10 states with the worst drug problems

All eyes are on the White House’s handling of the opioid epidemic as President Trump makes appointments to a bipartisan opioid commission aimed at tackling the opioid epidemic, while proposing a 95% cut to the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The personal-finance website WalletHub released a study on the States with the Biggest Drug Problems in 2017 to highlight the areas that stand to be most affected.

This study compares the 50 states and the District in terms of 15 key metrics, ranging from arrest and overdose rates to opioid prescriptions and meth-lab incidents per capita.

Gonzalez

“This study can be especially useful for managed care executives, as it includes the efficiency of treatment facilities,” says WalletHub analyst, Jill Gonzalez. “The future of the industry could positively impact further developments under this metric.”

Each of the top 10 states with the biggest drug problems has a number of categories in which it performs poorly compared to the other, lower ranked states-lower, in this case, being better, according to Gonazalez.

“The states with the biggest drug problems all ranked highly due to things like underage drug use and inadequate rehabilitation services. Closely monitoring these issues might help tackle them more efficiently,” she says.

Here are the top 10 states with the worst drug problems, according to the study.

#10. Michigan

Michigan ranks poorly in a number of subcategories:

·      It has the 15^th highest percentage of teenagers aged 12 to 17 years old that used illicit drugs in the past month,

·      It has the 13th highest percentage of teenagers in grades 9 to 12 who were offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property in the past year, and

·      It has the 10th highest  number of opioid pain reliever prescriptions per 100 residents.

#9. Massachusetts

Massachusetts has even poorer rankings:

·      It has the ninth highest percentage of adults who used illicit drugs in the past month,

·      Seventh highest number of drug overdose deaths oer 100,000 residents,

·      Second highest growth of drug overdose deaths rate,

·      Fifth highest percentage of adults 18 years and older who needed but didn’t receive treatment for illicit drug use in the past year, and

·      Sixth highest number of admissions to substance abuse treatment services per 1,000 residents.

#8. Arizona

This state ranks fourth highest in percentage of teenagers who tried marijuana before age 13. It also has the

·      Third highest percentage of teenagers in who were offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property in the past year, and

·      Fourth highest percentage of adults 18 years and older who needed but didn’t receive treatment for illicit drug use in the past year.

#7. Connecticut

Connecticut has the fourth highest in percentage of teenagers who were offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property in the past year. It also has the:

·      Sixth highest growth rate of overdose deaths,

·      Eighth highest number of drug arrests on college campuses per 1,000 students, and

·      Highest number of admissions to substance abuse treatment services per 100,000 people.

#6. Oregon

Oregon has the fourth highest percentage of teenagers aged 12 to 17 years old that used illicit drugs in the past month. It also has the:

• Sixth highest percentage of adults who used illicit drugs in the past month, and

• Ninth highest percentage of adults 18 years and older who needed but didn’t receive treatment for illicit drug use in the past year.

#5. Rhode Island

This state ranks fifth in percentage of teenagers aged 12 to 17 years old that used illicit drugs in the past month. It also has the:

• Third highest percentage of adults who used illicit drugs in the past month,

• Fifth highest percentage in the number of drug overdose deaths per 100,000 residents,

• Tenth highest percentage in growth of drug overdose deaths rate, and

• Second highest percentage of adults 18 years and over who needed but didn’t receive treatment for illicit drug use in the past year.

#4. Delaware

Delaware ranks fifth in the hihest rate of drug arrests on college campuses per 1,000 students, and eighth highest percentage of adults 18 years and over who needed but didn’t receive treatment for illicit drug use in the past year.

#3. Colorado

Colorado ranks first in percentage of teenagers aged 12 to 17 years old that used illicit drugs in the past month. It also has the:

• Ninth highest percentage of teenagers in grades 9 to 12 who tried marijuana before age 13 years, and

• First highest percentage of adults who used illicit drugs in the past month.

#2. Vermont

Vermont has the:

• Third highest percentage of teenagers aged 12 to 17 years old that used illicit drugs in the past month,

• Fourth highest percentage of adults who used illicit drugs in the past month,

• Seventh highest percentage of adults 18 years and over who needed but didn’t receive treatment for illicit drug use in the past year, and

• Fourth highest in number of admissions to substance abuse treatment services per 1,000 residents.

#1. The District of Columbia

The District of Columbia ranks second in percentage of teenagers aged 12 to 17 years old that used illicit drugs in the past month. It also has the:

• Second highest percentage of adults who used illicit drugs in the past month,

• First highest percentage of adults 18 years and over who needed but didn’t receive treatment for illicit drug use in the past year.

This state also ranks:

• Third in growth of drug overdose deaths rate, and

• Fifth in number of substance abuse treatment facilities per 100,000 residents.

“Seeing as the state with the least drug problems ranked considerably lower in the Drug Health Issues & Rehab rank sub-metrics, I would definitely recommend more focused attention on not only preventing, but also treating, addiction,” Gonzalez says.