Rhode Island has the dubious distinction of being near the top of the list of states with drug and alcohol issues. The state’s rates of substance abuse are double the national average. This is due in part to Rhode Island’s location on a major drug smuggling route, and partly the state’s low perception of the risks of drug and alcohol abuse.

It doesn’t seem like these rates are going down anytime soon. As far as Rhode Island’s high school students are concerned, over a third of seniors use marijuana and almost 60% have tried the drug. Numerous studies show that almost seventy percent of drug addicts started using either alcohol or marijuana as teenagers. The studies also show us that kids who use drugs before they turn fourteen have a much higher risk of becoming addicted. That means that a lot of parents will end up needing the services of one of Rhode Island’s rehab centers.

Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse

State of Rhode Island Profile of Drug Indicators

January 2008

As of 2006, there were almost sixty drug and alcohol rehab centers in the state of Rhode Island. Almost all of them are privately run, either for- or non-profit. But, seventy percent of the state’s drug treatment centers receive public funding, and many have deals with local hospitals. That means that more of Rhode Island’s people are able to get the help they need. Most people that seek drug or alcohol treatment in Rhode Island will end up in a “private” facility.

Although most of Rhode Island’s drug and alcohol treatment centers receive public funds, they aren’t all the same. Most patients will receive outpatient treatment, but the most severely addicted will need the help of one of the state’s sixteen residential drug treatment programs. Residential treatment allows the person to escape the stress and temptation of their daily lives.

Over twenty percent of all admissions to Rhode Island’s drug and alcohol treatment facilities were for heroin addiction, making the drug second only to alcohol in terms of admissions. Despite the high number of heroin admissions, not all of the state’s drug treatment centers offer help. Only nineteen facilities in Rhode Island offer opiate addiction treatment programs, and twenty one programs and 42 doctors are licensed to use buprenorphine. This drug minimizes cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

As in other states, most of Rhode Island’s drug and alcohol treatment facilities take a multifaceted approach to drug and alcohol treatment. They use detox, counseling, behavior modification therapy, and support groups to help people learn to live without drugs. If you or someone you know is addicted to drugs, seek help, but first go to your doctor for an evaluation. Your doctor will diagnose the level of your addiction, and determine what kind of program will work best for you.

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