Drug And Alcohol Addiction In Fargo, North Dakota
Located on the eastern edge of North Dakota, Fargo is the twin city of Moorhead, Minnesota. As the state’s most-populated city, Fargo is home to 122,359 residents and 241,356 in the greater metro area. Though national statistics show the scope of the substance use is lower in North Dakota when compared to other states, rates of addiction and overdose have continued to increase over the past decade. However, more people are now seeking addiction treatment in Fargo than previous years.
The most common substances of abuse in Fargo include:
In Fargo’s Cass County, drug overdose deaths increased by 55% from 2019 to 2020. While the Opioid crisis has been prominent in North Dakota, other substances are also prevalent. Overdoses related to Meth increased by 79% in 2018. In recent years, Fargo’s drug overdoses accounted for 29.6% of the state’s overdose fatalities (though it only makes up 16% of the population).
We have an addiction crisis… not merely an opioid crisis.
And while prescribing rates for prescription Opioids have fallen in the area below the national average, the abuse of illicit drugs has risen. Poly-drug abuse, or the use of multiple substances to offset or augment each other, has contributed to local increases in meth and cocaine.

Break free from addiction.
You have options. Talk about them with a treatment provider today.
Alcohol Abuse In Fargo
Despite increases in drug use, alcohol continues to be the most commonly abused substance in the area. Between 2003 and 2012, 502 people were killed in drunk driving accidents in North Dakota. The rate of drunk driving deaths per 100,000 people is 11.3, more than 3 times the 3.3 national average. In Cass County, alcohol abuse was responsible for three times as many deaths as narcotics, according to public health officials in 2018.
A chronic Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) can also cause a number of potentially fatal health complications. Alcohol can damage the brain, heart, and liver after only a few years of heavy drinking. In Cass County, liver cirrhosis is the third-leading cause of death among people between 45 and 54-years-old.
Addiction Statistics For Fargo
70
percent
In 2018, 70% of North Dakota deaths involved Opioids.
11 per 100,000
overdoses
There were 11 overdoses per 100,000 North Dakota residents in 2019.
1,000
alcohol-related arrests
City of Fargo police report making over a thousand arrests annually for DUIs and alcohol-related offenses.
Drug And Alcohol Rehab In Fargo
Following efforts by state and local governments to reverse the tide of addiction, more residents are now seeking help for a Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Between 2017 and 2018, one Methadone clinic in Fargo treated 250% more individuals. Additionally, funding from the state has reduced the price of some addiction treatment medications to $15 per week or $60 per month.
The state also encourages residents in need to pay for addiction treatment with a SUD Voucher. The voucher can be used for services like addiction screenings and need-for-treatment evaluations, individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, urine analysis, transportation, and methadone maintenance.
Get Help For An Addiction
Once you make the decision to start recovery, it’s important to begin treatment as soon as possible. For more information about drug and alcohol rehabs in Fargo and across the U.S., contact a treatment provider today.
Published:
Author
Destiny Bezrutczyk

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Destiny Bezrutczyk is a Digital Content Writer from west Iowa. She earned a Bachelor’s in English Language and Literature from Texas Tech University. After working as a freelance script and blog writer, she began writing content for tech startups. Maintaining a passion for words, she took on a variety of projects where her writing could help people (especially those battling mental health and substance use disorders).
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