Arkansas opioid misuse rates among nation’s highest
ARKANSAS (KSNF/KODE) — Illicit drug use is becoming a big problem in Arkansas, which now has one of the highest percentages of opioid misuse in America, according to a newly released study.
The study looked at the percentage of adults misusing opioids — which include heroin, fentanyl, codeine and morphine — and found the nation’s second highest rates in were in Arkansas at 4.6%.
Alabama (4.35%) and Louisiana (4.27%) also have some of the highest rates in the nation — considerably higher than the national average, which was found to be 3.44%. The state with the highest rate is Tennessee, where 4.9% of respondents said they had misused opioids.
The study by experts in addiction treatment, Curednation analysed data from the latest Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration drug use survey to discover the rates of illicit drug use in each state.
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“This data offers a fascinating insight into the prevalence of drug use across society, and there are clear differences across the nation in the rates of illicit drug use, and the most commonly used substances,” said Trent Carter, Founder of Curednation.
People in Nebraska reported the lowest rates of opioid misuse, with 2.5% of people surveyed saying they had done so in the past year.
“This highlights the fact that drug use affects millions of people directly, and millions more indirectly, so it’s important to remember that if you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, there are ways to get support and help which can put them on the path to recovery,” said Carter.
