Drug And Alcohol Addiction In Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is located on the coast of California, just minutes from Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. Known as the “City of Arts,” Costa Mesa is home to around 112,825 people and boasts a long history of support and involvement in the performing arts. However, the Orange County city is currently experiencing high rates of Opioid dependency and Cocaine abuse. In 2021, there was an estimated 1,196 overdose deaths per 100,000 Orange county residents.
The Opioid Crisis In Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa is ranked as one of the top 8 cities in all of Orange County for opioid-related ED visits and is additionally one of the top 7 cities for opioid overdose death. According to the latest OC Health Care Agency report, drug-related deaths in Orange County have increased by 82% since the early 2000s, and hospitalizations cost the geographic area more than $100 million a year. The coroner’s office reports that 66.8% of those deaths were caused by accidental overdoses from prescription Opioids such as Oxycontin and Hydrocodone. The rate at which opioid medications are prescribed in Orange County is significantly higher than the state average, and local officials are hoping that new prescribing regulations will help curb the availability of the drugs.
In addition to prescription painkillers, there is another potent opioid causing overdose deaths in California: Fentanyl. Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine and is progressively showing up in drugs such as heroin and cocaine unbeknownst to consumers. From 2017 to 2018, there was a 60% increase in Fentanyl related overdose deaths in the state. Over the last year, DEA agents have made repeated seizures of both heroin and Cocaine laced with fentanyl throughout Southern California and the Central Coast.
Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous drug and is the most powerful synthetic opioid available. It is so powerful that mere inhalation or contact with the skin can cause a drug overdose resulting in death.
In 2020, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department confiscated more than 64 pounds of Fentanyl along with almost 2,000 pills. By mid 2021, 87 pounds and 57,000 pills had been seized.
The Prevalence Of Cocaine
In the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 10.47% of California residents reported using Cocaine in the past month. Costa Mesa has not been spared from these state statistics and is currently struggling with high rates of cocaine abuse and dependency. This can largely be attributed to the city’s close proximity to Los Angeles and San Diego, which are both high intensity drug trafficking areas. Illicit drugs are so widely available in the region because the California coast and I-5 interstate system have become some of the main transportation lines that drug traffickers use to bring Cocaine into the country from Canada and Mexico. It’s estimated that 95% of the Cocaine in the U.S. is smuggled in by Mexican cartels. Due to the fact that Orange County is so close to the major points of entry, Cocaine prices are among the lowest in the world and boasts some of the highest purity crystal. From 2011 to 2016, the average purity of DEA seized samples from the OC went up by 15%.
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Finding Treatment In Costa Mesa
Alcoholism and drug dependency can occur due to many complex reasons and can seem impossible to face. However, you’re not alone, and there are resources that can help. There are close to 40 treatment facilities available in Costa Mesa alone that all work towards helping those suffer from addiction recover, and thousands more throughout the country. Contact a treatment provider today, and get started on the road to recovery.
