Alcohol is the most commonly
used drug among young people, and there may be serious implications from this
early use. Moreover, wide-spread binge
drinking among college students has been called the most serious public health
problem on college campuses. Alcohol has both short term and long term effects. Marijuana
is the most commonly used and abused illicit drug in the U.S., particularly
among adolescents and young adults. The level of THC content in marijuana after
cultivation can range from less than 1% to more than 30% and has been
increasing dramatically, making marijuana increasingly potent and more
addictive. Heroin use has become
more commonplace in many communities although most people do not start off
using heroin, which is highly addictive.
Some individuals reported switching to heroin because it is cheaper and
easier to obtain than prescription opioids.
Interviews of jail inmates and self-reporting surveys of Drug Court participants, Probationers and persons enrolled in substance abuse treatment at The Recovery Center, Fairfield County ADAMH Board. The jail interviews were completed with staff from The Recovery Center. The Center for State Courts provided analysis of the data as part of the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Grant received by the Fairfield County ADAMH Board, 2013-2016.
The Criminal Justice sample consisted of jail inmates, drug court participants and probationers in Fairfield County. The SA Treatment sample consisted of individuals enrolled in substance abuse treatment at The Recovery Center.