Drug Abuse Trends in Fort Worth
Located in north Texas, Fort Worth’s 874,168 residents are only a part of the nearly 7.4 million Texans in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metroplex. The city is an industrial and commercial hub at the center of a network of highways, some coming directly from the US-Mexico border. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) routinely tracks illegal drugs crossing the border from Mexican cartels. These drugs move through San Diego to Lubbock to Dallas-Fort Worth or, more commonly, through border towns like El Paso, Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville, before moving to the DFW area.
While many parts of the country suffer heavily from the Opioid Epidemic, opioid addiction and overdose rates in Fort Worth and Tarrant County are lower than state and national averages. In 2016, there were 4.9 opioid-related deaths for every 100,000 people (an increase of 2.9 deaths since 2010). Comparatively, the state death rate was 10.3 (among the lowest in the US); West Virginia averaged 47.9 deaths per 100,000 people in the same time.
Meth Addiction and Abuse in Fort Worth
The most commonly abused substance in Fort Worth has long been alcohol, followed by marijuana and methamphetamines. However, the DEA ranks meth as the number 1 threat to the area. In this region, meth addiction and abuse rates have actually increased since pseudoephedrine (used in cold medicines) became harder to obtain legally. In 2013 and 2014, meth became the drug detected most in forensic labs – more than either cocaine or cannabinoids.
The most common type of meth in the city is P2P (phenyl-2-propanone), a legal chemical in Mexico. P2P meth is purer and more potent and has resulted in a price drop by nearly half. 91% of area meth is made from P2P. The potency of the drug has led to an increase in overdoses; in 2015, more people died in Tarrant county from meth than from opioids. 15% of treatment admissions are for meth; the most common secondary addictions are to marijuana and alcohol.
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Fort Worth Drug Abuse Statistics
33
percent
In Tarrant County, 33% of treatment admissions were for opioid addiction.
533
Narcan doses
In 2017, the city’s emergency medical services administered Narcan 533 more times than only 2 years prior.
8.2
percent
8.2% of DFW residents can be classified as having a substance use disorder.
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Addiction Treatment in Fort Worth
There are a range of addiction intervention services available to the residents of Fort Worth, regardless of their ability to pay. Texans may take advantage of Outreach, Screening, Assessment, and Referral (OSAR) centers for substance abuse treatment. OSARs are split into regions across the state and can help individuals find treatment options.
For Tarrant County residents facing criminal charges due to their addiction, there are a number of programs designed to detox and rehabilitate people. Not only do these intervention and recovery programs reduce rates of recidivism, but they provide vital services to many individuals who might be unable to receive them otherwise. Substance abuse programs offered by the Tarrant County Corrections Department include:
- Treatment Alternative to Incarceration Program
- Intensive Day Treatment Program
- Intensive Outpatient Program
- Relapse Program
- Cognitive Program
- Substance Abuse Aftercare Unit
Get Help in Fort Worth Today
Getting treatment for an addiction is the best thing anyone can do for their health. While some may think the cost of rehab is high, in reality, the cost of addiction is even higher. Contact a treatment provider to discuss addiction treatment options today.
