Delaware Addiction Treatment

Delaware Addiction Treatment

At one point, Delaware’s drug-related death rate was higher than the national average. Several factors have led to increased drug addiction and abuse levels, especially the use of specific substances like opioids. Other major cities with drug problems, such as Philadelphia and New York, are neighbors to Delaware, making these substances more accessible. Drug rehab centers in Delaware, like ours, are in the fight against addiction and contribute to governmental efforts to end the opioid epidemic by offering effective and expert-led drug and alcohol rehab programs. Our Delaware addiction treatment is available to anyone struggling with addiction and their loved ones.

Prevalence of Drug Abuse in Delaware

According to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2009 to 2010, 8.99 percent of Delaware residents reported illicit drug use in the past month. The national average at the time was 8.82 percent.1 In more recent years, the rate of drug abuse in Delaware has increased.

• In 2018, opioids were involved in 46,802 overdose deaths – almost 70% of overdose deaths in general.²
• Deaths involving synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, rose by over 28,400 people (a rate of 9.9) in 2018.²
• Delaware providers wrote 60.6 opioid prescriptions per 100 people compared to the national rate of 51.4 prescriptions.²

Heroin is the most abused drug in Delaware, followed by cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. Drug addiction in Delaware has been heavily supplemented by drug trafficking operations that have moved to the state to avoid legal detection from major city law enforcement. In Milford, specifically, many people consider it the safest area in which to conduct drug-related crimes. The drug-related crime rate in Milford is 1.00 per 1,000 residents in one year, with the rate often reaching as high as 1 in 524 in northeast neighborhoods.4 Additionally, Wilmington is a city located right off I-95, the East Coast’s most frequently traveled highway, making it a primary location for drug exchanges and distributions.

Another growing concern for Delaware residents is the accessibility to drugs at Rehoboth Beach, particularly during the summer season. The area is notorious for being a major hub for buying drugs like methamphetamine, ecstasy (MDMA), and GHB. The problem is especially serious for teens and college students who go to Rehoboth Beach during summer vacations and seek out these drugs. The party atmosphere often encourages polysubstance abuse as well, and these vacationers may mix drugs with alcohol or other drugs, which increases the risk of fatal overdose.

At Banyan Treatment Centers Delaware, we understand the importance of offering safe and effective resources for individuals battling addiction. Our medical detox in Delaware is often the first step of patients’ treatment plans because it safely helps their withdrawal from the substances they’ve been using. Unfortunately, withdrawal symptoms are usually uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous, and so much so that people who have become dependent on drugs or alcohol often continue using them to avoid these symptoms. Fortunately, our detox programs are each medically led and can safely and successfully help patients get through the withdrawal process.

Delaware Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) are electronic databases that track controlled substance prescriptions in a state. Each state has its own program that can provide health authorities with information about prescribing and patient behaviors that can contribute to the current opioid epidemic.5 Simply put, PDMPs can detect early warning signs of drug trends and “doctor shoppers.” Delaware’s PMDP, like those of other states, requires all practitioners and pharmacies to input prescription drugs to an electronic base, which allows the system to always have the latest information. The ultimate goal of Delaware’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is to help limit the rate of addiction in the state and catch the signs of dependence early on.