Scope of Problem

The illegal drug trade is alive and well in Arkansas. The influx of drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine into the state have created a fierce and urgent need for Arkansas drug and alcohol rehab. Also facing a huge marijuana problem, Arkansas has had to considerably heighten efforts to combat its substance abuse epidemic over the past twenty years. The establishment of more Arkansas drug and alcohol rehab centers has been a cornerstone of this initiative. Widespread Arkansas substance abuse has created a criminal element, the likes of which the state has never before seen. This includes prostitution, gambling, assault, rape, gangland warfare and even murder. Illicit drugs are smuggled in and moved throughout the state primarily via commercial and private ground transportation. However aircrafts are also highly preferred vessels. The Arkansas drug trade is controlled predominantly by Mexican cartels and local domestic elements. These consortiums are essentially street-gangs charged with the criminal, and if necessary, violent defense of their territory. Arkansas has recently doubled the national average for drug-related federal jail sentences. The battle against illegal drugs has cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

AR Drug Rehab

Over the past two decades, the need for AR drug rehab has increased dramatically. Methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana have long been the main causes, while other problems, such as prescription drug abuse, have recently started showing their teeth. Facing serious and immediate threats from both foreign and domestic distributors, Arkansas has had to gear up for a battle the likes of which it has never seen before. In a proactive and responsible approach to this looming threat, citizens have seen a spike in the development of AR drug rehab facilities. This combined with their fierce commitment to enforcement actually puts Arkansas in a comparatively good position with regard to their stance on illicit drugs.

AR Alcohol Rehab

With one of the lowest per capita incomes in the United States, depression plagues a sizable portion of Arkansas’ citizens. It’s common knowledge that depression is a leading cause of alcoholism. Couple this with the state's University and collegiate athletic culture, and we see why there exists such an immediate need for AR alcohol rehab. If you are an Arkansas resident, and have succumbed to the dangers and temptations of prolonged alcohol abuse and addiction, you need to know there are many quality options to help you get your life back.

AR Detox

The first step on the road to recovery from substance abuse in Arkansas, or any other state, is a thorough and professionally administered detoxification process. AR detox facilities exist in abundance around the state to give local and visiting patients the best foundation for lasting recovery. While the state houses many effective and quality programs, it’s important that patients do their research to separate the good from the bad. Time spent in a bad program can have serious and fatal consequences.

AR Marijuana Abuse

Locally cultivated and internationally smuggled product has made AR marijuana abuse the state’s most ubiquitous illegal drug problem. Local farmers take advantage of the state’s largely rural landscape, while international DTOs (mostly Mexican gangs) have found funneling their product in from the south to be a relatively simple matter. Recent legislation and enforcement measures designed to stem the domestic growth of marijuana have resulted in increased opportunities for foreign elements to flood the market with their own inventory, an opportunity on which they’ve enthusiastically pounced. This has created rivalries between local and international DTOs, and increased criminal activity in many of the state’s areas.

AR Cocaine Addiction

Spawning a bloody and violent gangland culture, AR cocaine addiction is the most serious issue facing the state’s population. Once confined to the metropolitan areas, both crack and powder cocaine have managed to infiltrate the state’s farmland and rural landscape. Cocaine, specifically crack, is cheap, abundant and highly accessible around Arkansas, and comes into the state mainly through Texas. The negative impact that AR cocaine addiction and distribution has had on communities can’t be overstated. Formerly peaceful and safe neighborhoods have turned to slums and gang-controlled wastelands where violent crime is the daily norm; this is especially true of areas that have fallen victim to crack.

AR Heroin Abuse

AR heroin abuse has remained a relatively small problem. Thankfully for its citizens, the inventory that actually does find its way into the state is shipped out within a very short time to other territories where the drug is in higher demand--mostly up north. There are, however, pockets of the population that seek, find and abuse heroin. Law enforcement officials have kept their eye on the problem and are committing resources to swift and proactive eradication. The two dominant trafficking entities are South American and Mexican cartels. Recent data shows only a slight increase in heroin-related rehab admissions.

AR Methamphetamine Abuse

@font-face { font-family: "Times"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Methamphetamine ranks high in the running for Arkansas’s most dangerous and menacing drug problem. Foreign infiltration by Mexican cartels combined with domestic production in the state’s suburban and metropolitan areas have made AR methamphetamine abuse a problem of the utmost urgency. The leading cause of drug rehab admissions in the state, methamphetamine abuse and production has also been closely associated with the acquisition of weapons, money-laundering, and a variety of other nefarious and illegal activities. Law enforcement has recently taken steps to regulate the sales of chemicals that domestic producers require in order to make the drug, but the problem continues to be a serious and widespread matter.

AR Prescription Abuse

Another enemy in Arkansas’ war on drugs is illegal prescription drug distribution and abuse. AR prescription abuse accounts for a frighteningly high number of drug rehab admissions, and can start through a variety of different circumstances including prescription theft, incompetent or unscrupulous physician practices, unwitting abuse of legitimate prescription, and so on. The drugs of choice in the AR illegal prescription world have historically consisted of OxyContin, Vicodin, Xanax and Percocet. Pseudoephedrine, a common ingredient in the creation of methamphetamine is also widely available in supermarkets and pharmacies across the state. This has been the subject of extensive legislative debate.

Club Drugs

Like most other states, the use of club drugs such as MDMA (ecstasy), GHB, LSD and Ketamine continues to grow in Arkansas. Arkansas club drug abuse can be found mostly among the state’s college and high school population, making them an especially serious threat. Ecstasy continues to dominate the scene, with GHB following close behind it. The sources of club drug distribution include outlying metropolitan areas like Miami, Los Angeles, Memphis and Houston. Foreign suppliers mainly include DTOs from France and Amsterdam. Many experts believe club drugs to be the most immediate threat to Arkansas’ youth population.

Summary

While not as desperate as that of other states, the Arkansas illegal drug situation is one that requires swift and productive prevention efforts. While many more AR drug and alcohol rehab centers have sprung up, the state struggles to keep pace with the many substance abuse threats that face it. Cocaine and methamphetamine continue to exist as the drugs of choice for most of the population, while ecstasy and other club drugs increasingly threaten the future of the state. While there have been signs of progress over the last ten years, there is still much work to be done in the service of making this epidemic a memory.