Rhode Island is one small state that faces big problems with drugs. It sits in the middle of ground zero of the county’s hideous opioid epidemic. Lots of residents of this state fall into the terrifying trap of drug and alcohol abuse. As substance abuse can be a slippery slope to conquer, many people spiral out of control from the supposed one-time try of drugs. As the addiction sets in, many people need help from family and friends to kick the substance abuse problem for good.
In the early part of this decade, lots of physicians began to ease their standards when it comes to prescribing drugs.
Cultural acceptance is also seen as one of the reasons for falling into alcohol dependence in many residents from all walks of life. Some of the people who suffer from the effects of drug abuse started with the best of intentions. Things went spiraling downward as drugs can be dangerous when not handled well. The drug issue trend in Rhode Island has indicated a sharp rise over the years. The worst part of the most drug abuse cases in this state that many of them end up in death.
Overdose Death Rate
Over the past several months, the number of deaths has consistently surpassed the rates from the previous years. Many illegal and prescription drug abuse started from the abuse of Fentanyl. In October 2015, drug overdose with Fentanyl had taken 20 lives in the state. 56 people also lost their lives due to the effects of prescription and illegal drugs in their systems. As most overdose victims in Rhode Island are male, females only account for about a third of the overall overdose deaths.
Majority of those people who died out of drug overdose in 2015 were between 21 to 41. The state of Rhode Island is alarmed by the increasing number of kids aging from 12 to 17 that use illegal substances. Rhode Island ranks much higher than the national average when it comes to abuse of illicit drugs.
Commonly Abused Drugs
Apart from the infamous prescription drug fentanyl, opioid prescriptions and heroine also stirred the concern for drug overdose epidemic. Methamphetamine, designer drugs, marijuana, and cocaine have also been key players in drug abuse situations in the state.
Rhode Island’s estimates that there are about 20,000 residents that struggle with opioid abuse problems. Most of them don’t currently receive treatment. Chemical dependency, stigma, and many other factors are seen as the hindrance for them to seek immediate help.
Cities of Rhode Island
- Barrington
- Bristol
- Burrillville
- Central Falls
- Charlestown
- Coventry
- Cranston
- Cumberland
- East Greenwich
- East Providence
- Barrington
- Bristol
- Burrillville
- Central Falls
- Charlestown
- Coventry
- Cranston
- Cumberland
- East Greenwich
- East Providence
- Exeter
- Foster
- Glocester
- Hopkinton
- Jamestown
- Johnston
- Lincoln
- Little Compton
- Middletown
- Narragansett
- New Shoreham
- Newport
- North Kingstown
- North Providence
- North Smithfield
- Pawtucket
- Portsmouth
- ProvidenceState capital
- Richmond
- Scituate
- Smithfield
- South Kingstown
- Tiverton
- Warren
- Warwick
- West Greenwich
- West Warwick
- Westerly
- Woonsocket
