Drugs Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers in Riverside, California

The Scope of Substance Abuse in Riverside and Riverside County

The opioid epidemic claimed thousands of lives across California. Riverside County is among several other municipalities in the nation and counties in California, suing multiple drug companies. The allegations are that aggressive and fraudulent marketing of prescription opioid painkillers and the extensive distribution led to the opioid crisis. In 2017 in Riverside County, approximately 125 people died from opiate overdose, which was an increase from 107 in 2016. During 2017 there were over 300 opioid overdose emergency department visits and over 240 hospitalizations involving opioids. Within Riverside County in 2017, more than 1.5 million prescriptions for pain medication were written. The lawsuit filed by Riverside County talks about the financial burden the opioid epidemic created within the county.

Like any other drug problem, it tends to affect the most vulnerable, including children. The homeless population is often always affected by drug and alcohol abuse. According to the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) in Riverside County, there were 2,811 identified sheltered and un-sheltered homeless adults and children countywide. The homeless count included veterans, youth aged 18 to 24, children aged 17 and under, chronically homeless, families with children, and the elderly. Approximately 24% of the homeless population in the county have substance abuse issues, and roughly 18% have a physical disability. Drug dealers will pray on the homeless population keeping them addicted to drugs. Along skid row in Los Angeles, for example, drug dealers will camp out within the homeless encampments selling drugs.