Drug And Alcohol Addiction In St. Paul, Minnesota
Located east of Minneapolis, and in Ramsey County, St. Paul is the smaller of Minnesota’s Twin Cities. This close proximity is what earned the two cities their famous nicknames, but it has also created a massive metropolitan area where drugs can flow unseen. With the rampant growth in our country’s Opioid epidemic, St. Paul has been hit hard by the illegal sale and use of prescription and illicit drugs.
While there are limited treatment facilities in the immediate area, there are many in surrounding regions that specialize in various forms of addiction and abuse rehab and recovery services.
The Opioid Crisis In St. Paul
In 2017, the Opioid epidemic was at an all-time high in St. Paul. Ramsey County suffered 72 deaths from Opioid overdoses in that year, a jump from the previous year’s 62 and 2015’s 47 deaths. This steady climb is in line with most of the country.
Of the 62 deaths by Opioid overdose in 2016, 25 (40% of them), were attributed to the presence of a single drug, while the remaining deceased were found with a mix of Opioids. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in St. Paul confiscated an estimated 46,000 counterfeit pills in the first 7 months of 2020, nearly 4 times the amount seized a year prior. Officials say the trends have been steadily increasing since 2018.
The Growing Fentanyl Epidemic In St. Paul
From 2015 to 2016, the number of deaths tied to Fentanyl in St. Paul grew from 3 to 17, an increase of over 500%. While 6 of those deaths were from Fentanyl alone, the other 11 were combined with other drugs including Cocaine, Heroin, Oxycodone, Methadone, and Amphetamines. While expressing the increase in Fentanyl as a percentage may seem like an exaggeration, the growth in Fentanyl-related deaths is indicative of more dealers passing off Fentanyl as other narcotics. Fentanyl is an incredibly potent, lethal drug and the dealing of it at all is dangerous for everyone involved. The dealers who are distributing Fentanyl are relatively aware that it could lead to someone’s death (especially if the buyer is unaware they’re consuming the added chemical), but often these traffickers do not know the exact dosing of what is lethal and continue to sell it.

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St. Paul Addiction Statistics
62
deaths
St. Paul saw its highest number of opioid deaths in 2016, at 62. It is likely that this number will continue to grow unless more is done to prevent prescription drug abuse.
17
deaths
In 2016, 17 people died from fentanyl, a 500% increase from the previous year. There is no telling how rapidly this number can grow in the future.
22,218
admissions
2016 saw 22,218 admissions into addiction treatment programs in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, 5,527 of which involved opioids as the primary substance.
Other Drugs Present In St. Paul
It is rare today to see stimulants cause as many deaths as Opioids. However, in St. Paul and Ramsey County, Cocaine-related deaths are growing to match those of Heroin. In 2016, cocaine was involved in 13 opioid overdose deaths and 8 deaths on its own. When combined with another 2 deaths involving Cocaine and Methamphetamines, Cocaine was involved in 23 deaths total, nearly double the number of deaths from Heroin.
While the number of Cocaine-related deaths has risen, the number of deaths from Methamphetamines continue to fall. Falling from 8 in 2015 to 5 the following year, it seems that Methamphetamines are not as big of a concern for St. Paul when compared the Opioid epidemic or even Cocaine.
Looking For Help In St. Paul
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, the best way to ensure that you achieve and maintain sobriety is to attend rehab. There are limited treatment facilities in the immediate area, but there are many in the surrounding regions; many treatment professionals also suggest that traveling to a remote location to attend rehab may result in successful outcomes. If you would like to find out more about what rehab options are available to you, don’t wait. Contact a treatment provider today.
Published:
Author
Cooper Smith

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Cooper Smith earned his Bachelor’s in Writing for Entertainment from Full Sail University. While he was initially interested in a career in television, he saw an issue in his community and felt compelled to do something more. Now, he uses his knowledge to reach out to people who may need help and make the public aware of issues we are facing as a society. When he isn’t behind a computer, Cooper travels somewhere new.
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