Opa-Locka is a small but populous city in the heart of Miami-Dade County. The city, situated in the middle of a metropolitan area, has been affected by addiction and overdose along with much of the rest of the country in recent years. Access to drug rehab in Opa-Locka and other South Florida cities is an important way to address the public health issue of addiction. Learn more about drug rehab in Opa-Locka and the addiction problem in Florida.
Opa-Locka Drug Rehab Statistics
Florida medical examiners report, there were 12,080 deaths where drugs were found to be involved in 2018. Many of these deaths involved opioids such as heroin, morphine, fentanyl, and prescription pain relievers. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that has contributed to a spike in overdose deaths in the past few years.
In Miami, fentanyl was involved in 166 deaths in 2018. Heroin was found in 65 deaths, but medical examiners note that heroin quickly turns to morphine in the body, which was found in 126 deaths in Miami.
Alcohol is also a problem for South Florida. In 2017, 438,195 people in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties reported binge drinking. Alcohol is often combined with other drugs, which increases the likelihood of an overdose. Alcohol use also contributes to vehicle deaths. Altogether, drinking was a factor in 5,140 deaths in Florida in 2018.
Most Commonly Abused Substances In Opa-Locka
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. However, an influx of heroin trafficking has made the drug cheap and easy to find, especially in coastal metropolitan areas. Prescription drugs are also used and abused recreationally, including prescription opioids and depressants like benzodiazepines. Stimulants like cocaine are also a particular problem in South Florida.
Florida’s Drug Rehab History and Rankings
Florida is a popular place for addiction treatment. In fact, South Florida has been a treatment hub for decades. Its temperate weather makes it an attractive place to go through the challenge of drug rehab. Florida treatment centers have pioneered an approach to treatment called the Florida Model, which involves a stepped process and outpatient services in combination with sober living housing.
Florida has gone through some recent turmoil in the addiction treatment industry. In the 1990s and 2000s, dubious clinics began giving out narcotic prescriptions with poor oversight. People would come in from out of state to buy the pills to sell in their home states.
These clinics may have added fuel to the fire of the opioid crisis. Since then, Florida legislation has worked to shut down these clinics and to raise the quality of drug and alcohol treatment in the state.
Quick Treatment Facts
Addiction is a chronic, progressive disease that often needs treatment to address it effectively. If a substance use disorder is ignored, it’s likely to get worse over time, affecting multiple areas of your life. Addiction is diagnosed as a severe substance use disorder, and it usually develops after a period of drug abuse or long-term drug use. Addiction can be identified by compulsive drug use that continues to occur despite harmful consequences to your health, finances, or relationships.
No one is immune to addiction, and the disease spans many demographics and geographical areas. Young people are particularly vulnerable to substance abuse because early exposure may increase their likelihood of developing a substance use problem later in life.
Addiction is chronic but treatable. Addiction treatment is a complex process that seeks to meet the needs of each individual. Because the disease is so complicated, there are no one-size-fits-all treatment plans. Instead, you’ll sit down with your therapist and create a personalized plan that involves therapies that address medical, psychological, and social issues.
