Drug Addiction and/or Alcoholism is not something most people can over come by themselves. A Alcohol Rehab and Drug Treatment Program 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 Alcohol Treatment and Drug Rehab Facility are:
- Does the Alcohol Rehab and Drug Treatment Center have proper credentials?
- How much does a Alcohol Rehab and Drug Treatment Program cost?
- What is the success rate of the Drug Rehab and Alcohol Rehabilitation Facility in question?
Many people find that speaking to a counselor or Registered Addiction Specialist is extremely helpful when deciding on a Alcohol Treatment and Drug Rehab Center. Drug Counselors in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania and can increase your chances of getting into the correct Drug Rehab and Alcoholism Treatment Program that will best address your treatment needs.
If you would like to speak with a Registered Addiction Specialist regarding Alcohol Rehab and Drug Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania, call our toll-free number and one of our drug counselors will assist you in finding a Drug Rehabilitation and Alcoholism Treatment Program. 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 Alcohol Rehab and Drug Treatment Facility.
Drug Rehabs Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
Heroin, cocaine HCl, crack cocaine, and marijuana remained the most available, popular, used, and trafficked illegal drugs in Pennsylvania. However, clandestinely manufactured drugs, such as methamphetamine, crystal methamphetamine, and club drugs, such as MDMA/ecstasy, also remained readily available to users of various ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. OxyContin availability was reported to be decreasing, yet it remained popular in some areas, especially in northeastern Pennsylvania. The diversion of methamphetamine precursor chemicals such as ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and anhydrous ammonia, as well as the discovery of clandestine laboratories, remained a problem in western Pennsylvania, while significant investigations of internet pharmacies continued.
The drug problem in Pennsylvania has lead to more drug rehabilitation programs throughout the state. Alcohol and drug treatment centers, whether they are residential treatment centers or day/night treatment programs, all provide a nurturing, safe, and supportive setting to recover from drug addiction and alcoholism. Outpatient drug rehab programs and intensive outpatient drug rehab programs are more aptly suited to individuals who have already completed a higher level of care like primary residential drug treatment, or individuals whose addiction to drugs - whatever the drug - alcohol, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines (meth, crystal meth, speed), other opiates (Vicodin, OxyContin, morphine, methadone), barbiturates, or benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Klonipin to name a few) is less severe.
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 | 729 | 90 | 237 | 402 | 639 |
| Past Year Marijuana Use | 973 | 129 | 359 | 485 | 844 |
| Past Month Marijuana Use | 530 | 65 | 197 | 267 | 465 |
| Past Month Use of Illicit Drugs Other Than Marijuana | 324 | 43 | 102 | 180 | 282 |
| Past Year Cocaine Use | 207 | 13 | 76 | 118 | 194 |
| Past Year Nonmedical Pain Reliever Use | 421 | 60 | 141 | 219 | 360 |
| Perception of Great Risk of Smoking Marijuana Once a Month | 4,228 | 369 | 320 | 3,539 | 3,859 |
| Average Annual Number of Marijuana Initiates | 103 | 51 | 48 | 5 | 53 |
| ALCOHOL | |||||
| Past Month Alcohol Use | 5,502 | 166 | 838 | 4,498 | 5,336 |
| Past Month Binge Alcohol Use | 2,456 | 100 | 591 | 1,766 | 2,357 |
|
Perception of Great Risk of Drinking Five or More Drinks Once or Twice a Week |
4,068 | 394 | 400 | 3,273 | 3,674 |
| Past Month Alcohol Use (Persons Aged 12 to 20) | 467 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Past Month Binge Alcohol Use (Persons Aged 12 to 20) | 315 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| TOBACCO PRODUCTS | |||||
| Past Month Tobacco Product Use | 3,170 | 146 | 598 | 2,426 | 3,024 |
| Past Month Cigarette Use | 2,620 | 120 | 505 | 1,996 | 2,500 |
|
Perception of Great Risk of Smoking One or More Packs of Cigarettes Per Day |
7,695 | 701 | 925 | 6,069 | 6,994 |
| PAST YEAR DEPENDENCE, .USE, AND TREATMENT | |||||
| Illicit Drug Dependence | 170 | 23 | 67 | 80 | 147 |
| Illicit Drug Dependence or Abuse | 235 | 41 | 94 | 100 | 194 |
| Alcohol Dependence | 288 | 16 | 100 | 172 | 272 |
| Alcohol Dependence or Abuse | 663 | 48 | 223 | 393 | 616 |
| Alcohol or Illicit Drug Dependence or Abuse | 803 | 72 | 270 | 462 | 731 |
| Needing But Not Receiving Treatment for Illicit Drug Use | 205 | 38 | 85 | 82 | 168 |
| Needing But Not Receiving Treatment for Alcohol Use | 635 | 46 | 211 | 378 | 589 |
| SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS | -- | -- | 237 | 752 | 990 |
| HAVING AT LEAST ONE MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODE | -- | 81 | 119 | 507 | 626 |
Pennsylvania Drug Use and Drug-Related Crime
- During 2007, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made 813 drug arrests in Pennsylvania.
- According to 2004-2005 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 823,000 (8%) Pennsylvania citizens (ages 12 or older) reported past month use of an illicit drug.
- Approximately 4.1 million (39.48%) Pennsylvania citizens reported that using marijuana occasionally (once a month) was a “great risk”.
- Additional 2004-2005 NSDUH results indicate that 281,000 (2.7%) Pennsylvania citizens reported illicit drug dependence or abuse within the past year. Approximately 185,000 (1.78%) reported past year illicit drug dependence.
- According to the El Paso Intelligence Center, there were 4 children in Pennsylvania affected by methamphetamine laboratories during 2007.
- During 2006, there were 69,803 admissions to drug/alcohol treatment in Pennsylvania. There were 76,595 such treatment admissions during 2005.
- According to 2004-2005 NSDUH data, approximately 252,000 (2.42%) Pennsylvania citizens reported needing but not receiving treatment for illicit drug use within the past year.
- In the state of Pennsylvania it is estimated that there will be around 57,463 DUI's, and 684 deaths due to intoxicated driving this year. Statistics also show that there will be 3,483 deaths related to alcohol abuse, 17,852 tobacco related deaths, and 696 deaths due to illicit drug use.
- It is believed that there are around 600,359 marijuana users, 98,380 cocaine addicts, and 5,573 heroin addicts living in Pennsylvania. It is also estimated that there are 262,907 people abusing prescription drugs, 25,080 people that use inhalants, and 44,649 people who use hallucinogens.
- In Pennsylvania, there will be around 75,788 people arrested this year for drug related charges.
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Cocaine:
- Cocaine HCl remained one of the drugs of choice, as its overall popularity has not diminished greatly over the last few years. The use of cocaine HCl, which is cooked into crack cocaine in most cases, remained a significant concern in suburban and rural communities outside of Philadelphia. Reports indicated that cocaine HCl continued to be snorted and used in combination with heroin and/or alcohol. Reports also indicated that admissions for cocaine treatment have been overtaken by admissions for heroin treatment in several areas of central Pennsylvania.
- New York City remained the primary source area for cocaine HCl distributed in Pennsylvania. Colombian, Puerto Rican, and Dominican groups based in New York and in Philadelphia provided wholesale quantities of cocaine HCl to lower-level Hispanic and African-American groups that distributed it in the inner city neighborhoods and suburbs of Philadelphia, as well as in smaller cities, towns, and rural areas.
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Heroin:
- South American heroin remained widely available in Pennsylvania, as distributors continued to target new customers in smaller towns and rural areas. Although the greater Philadelphia area is generally considered a consumer heroin market, North Philadelphia’s street corner distribution sites also attracted distributors from locales throughout Pennsylvania. Heroin is also distributed to a lesser extent in West and South Philadelphia. There are also several Dominican sources of supply concentrated in Northeast Philadelphia. The relocation of trafficking organizations resulted in the increased availability of heroin in locations once thought to be exempt from the problems associated with heroin distribution and use.
- Intelligence indicated that cheap, high-purity heroin remained readily available in the northeastern and southwestern parts of Pennsylvania, areas where cocaine distribution dominated for years. Availability appeared to be on the rise in western PA, especially in the Pittsburgh area, but overall purity remains low. However, heroin purity levels in the Pittsburgh area appeared to be rising slightly over the past several months. Heroin availability was relatively stable in the other areas, as it remained easy for users to obtain it in most cities and towns within Pennsylvania. Some of these cities and towns, especially Allentown, Bethlehem, Reading, and Easton, have become lower-level distribution points for users and distributors operating in surrounding communities. These cities are located within a short drive of Philadelphia, and other localities in eastern Pennsylvania are also located within a short drive of New York City.
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Methamphetamine:
- Methamphetamine is available in varying quantities in Pennsylvania with consumption concentrated in the Philadelphia area. The majority of the methamphetamine used in Pennsylvania is supplied by local traffickers who manufacture or produce it themselves and by major trafficking organizations operating in California and Mexico. Intelligence indicates that these organizations transport methamphetamine into Pennsylvania using a variety of methods, including private vehicles, commercial bus luggage, and packages shipped via express mail and parcel services.
- Although the availability of methamphetamine in Pennsylvania is relatively low compared to the Midwestern and western United States, investigations and reports from state and local law enforcement confirm the eastward movement of methamphetamine production into Pennsylvania. In particular, rural areas, such as the northwestern counties and Pocono Mountain have been infiltrated with small, yet dangerous, methamphetamine laboratories, as numerous seizures have documented by law enforcement in the last few years. The rural parts of Pennsylvania remained the most popular sites for clandestine laboratories due to the reduced risk of detection caused by the pungent odor of a laboratory as well as the likelihood of a lesser law enforcement presence. However, investigations continued to reveal that small-scale laboratories exist anywhere from residences to motel rooms in cities and towns throughout Pennsylvania. These laboratories account for the vast majority of methamphetamine laboratories seized in Pennsylvania and the majority of methamphetamine available in western Pennsylvania. However, the production output of these laboratories represents only a small percentage of the methamphetamine consumed in all of Pennsylvania.
- Though not nearly as popular as heroin, cocaine, or crack cocaine, methamphetamine is attractive because of its longer lasting high and because users can easily produce their own methamphetamine with readily available recipes, precursor chemicals or ingredients, and equipment. Laboratory operators use various means to obtain precursor chemicals, including diversion from legitimate sources and self-production. However, precursor chemicals include commonly used household products/chemicals, such as lye, and over the counter drugs, such as pseudoephedrine, most of which are readily available at retail stores.
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Club Drugs:
- MDMA (ecstasy) is primarily available at rave parties and nightclubs in the metropolitan areas of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Pittsburgh), but remains available to and popular among teenagers and young adults on college campuses across the state. Gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), the GHB precursor gamma butyrolactone (GBL), and Ketamine are also available in Philadelphia-area nightclubs, while GHB was available and used in central Pennsylvania.
- New York City is the primary source area for the retail quantities of MDMA available in Pennsylvania. Investigations indicate that MDMA is smuggled by Israeli and Dutch nationals as well as by members of Russian and Israeli organized crime groups from the Netherlands, through Canada, New York, and the Caribbean, and then to cities in Pennsylvania. Wholesale quantities of MDMA tablets are also shipped and transported directly into Pennsylvania via mail/parcel services or by couriers flying into major international airports. Philadelphia International Airport is one of these locations, where couriers travel with suitcases or wearing clothing that conceals tablets.
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Marijuana:
- Marijuana remained abundantly available in both wholesale and retail quantities in Pennsylvania. In western Pennsylvania, marijuana abundance was attributed to the continued use of commercial shipping companies to transport it as well as the existence of growing operations in the area. The investigation of an Asian trafficking organization revealed that high-grade “BC Bud” marijuana was also available in the Philadelphia area.
- The wide availability of marijuana allows it to be easily obtained and used by individuals from a variety of ethnic populations and socioeconomic sectors. Recreational use of marijuana remained popular with high school and college age students, while adults remained the predominant users of marijuana, especially in large social gatherings, such as rock concerts. Reports indicated that some users smoke marijuana in combination with crack cocaine, heroin, and PCP.
- Source areas of marijuana distributed in Pennsylvania include the US southwest border region, namely Arizona, Texas, California, and Mexico, as well as New York City (especially northeast PA). Intelligence from the Harrisburg area has indicated an increase in encounters with individuals transporting marijuana into Pennsylvania from California and Arizona in personal vehicles. Various means of transport were employed by traffickers transporting large quantities of marijuana into Pennsylvania, including tractor-trailers, passenger vehicles, passenger luggage on commercial aircraft, buses, and trains, the US Postal Service, and freight and parcel shipping companies (e.g. UPS, FedEx).
- Due to their proximity to major thoroughfares, localities throughout the state remained transshipment points as well as consumer markets. At the retail level, Hispanic, African-American, and Caucasian groups, along with some dominant Jamaican organizations, controlled the marijuana market by distributing bag, ounce, and pound quantities to users across Pennsylvania.
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Pharmaceuticals and Other Drugs:
- In the Philadelphia area, phencyclidine (PCP) is available and commonly used with marijuana. Reports continue to indicate that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) remains available in western Pennsylvania and in smaller urban areas north and west of Philadelphia. Caucasian juveniles and young adults who reside in these smaller urban areas and area colleges are reportedly the predominant users and distributors of LSD.
- California is the most commonly reported source area for quantities of LSD, while California and New York are considered the source areas for the PCP that is primarily distributed in Philadelphia. Typically, these drugs are transported in vehicles or shipped in parcels via the US Postal Service or other parcel services.
- Current investigations indicate that diversion of hydrocodone products such as Vicodin®, oxycodone products such as OxyContin®, fentanyl (such as Actiq®), and pseudoephedrine continues to be a problem in Pennsylvania. Primary methods of diversion being reported are illegal sale and distribution by health care professionals and workers, “doctor shopping” (going to a number of doctors to obtain prescriptions for a controlled pharmaceutical), forged prescriptions, and the Internet. Benzodiazepines such as diazepam and Alprazolam (both the generic formulation and brand name Xanax®) were also identified as being among the most commonly abused and diverted pharmaceuticals in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania is bounded on the north by Lake Erie and New York, on the east by New York and New Jersey, on the south by Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia, and on the west by the panhandle of West Virginia and by Ohio; the Delaware River forms part of the eastern boundary. The Monongahela River unites with the Allegheny River at Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River. The area was inhabited by Indian peoples, including the Shawnee and Delaware, when Europeans arrived in the 17th century. In 1664 the English seized control of the region, and in 1681 the English king granted a charter to William Penn, who established a Quaker colony based on religious tolerance in 1682. Much of the fighting of the French and Indian War took place there. The first and second Continental Congresses met in Philadelphia, and the Declaration of Independence was signed there in 1776. One of the original states of the Union, it was the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1787. During the American Civil War it was a centre of military activity (see Battle of Gettysburg). The postwar period brought great economic, industrial, and population growth, consolidating the state’s position as a major commercial power. It is one of the most prosperous states, with an economy based on farming, mining, manufacturing, and high technology. The state continues to produce much of the nation’s specialty steel and an abundance of coal. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are major ports with fine educational, cultural, and musical institutions.
Pennsylvania Demographics
- Population (2006 American Community Survey): 12,440,6211
- Race/Ethnicity (2006 American Community Survey): 83.8% white; 10.4% black/African American; 0.1% American Indian/Alaskan Native; 2.3% Asian; 0.0% Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander; 2.1% other race; 1.2% two or more races; 4.2% Hispanic/Latino (of any race)