Washington, D.C., formally known as the District of Columbia, also known as Washington, or just D.C., is the capital city and only federal district in the United States. It is located on the east bank of the Potomac River, which forms the southwestern and southern border, respectively, with the US state of Virginia, and it of course shares a land border with the state of Maryland. As it stands currently, D.C.’s population is 689,545, per the 2020 census. The median household income in D.C. is approximately $90,842. Roughly 15.5% of D.C.’s population are considered to be living in poverty. These income based thresholds are determined by the government and depending on varying factors like family size.
DC Addiction Statistics (2022)
There is no disputing the need to visit a residential treatment center in D.C., in light of what recent events are showing us. The city of D.C., based on the most recently available data, has seen a dramatic uptick in fatal opioid overdoses, in some cases, to the highest levels ever recorded. A trend that experts attribute to a variety of factors including pandemic-induced isolation, the omnipresence of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, and a lack of addiction support resources.
By the end of August 2021, the most recent month for accessing the data, D.C. recorded 288 fatal opioid overdoses-one more than the number of deaths that was recorded in the previous year. Out of the 288 fatal overdoses recorded in D.C. through August 2021, 94% have been related to fentanyl- a powerful synthetic opioid that is between 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Due to its cheap production, cost, and higher levels of potency, fentanyl is being added or mixed into almost every purchasable drug on the market, these include non-opioids like cocaine or PCP.
Overall, as harrowing as it is to report, the national capital scored 59.5% ranking as number one, for the highest use of drugs and addiction. According to the findings of the report, D.C. also ranked in the top five for highest use of drugs by adults and teenagers.
Getting Help From A Residential Treatment Center in D.C.
D.C.’s Mayor, Muriel Bowser, announced a plan to cut fatal opioid overdoses in half in 2020. The program came to be known as LIVE LONG D.C., laying out several strategies for reducing drug overdoses. These include improving prevention measures, bringing more education programs into schools, and ramping up the availability of Naloxone and Narcan, a medication that reverses the effects of an overdose. According to the city, from October 2020 through July 2021, 40,057 Naloxone kits were distributed, compared to 31,917 kits from the previous reporting period. These initiatives will certainly help to save lives. However, at the end of the day, the real work is done by professionals who have amassed many years of experience in dealing with these individuals and their issues, face-to-face. A residential treatment center in D.C. like Maryland Addiction Recovery Center, will provide comprehensive solutions for controlling the tide of addiction that places like D.C. are enduring.
For those in need of residential treatment in DC, contact Maryland Addiction Recovery Center to learn more about our community living treatment and how we can help you, or someone you love, contact us today to get started!