Categories: Lifestyle

Texans Are Fighting A Deadly War Against Drug Abuse And Addiction

The state of Texas is in the middle of a war against drug abuse and addiction. It’s a war that has cost countless lives. Not only that, it’s not the only state in the country dealing with this. The war is affecting every state.

If you are someone dealing with addiction and live in the state of Texas, now is the time to get the help you need while you can. When collaborating using Gallus Detox, you’ll get exactly what you need with a treatment plan that you can be sure to follow. Even the possession laws in the state are very strict.

If you wish to save yourself the trouble in terms of addiction or potential penalties for possession, keep reading. Let’s take a look now at some of the facts and figures regarding drug abuse and addiction in Texas.

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Highest Seizure Rates In The Country

In 2002, Texas was ranked no lower than third across the board for drug seizures. They were first in the nation for seizures of marijuana and cocaine. Meanwhile, they ranked second for meth seizures and third for heroin.

This could be due to the fact that they may have entered the country via Mexico. There are eleven ports of entry in the state of Texas alone. On top of that, millions of people have traversed the US/Mexico border through these ports of entry every years.

The high traffic can make it a challenge for drug enforcement to track down drug trafficking criminals. Plus, the drug traffickers themselves are utilizing underground networks to avoid detection.

More Than 1,400 People Died Of Opioid Overdoses In 2018

Opioids have long been a problem nationwide. In the state of Texas, over 1400 people have died from overdoses of heroin and other opioid drugs in 2018. In the midst of an epidemic, those numbers likely have increased.

Not to be outdone, there is said to be more than 8000 Texans that have used (or currently using) opioid drugs. Nearly 80 percent of those are from heroin alone. The opioid crisis is only getting worse and may show no signs of stopping unless anything changes.

Cocaine Is Still A Problem In Texas Today

Cocaine is still frequently trafficked across the US/Mexican border today. One survey pointed out that 3000 Texans have been (or currently addicted) to Cocaine. The highly addictive drug is known to be lethal if overdosed.

It comes as no surprise that even though it is one of the most seized drugs in the state, drug traffickers are still finding ways to get it into the Lone Star State.

Harris County Had More Than 1,300 Overdose Deaths Between 2014-2016

Harris County is the most populous in Texas. This is where the largest city of Houston is located. It is also where more than 1300 people have died from an overdose between 2014 and 2016.

Dallas County has nearly 950 deaths reported in the time frame while Travis County (including Austin) reported 415 overdose deaths. The larger cities in Texas have reported higher numbers of these overdoses.

Meth Has Dominated The Police Reports

When criminal activity is reported, the police will respond. When drugs are involved, methamphetamines have been involved more than 32 percent of the time. Other drugs that were involved in criminal activity included marijuana and cocaine, which were seized 20 and 18 percent of the time, respectively.

There Is No FDA Approved Medicated Assisted Treatment In Texas

Medicated Assisted Treatment or MATs is a common way to treat opioid addiction. However, there is no MAT that is approved by the FDA currently available in the state of Texas. For this reason, methamphetamine, cocaine, and opioid use is continuing to rise.

There should be no stalling in terms of treating addiction. It’s important that the FDA makes it clear that MATs are effective in a treatment plan. The sooner it is implemented in drug detox centers in Texas, the better things may be.

More Than 30 Percent Of Texas Youth Believe Marijuana Is Harmful

In a survey with youth-aged people in Texas, 30 percent of them believed that marijuana is perceived as harmful. However, 17 percent of high school students in the state have reported that they had used marijuana in a span of a month prior to participating in the survey.

Over 2.4 million Texans (including those age 12 and up) have reported using marijuana in the previous year. Not to be outdone, nearly 8 percent of young Texans have reported using other illegal drugs in the past month. This proves that the drug issue is quickly spreading to kids as young as 12 years old.

About 5 Percent Of Hiv Diagnoses In Texas Are Drug-Related

The use of injection needles are commonplace for drugs. Especially when heroin is being used. In the past year, 5 percent of those diagnosed with HIV had contracted the virus due to sharing needles while injecting drugs.

Not only is the risk of overdosing quite high, but so is the contraction of various (albeit deadly) infectious diseases. Furthermore, it proves the fact that if the overdose doesn’t kill you, something else might.

Meth Is A Dominating Problem In The Major Cities Of Texas

Of all the drugs reported in Texas, meth continues to dominate in the top three major cities including Houston, Dallas, and Austin. What was considered one of the second most seized drugs in the country more than 20 years ago, it’s still a problem.

Whether it crossed the border or was made in Texas, it’s important for drug investigators to get to the root of the problem and fast.

Final Thoughts

Texans are in the midst of a drug war that is showing no signs of letting up. In the meantime, you can win your war against addiction by visiting a Gallus Detox center near you. Your life is important and should not be thrown away due to your addiction to drugs of any kind.