For several reasons, only a small percentage of people who want treatment programs for substance abuse can receive the care they need. They are left to suffer despite the unrelenting rise of the demand for drug and alcohol rehab.
Addiction is a disease that does not distinguish, particularly in California. Across multiple demographics, Riverside County, CA, is plagued with large rates of substance abuse. Fortunately, there is a wide diversity of drug and alcohol resources and treatment options accessible.
Countless People Suffer From Addiction; You’re Not Alone
If you require or are seeking help in Riverside County, CA, know that help is available at our Riverside alcohol rehab, and you are not alone! At 90210 Recovery, we’ve assisted countless people with substance use disorders and mental illness manages their conditions to recover and maintain sobriety.
Our addiction experts at Riverside alcohol rehab will create a comprehensive treatment plan consisting of detox, outpatient programs, inpatient, therapy, and relapse prevention techniques to meet you or a loved one’s needs.
History of Riverside County, CA
Riverside County, a small town in Southern California, east of Los Angeles, is noted for its location nestled on the Santa Ana River. With a population of nearly two million people, it is the state’s fourth-largest county and the tenth most populated in the United States by population.
Nearly 7,200 square miles, Riverside County spans from the greater Los Angeles area to the Arizona border. Recognized as the Inland Empire, the county includes the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geographically, most of the eastern and central areas are desert, while the western area has a more Mediterranean climate. The resort cities of Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Rancho Mirage, and La Quinta are located in Central Riverside County within the Coachella Valley near Temecula.
Every year, millions of residents and visitors alike take advantage of the desert winter weather, hiking and bike trails, nearby beaches, and attend various fabulous events, including Springs International Film Festival, Coachella, and Stagecoach music festivals.
Riverside County offers unparalleled diversity, rivers, mountains, deserts, and valleys, combined with a rich cultural heritage and frontier history.
Riverside County, CA Substance Abuse Statistics
Individuals of all ages, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations are victims of substance abuse in Riverside County.
While Southern California is known for its pleasant year-round weather and large events, there is always a downside to every area. Individuals of all ages, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations are victims of substance abuse in Riverside County.
Sadly, the city has been plagued with addiction, garnering the credit of being a hub of alcoholism and illicit drug use.
The main substances used in Riverside County include:
- Alcohol
- Heroin
- Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth)
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
Due to the epidemic of addiction happening throughout Riverside County, CA, the need to treat substance use disorders (SUD) and mental illness continue to be on the rise.
Drug Abuse in Riverside County
Apart from being deemed infamously as America’s Drug Pipeline, due to bordering Mexico, Riverside County is also close to main ports and cities. As much of the city is abandoned, the major highway of Interstate 10 running through the area, it was comfortable for drug trafficking operations to go unnoticed.
Even the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) stated that Riverside County, CA, is one of the country’s riskiest areas for smuggling drugs. In 2015, a highly investigated report stated that the amounts of heroin and meth distributed throughout the city were ten times higher than in the previous decade.
As proof shows, drug abuse in Riverside County, CA, is at an all-time high. The area is growing into one of the largest distribution centers in the United States for trafficking drugs from Mexico to Los Angeles, Northern California, and other states. As stated before, being near Interstate 10 is a significant contributor to the drug problem occurring in Riverside County.
In current years, reports found that approximately 6,495 pounds of methamphetamine (meth) meant for nationwide distribution was seized in Riverside County alone. The area has tremendous rates of meth abuse when compared to other counties in California. The use of heroin and meth continues to increase. Consequently, the demand for substance abuse treatment at Riverside alcohol rehab facilities has increased tenfold.
Alcoholism in Riverside County
In addition to the abuse of illicit drugs, high alcoholism rates in Riverside County, CA, have been witnessed in various populations. This involves people under the legal drinking age of 21. Excessive drinking, also known as binge drinking, is the culprit in this state’s area.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines the act of binge drinking as drinking more than four to five drinks in two hours. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is drinking more than seven drinks in a week. These are all named as forms of excessive drinking.
A survey carried out in 2015 found that alcohol consumption in the county, while not as high percentage-wise as in other counties in California, is still very prevalent among its residents. Results also showed that the area had a high rate of car accident deaths due to alcohol at 35 percent. In the United States, alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of death.