Addiction in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, along with most of Missouri, was previously thought of as the “Meth Capital of the World.” As new laws and different drugs have become available, the desire for illicit methamphetamine has fallen. Despite meth’s comeback in recent years, with a cheaper, purer product, opioids and a new strain of K2 pose a more prevalent danger to the city. More and more people are falling victim to drug addiction and needing drug and alcohol treatment in Saint Louis, MO
The Toll of The Opioid Epidemic in St. Louis
The consistent rate of drug-related deaths in St. Louis is among the worst in the country. With the wave of the opioid crisis, St. Louis is among the cities hurt most by prescription drugs’ addictiveness. The epidemic has been the cause of an increasing amount of deaths, averaging at 23 per 100,000 people from 2012 to 2016. These numbers have radically increased in recent years, however, totally eclipsing the number of deaths from a mere six years prior.
In 2016, opioid-related deaths alone rose to 273 from 131 the previous year. Though that number declined to 243 in 2017, the number of cases that involved fentanyl rose from 56% to 84%. More and more users in St. Louis are overdosing on fentanyl without their knowledge. Men and women in St. Louis who buy heroin often find that their purchase has been cut with fentanyl. Without a proper understanding of the substance, people cannot dose properly and overdose. They can also fall into addiction and need Saint Louis drug and alcohol treatment.
The K2 Outbreak in St. Louis
Many people think that drugs like K2, a synthetic form of cannabis, are harmless. However, the synthetic chemicals used to spray down the plant matter can range in properties that vary based on the provider. Side effects can include seizures, hallucinations, and nausea. A particular strain that has been spotted in St. Louis contains a prominent anti-coagulant ingredient found in rat poison that causes users to bleed out.
Treatment in St. Louis
The drug crisis in St. Louis is permanently destroying the lives of many individuals. People who smoke K2 are damaging their bodies in ways they can’t recover from, even after going to addiction treatment centers near Saint Louis. The only way to get better is to stop before it’s too late.
Coming to terms with addiction is the first step to recovery. If you suffer from addiction but don’t know where to go, reach out to a dedicated drug rehab in Saint Louis. They can help you plot out your next steps toward recovery.
