Drug and Alcohol Addiction in California
Bordering the majority of the west coast of the United States, California has over 900 miles of cliffs and beaches along the Pacific Ocean. From the Hollywood stars to the Golden Gate Bridge, California is a grand state known for a lot of different things. Similarly to Florida, one of the things California is known for is being home to countless drug and alcohol treatment facilities. The warmer weather and salty air make both locations perfect for those who are looking to work on their mental, physical and spiritual health.
Drug Abuse in California
It is not a coincidence that there are so many rehabilitation facilities in California. In addition to being the perfect climate for recovery, addiction is also the #1 cause of premature death in the state. Approximately 11 people die in California every day due to drug-related causes. 81% of arrests in Sacramento involve a person who tests positive for illegal drug use and 40,000 ER visits every year in California are drug-related. This is clearly an expensive problem for the west coast state, yet for every dollar spent on rehab, an average of $7 dollars is saved on benefits such as fewer medical costs, decreased crime and theft, increase employment, less money spent on housing inmates. Unfortunately, 85% of addicts still go untreated.
In order to get help for this 85% of people in California that suffer from drug and alcohol addiction, a number of things need to happen. For one, there needs to be more evidence-based education on the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol. Second, drug and alcohol treatment needs to become more accessible to California residents. Third, there needs to be more regulation and training in regards to prescribing opioid pain killers.
Opioid Epidemic in California
According to the NIH, the rate of opioid prescriptions written in 2017 by California providers was 39.5 per 100 people. This sounds like a high number, and it is, but it is actually much lower than the national average of 58.7 prescriptions. Despite the fact that this number is low compared to the rest of the country, it is still quite high in general. The opioid epidemic is one that the whole country is fighting and there is still lots of work to be done.
Deaths related to prescription opioids did drop in 2017, but overall opioid-related deaths did not. Specifically, deaths related to heroin and synthetic opioids rose significantly. This rise is likely because people who were previously prescribed pain killers are switching to illicit opioids which are cheaper and more potent. These stronger, illegally-made drugs are also more dangerous. Most recently, fentanyl use had caused the greatest concern among drug abuse and overdoses in California and across the country.
Alcohol Addiction in California
Home to the largest alcohol market across the country, 14 billion alcoholic beverages are consumed in California every year. Mixed with being a tech mecca where happy hour attendance is the norm, Santa Clara County was also home to the greatest binge drinking rates between 2002 and 2012. A report that surveyed Californians age 12 and up between 2005 and 2009 concluded that over half of the participants had consumed alcohol in the past 30 days. Think about that. This includes people as young as 12, and a jaw-dropping half of them consumed alcohol within the past 30 days. Unfortunately, this aligns with reports that alcohol abuse and dependence is estimated to be present in 7.3% of Californians.
Drug Rehab for California Residents
Being one of the largest U.S. states with one of the largest populations, there are a huge number of people in California who live with a substance abuse disorder. 2.3 million of them are said to be plagued with alcoholism. In 2017, 32% of treatment program admissions were for amphetamine use, 24.9% were for heroin, 12.7% were for marijuana use, and 11.8% were for alcoholism.
People travel from across the country to escape their toxic lifestyle and to attend a California treatment program. Traveling to another state can help someone with an addiction focus on their recovery without distraction. What about those who already live in California? Traveling to Florida for drug and alcohol treatment is a great option. Florida is another beautiful state with weather similar to California and is also home to some of the best treatment programs in the country.
Get Started with Detox
Start your Journey to Recovery in Florida
Level Up Lake Worth is located in South Florida and is an ideal place for California residents to enroll in a drug and alcohol treatment program. We welcome those from Santa Barbara, Monterey, Los Angeles, Orange County, Sonoma counties, and beyond. Our holistic approach to treatment aligns perfectly with the California state of mind. In addition to offering medical detox, we also incorporate behavioral therapy and alternative therapies (yoga, massage, and acupuncture) into our treatment program.
Our passionate and dedicated staff is here to help you on your journey to a sober life. Call now to learn more about our program and if it feels right, we can help arrange travel accommodations. We will even pick you up from the airport!
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