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Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Information in Collinsville, Connecticut

Overview of Alcohol and Drug Trafficking and Abuse in Collinsville, Connecticut

Collinsville, Connecticut is burdened by the issues of alcohol and drug trafficking and abuse. According to the Alcohol Epidemiology Program of the University of Minnesota, substance abuse is one of the youth's problems in Collinsville, Connecticut. Alcohol specifically ranks as the most accessible to young people. In fact, studies show that there are youth who start drinking as early as the age of 11. National surveys even report that this age is two years younger than the average age of a typical American who starts drinking. It is also alarming that illegal substances and alcohol are usually obtained from friends, relatives, and underground sales outlets. Hence, the US Government is calling the attention of parents to help protect their children from addiction and the problems that may result from it. Aside from the information campaigns Collinsville, Connecticut launches, the Government has also set up rehab programs to immediately solve the youth's drug dependence problem.

Alcohol and Drug Trafficking Information in Collinsville, Connecticut

Trafficking of illicit drugs is a big problem among cities and suburbs in Connecticut. With its close proximity to New York City and Boston, Connecticut has been a key point for the entry and exit of illegal substances. Boston and New York City are linked together through the Interstate 95, which is a major North-South highway along the east coast. It extends along the Southern shore of Connecticut through its cities such as New London, New Haven, Bridgeport, and Stamford. Likewise, this connection is extended up to the border of Canada and the US. On the other hand, Interstate 91 in Connecticut's New Haven extends up to Massachusetts and Vermont bordering the US and Canada. This created an intersection of interstates in New Haven and in the place which the authorities call the New England Pipeline.

Organized groups of illicit drug smugglers are comprised mostly by people who are from Puerto Rico, Spain, and Mexico. However, there are also African-Americans and Dominicans who sell illegal substances in the streets urban and suburban Connecticut.

The Government is doing its best to bust all these drug traffickers through the two teams established by the US Drug Enforcement Administration or DEA: the DEA Mobile Enforcement Team (MET) and the DEA Regional Enforcement Team (RET). In Connecticut, there are two deployments of DEA MET—one in Bridgeport and another in Hartford. MET is a comprehensive program that combined the forces of the local and state authorities to solve crimes that are caused by the unlawful use of drugs. Meanwhile, RET is established in support of the existing resources of the DEA to end the operations of organizations involved in drug trafficking.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Information in Collinsville, Connecticut

Cocaine. Cocaine and heroin are on top of the list of substances the pose as great risk to the residents of Collinsville, Connecticut. Cocaine is used for its stimulating and euphoric effects. There are two types of cocaine – the powder and the crack or rock. Of the two, crack cocaine is more popular and easily accessible compared to powder cocaine. This is because powder cocaine is expensive and harder to produce. As of 2006, 46.8 kilograms of cocaine have been sequestered by the government. Reports also show that there are more than 48,000 reported cases of addiction in Connecticut, and over 5,500 of these cases are cocaine addiction. Nearly 40% of cocaine users are females, and a large percentage of the drug users belongs to the 36-40 age range.

Heroin. This drug is a morphine derivative and is an extremely addictive narcotic. It weakens the impulses of the brain sensory, which results in numbness and stronger pain tolerance. This drug is in demand in Collinsville, Connecticut because of its low price despite its high quality. Likewise, one can easily intake this drug by smoking and snorting. It is available in the underground street market and is commercially wrapped in a small plastic bag, usually with a misleading marking. In the 2006 list of Federal Drug Seizure, 38.1 kilograms of heroin were confiscated. Despite this strong movement against illegal drug use, more than 17,000 people still undergo drug detox programs in Connecticut because of heroin abuse. This is over 37% of the total reported drug abuse cases to the Government. The age of those who use heroin ranges from 36 to 40 years old.

Meth/Methamphetamine. This drug is used as a stimulant to the nervous system. It causes one to be hyperactive, talkative, and euphoric. Cases that concern meth or methamphetamine abuses in Collinsville, Connecticut are rare.

Marijuana. Marijuana usually refers to substances derived from a plant herb called cannabis. Studies show that smoking of marijuana can cause hallucinations and euphoria. When excessively used, marijuana can lead one to disorientation and delirium. Almost 8% of the total cases of illicit drug use in Connecticut are classified under the illegal use of marijuana. This is almost 4,000 cases, a small portion of the 48,082 statistics. It is also sad to note that there are cases of young people—aged 12 up to 17 years—who use marijuana. As a matter of fact, more than 15% of marijuana users belong to that age bracket.

Other substances illicitly used. Other drugs illegally used are ecstasy, oxycodone, and oxycontin. Ectasy is popular among college students who usually buy them during parties in nightclubs and bars. Meanwhile oxycodone and oxycontin are often acquired using false prescriptions. Sometimes drugstore employees steal these substances from their stores and sell them to drug users.

Alcohol. This beverage is a well-liked depressant in almost every society around the world. However, excessive and frequent drinking of alcohol can cause nausea and vomiting. It can even lead to alcohol abuse. The list of alcohol addicts who undergo treatment shows that there are more than 18,000 drinkers of alcohol; half of this number does not only drink alcoholic beverages but use illegal drugs at the same time.

Drug Rehabs and Alcoholism Treatment Programs in Collinsville, Connecticut

At present, nine drug rehabs are established under the supervision of the Connecticut local government. These rehabilitation centers offer different detox programs and rehab programs for addiction treatment. Aside from these state rehabs, there are more than 200 rehabilitation centers all over Connecticut as of 2003. All these rehabilitation centers offer substance abuse treatment and alcohol treatment. As part of the patient's rehabilitation program, these treatment centers apply certain drug detox processes, which are essential to the recovery of the addicts. According to surveys, there are nine out of ten drug addicts who chose to undergo detox outside rehabilitation centers. Although the program completion takes a long period of time, it proves to be more efficient than other type of treatment programs.