Connecticut Drug Abuse Treatment Info

Connecticut’s location directly next to New York City means that there is an ample supply of all the major drugs, any time, any place. And there is plenty of evidence that those drugs are being distributed throughout the state. A single glance at the website of one of New Haven’s newspapers shows a heavy burden of drug and alcohol news.

Prescription Drugs Start the Cycle of Addiction for Many People

In every part of the country, people become addicted to prescription drugs, particularly pain relievers. Some of them start using pain relievers legitimately and then are trapped in an addiction when they require more and more of the same substance just to feel “normal” and keep functioning. Some people, particularly young people, use a prescription pain reliever at a party so they can get high. Amazingly, it may just take one or two uses of some of these drugs like OxyContin or Percocet to get hooked.

In Connecticut, 80 percent of those abusing prescription drugs say that they first got them from someone who took them from a medicine cabinet or who had a prescription for them. It’s only later, when they need to feed their addiction, that they may need to find a dealer or go “doctor shopping” - traveling from one doctor to another, complaining of pain - to find enough drugs for themselves to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay.

And with the ready availability of heroin in Connecticut, whenever OxyContin 80 mg tablets get too expensive, they can get the same high more cheaply by switching to heroin. Connecticut heroin supplies are usually pure enough that they can be snorted or smoked and do not need to be injected. This, unfortunately, makes heroin use more acceptable to some people who don’t want to be seen as an injection drug user.

Heroin Accounts for Crimes, Treatment Admissions

As people fall into this vicious cycle of addiction, they often need money to keep themselves supplied with drugs. Heroin’s popularity fuels an increase in crime rates in Connecticut, particularly residential and commercial burglaries.

Treatment admissions also show approximately as many people being treated for heroin or other opiate addiction as alcohol dependence. In most states, alcohol is by far the highest category. In 2013, more than 18,345 people were admitted to addiction treatment for heroin, and another 3,606 for other opiates such as methadone, morphine, codeine, hydrocodone or oxycodone. The number of people treated for alcohol dependence either alone or in combination with the use of a secondary drug was totaled 22,112.

And young adults are struggling with these drug problems in volume. Nearly 5,000 of those admitted for opiate addiction and nearly 3,000 of those being treated for addiction to marijuana were 25 and younger.

Drug Traffickers Run a Never-Ending War

What law enforcement refers to as the “New England Pipeline” runs straight through the heart of Connecticut. In fact, the two arms of this pipeline, I-95 up to Maine and I-91 that passes along the Vermont-New Hampshire state lines, intersect in New Haven. Traffickers commonly use private vehicles that have secret compartments controlled by hydraulics that hide drug shipments out of sight. Other shipments of cocaine, marijuana, and opiates come indirectly from the Southwestern United States or the new regional drug distribution center in Atlanta by package delivery service or postal service. More marijuana comes across the nearby Canadian border.

As in many other New England states, street gangs have taken over much of the retail distribution of drugs from the Colombian, Mexican and Dominican traffickers.

There is Hope for Those Who Are Addicted

It’s fairly safe to say that no one intends to become an addict when they start their substance abuse. And unfortunately, repeat trips to drug rehabilitation centers, residential treatment or outpatient treatment, too often wind up in failure. But it is possible to find treatment centers where success is the result.

At Narconon, drug rehabilitation takes place without the use of any kinds of substitute medication. No drugs for depression, sedatives, methadone or Suboxone are administered. If a person requires a medically assisted wean down this is completed before starting the Narconon program.

With good food, rest, safe surroundings, nutritional support and the caring support of Narconon staff, those addicted to opiates, alcohol or other drugs are able to go through a tolerable withdrawal and a thorough sauna-based detoxification. They then follow this by learning to live a drug-free life again through the restoration of their pride and ability to be productive again.