Though Vermont has never figured as prominently as some of the southern and southwestern states such as Texas and California when it comes to substance abuse and alcoholism, it still has its own statistics. These numbers are quite enough to make the problem seem considerable enough to require special attention.



The authorities on alcohol and drug addiction in Vermont are putting in some concerted efforts to bring a solution to this problem by establishing special rehab centers and the like. Collectively, this means that the problem of alcohol and drug addiction in Vermont though not huge is a persistent one and needs to be tackled.

Some statistics put forward by the Treatment Episode Data Set indicates that there is definitely some cause for concern. An approximate generalization of these statistics from over the years is as follows:-

1.Close to 5,700 people seek admission to alcohol and drug rehab centers in the state of Vermont each year. If the total population of Vermont is considered, this shows that for about every 109 persons in Vermont, one enters into treatment for an addiction.

2.Alarmingly, this is only ten percent of the total number of people in Vermont who are actually into an addiction. That means, there are about 57,000 people in Vermont who are consuming either alcohol or drugs to a perilous degree.

3.The highest number of admissions every year is for people who are into alcohol addiction. It is estimated that about 33% of the addicted people in Vermont who seek drug and alcohol addiction treatment each year get enrolled into alcohol rehabilitation programs. This shows that alcohol addiction is the forerunning forms of addiction in the state.

4.The drugs that are mainly consumed excessively in the state are marijuana, heroin and cocaine, in that order. Marijuana addicts who enter treatment for alcohol and drug addiction in Vermont comprise of up to 16.5% of the total number of addicted persons seeking treatment. This is followed by people who are looking for heroin treatment, at 9.5%. Finally, the people who are looking for cocaine treatment number about 6.5%.

5.Following behind these forms of addiction treatments is methamphetamine addiction treatment. Methamphetamine is a relatively newly introduced drug on the addiction scene of Vermont, but it is quite rapidly increasing in popularity. It is poised to take over the addictions of heroin, marijuana and cocaine soon and probably even become the number one drug being consumed in the state of Vermont.

6.The majority of people who are into methamphetamine addiction are young persons. They are usually between 18 and 25 years of age. They get their methamphetamine supply from drug trafficking from areas such as Mexico as well as through local supply from the various methamphetamine labs. These labs can produce as many as ten pounds of the substance per lab, which is then supplied to local areas such as nightclubs and rave parties where the youth populations abound.

7.The pure form of methamphetamine, known as crystal meth or as ice in slang, has made its presence felt on the scene of drug addiction in Vermont, again among the younger people. The drug is locally produced as well as trafficked from outer states.

8.The highest density of alcohol and drug addiction programs in Vermont is found in the city of Burlington. A special aspect of the treatment programs found in Burlington is that you will find both conventional forms of treatment and also treatment programs that can be termed as holistic treatment methods and which follow an alternative recovery process. The diversity of treatment programs in this city is the highest and most people from other cities make a beeline to Vermont for getting their treatment too.

9.You will also find specialized treatment programs for drug and alcohol addiction in Vermont in several areas of the state. You will find programs that are designed especially for the gay populations, for the teenage and adolescent substance abusers and for women. There are also a lot of spiritual treatment programs and programs that follow recovery processes based on religion and ethnic lines.

These statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration make it amply clear that there is definitely a widespread presence of alcohol and drug addiction in Vermont. However, there are also several treatment methods and measures in place that can help bring a solution to this problem. The statistics reveal that though the situation is not in any way mitigated, it is being kept under control.