups are the primary wholesale distributors of powdered cocaine. Black American street gangs and local Black American independent dealers are the chief distributors of crack at the retail level.
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Heroin:
- Heroin is considered a low drug threat in most of Louisiana, except in New Orleans, primarily due to availability and cost. Heroin abuse in Louisiana, especially New Orleans, is historically cyclical. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Domestic Monitoring Program, South American heroin is the most common type available. Mexican heroin is also available in Louisiana. Mexican DTOs are the chief source for heroin. Heroin is sold at the street level in bags or papers in one-half gram quantities. The average purity level for New Orleans from February to August 2005 was 33.04 percent. There was one seizure in the New Orleans area in June 2005 with a purity level of 75.8 percent.
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Methamphetamine:
- Methamphetamine continues to be a major drug threat in Louisiana. Law enforcement reporting indicates that, in some areas, methamphetamine is replacing crack cocaine as the primary drug threat due to its availability, low cost and long lasting effects. Methamphetamine production and distribution generates violent crimes and hazardous conditions. Most of the methamphetamine available in Louisiana is produced in Mexico and the southwestern states and is transported into Louisiana via Mexican DTOs. Illicit methamphetamine laboratories discovered in Louisiana do not produce large enough quantities for distribution throughout the state. Independent Caucasian groups are the primary local producers and retail distributors of methamphetamine in Louisiana. More Black Americans are becoming involved in methamphetamine distribution.
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Club Drugs:
- Though most drugs are either declining or holding steady in their abuse or distribution, "Club Drug" abuse and distribution among teenagers and young adults is on the rise in Louisiana. Police and treatment counselors throughout the state report an increase in the availability and abuse of MDMA (ecstasy), Ketamine, Rohypnol, LSD, and GHB. GHB and MDMA are the drugs of choice and the end-users are young Caucasians at all economic levels. MDMA from sources in California, Texas, and Florida is distributed to college aged youth. Counterfeit pills are also sold to young adults as MDMA and have become an extremely lucrative business in Shreveport nightclubs. Vietnamese trafficking groups are now playing a role in the influx of MAMA into the New Orleans area.
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Marijuana:
- Marijuana continues to be the most commonly abused drug in Louisiana and reports indicate that it is the gateway drug for teens and young adults to experiment with other illicit drugs. High-grade marijuana is available due to modern indoor cultivation techniques. Locally grown marijuana is usually intended for local consumption; however, the cheaper Mexico-produced product has made local production less profitable. Marijuana is commonly transported into and through Louisiana via the primary transportation routes, which include Interstates 10, 12 and 20. Mexican DTOs control the majority of the wholesale distribution of marijuana in the state. Local independent dealers, street gangs, and ethnic trafficking groups distribute marijuana in the local retail market.
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Pharmaceuticals and Other Drugs:
- Other dangerous drugs are a continuing threat in Louisiana although not to the extent of cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and pharmaceutical drugs. The threat from “club” drugs such as MDMA and GHB is steady throughout the state, especially among teenagers and young adults. Club drugs are readily available throughout the state, especially around college and university towns. Louisiana has also seen an increase in the distribution and abuse of steroids. Steroids are usually obtained via the Internet and received via postal shipping services such as the United Postal Service, UPS, and FedEX.
- The abuse of pharmaceutical drugs continues to rise at an alarming rate. Law enforcement officials report OxyContin, hydrocodone and Xanax abuse continues to be a viable threat. Pharmaceutical drugs are diverted as a means of distribution into the illicit market. Abusers and distributors acquire pharmaceutical drugs via prescription forgeries and/or “doctor shopping” in the diversion process. Some of the diverted pharmaceutical drugs are brought into Louisiana from Mexico and Southwestern Border cities usually by Caucasian local independent distributors. Many abusers utilize the Internet to obtain prescription drugs from sources throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, and the Caribbean. Methadone overdoses have risen significantly in the past few years. Pain management clinics have opened in every major city in the state and pose an enormous threat to the communities; however, after a major seizure in late 2005, the threat in the New Orleans area has reduced. The pain management clinics that are illegally prescribing narcotics to addicts are considered a “pill mill.” Louisiana has instituted new laws for opening pain management clinics in an effort to curtail the threat in the communities.
Admitted to the union in 1812 as the 18th state, Louisiana commands a once strategically vital region where the waters of the great Mississippi-Missouri river system, draining the continental interior of North America, flow out into the warm, northward-curving crescent of the Gulf of Mexico. It is not surprising that seven flags have flown over its territories since 1682, when the explorer René-Robert Cavelier, sieur (lord) de La Salle, placed a wooden cross in the ground and claimed the territory in the name of France’s Louis XIV. The consequent varieties of cultural heritage run like bright threads through many facets of the social, political, and artistic life of the state.
Louisiana’s Demographics
- Population (2008 American Community Survey): 4,410,7961
- Race/Ethnicity (2008 American Community Survey): 64.0% white; 31.9% black/African American; 0.6% American Indian/Alaskan Native; 1.5% Asian; 0.0% Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander; 0.8% other race; 1.1% two or more races; 3.4% Hispanic/Latino (of any race)