Drug Abuse in Utah: 4 Facts You Didn’t Know

When most people imagine Utah, they imagine family values, suburban homes and Sundays spent in church. What they don’t imagine is the state’s drug problem. Despite its wholesome reputation, a growing percentage of the population is addicted to pills or heroin and not receiving addiction treatment.

The Problem Begins Innocently

Most addicts started taking the pills with a legitimate prescription from their doctors because they suffered an injury or had a pain-causing ailment. Only when the prescriptions dried up did heroin come into the mix.

Drug-Related Deaths Are on the Rise

The number of pill-related deaths in Utah has risen more than 400 percent since 2000. Today, the state is eighth in the nation for prescription overdose deaths. In some cases, loved ones didn’t even know the person needed an addiction treatment center until it was too late.

Mormons Are Not Immune

Although drugs and even alcohol are strictly forbidden in the religion, most members of the church don’t view prescriptions as drugs. Many of the church’s members become addicted to narcotic painkillers for this reason.

Most People Never Get Treatment

Only 10 percent of the nation’s addicts ever seek treatment and Utah addiction recovery statistics are no different. Counseling, inpatient addiction treatment and support groups via programs like Brighton Recovery Center are vital if an addict hopes to recover. If you or a loved one needs help, don’t be afraid to ask.