Per the Office of National Drug Control Policy, crack is the most popular method of drug abuse in Tennessee. Notably, in Tennessee, cocaine is most frequently consumed in crack form. In Tennessee, heroin use has remained stable over the past 6 years and is generally used by a small amount of long time users. The abuse of marijuana is a critical problem in Tennessee, particularly in the rural areas. As for methamphetamine (meth), its popularity continues to rise on a national level, and in Tennessee, there is an increasing demand for meth, which is readily available. The majority of the meth consumed in the United States is carried from Mexico and the Southwest Border states. Meth addiction continues to be a national concern.

Tennessee also has another growing problem–the use of club drugs, such as Ecstasy and GHB. Club drugs can be found in Nashville and Knoxville particularly, and are commonly sold at raves, which are frequented by a younger audience. Additionally, the use of hydrocodone products and ephedrine continue to be an issue in Tennessee. Methadone, morphine, Xanax, and OxyContin abuse are the most frequently abused pharmaceutical products in Tennessee.

Based on a 2004-2005 survey conducted by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 394,000 Tennessee citizens age 12 or older admitted to using an illegal drug during the prior month. Almost 2 million Tennessee citizens admitted that using marijuana once a month was a “great risk”. 15 percent of Tennessee 12th graders surveyed admitted to using cocaine at least once.

According to the 2006 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (NSSATS), Tennessee had 195 treatment facilities; 147 were private nonprofit; and 35 were private for-profit. In 2006, 171 facilities offered outpatient treatment; 54 facilities offered residential care; 7 facilities offered an opioid treatment program; and 124 physicians and 24 treatment programs offered buprenorphine treatment for opiate dependency, such as heroin addiction.

The federal, state, and local government helped to fund 113 facilities, and 116 centers had agreements with managed care organizations. Tennessee also had a total of 15,053 clients receiving treatment; 13,348 were in outpatient treatment; and 1,003 of the total client amount were below 18 years old. Over the last 15 years, Tennessee has shown a consistent decrease in the number of alcohol-only treatment admissions, declining from 82 percent in 1992 to 59 percent in 2006. The number of treatment admissions for opiates besides heroin rose from 6 percent in 1992 to 29 percent in 2006. Hence, admissions for drug treatment have increased from 18 percent in 1992 to 41 percent in 2006. However, admissions for both drugs and alcohol have declined.

With the marijuana being the starting point of experimentation for most youngsters, parents should keep a keen eye out for marijuana use, as it often leads to the use of harder drugs.

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Drug Enforcement Agnecy (DEA) – http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) – http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Institue of Health (NIH) – http://www.nih.gov/

Resource: www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov