Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts

Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts

Massachusetts (often called the Bay State) is known as a picturesque state riddled with history. Situated on the East Coast, MA is home to numerous fishing towns and famous beaches like Cape Cod. Unfortunately, the need for addiction treatment in Massachusetts is severe. Heroin and alcohol are among the most commonly abused drugs in Massachusetts. Heroin is a harmful and addictive opioid that has played a significant role in the opioid epidemic and opioid-related drug overdose deaths in MA. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, there were over 15,179 confirmed opioid-related deaths in Massachusetts, not including an additional 5,900 estimated deaths.1 Binge drinking alcohol is also an issue in this state. From 2010 to 2014, Massachusetts residents between the ages of 12 and 20 binge drank at a higher rate than the national average.²

Statistics on Drug Use in Massachusetts

In 2017, there were 98,948 total admissions into Massachusetts addiction treatment. Among these, the percentages of the primary drugs abused included:³

• Heroin: 52.8%
• Alcohol: 32.8%
• Other Opioids: 4.6%
• Crack/Cocaine: 4.1%
• Marijuana: 3.5%

Between 2008 and 2017, the percentage of total admissions to primary drug treatment in substance abuse centers in Massachusetts increased from 37.3% to 52.8%. When comparing the rate of primary drug use versus past year substance use in the same time frame, heroin use increased by 6.2% and alcohol use by 22.5%.¹

The resurface of heroin abuse in Massachusetts has deeply affected communities across the state. Counties like Plymouth, Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes, and Essex have all been affected. International drug distribution through seaports in Boston and drug trafficking operations in New York contribute greatly to drug abuse in Massachusetts. As a result, opioid drug abuse has significantly increased. Many people begin their addiction by first taking prescription opioids or painkillers and later move onto heroin as a cheaper alternative. People in this situation often require prescription pills or heroin addiction treatment to get sober.

Additionally, Fentanyl is another dangerous drug that’s on the rise in the Bay State. This is a strong and fast-acting painkiller that mimics the euphoric high of heroin. Unfortunately, Fentanyl is 100 times more powerful than morphine, making it much stronger than heroin. Many drug distributors and dealers use this drug as a heroin cutting agent to make production cheaper. This mixture increases the risk of addiction and overdose in users. Finding the right opioid addiction treatment in Massachusetts is crucial for helping individuals in these situations regain their health and sobriety.

Efforts Against Drug Addiction in MA

Substance abuse can affect a person’s relationships, finances, and health. Economies also suffer from drug abuse, as well as public safety. That’s why having addiction programs in Massachusetts that are accessible to people with substance use disorders is so important. The Bay State has implemented several measures that address addiction as a disease, therefore providing addicts with comprehensive care. One of these measures is the Relative to Substance Use Treatment, Education, and Prevention Act (STEP Act). This act limits prescription opioids to no more than a 72-hour dosage in Massachusetts. This prevents excessive use of prescription drugs and blocks the flow of excess pills from reaching the illegal drug market.

Massachusetts’ Prescription Awareness Tool (MassPAT) is a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) that requires physicians and pharmacists to enter any prescriptions they write into a database. This database keeps track of medications in hopes of reducing the risk of drug abuse. MassPAT is a newer version of this program that alerts physicians to any signs of addiction and interacts with other states’ PDMPs to prevent duplicate prescriptions and catch the signs of doctor shopping.