Substance Abuse Trends in Austin, Texas

Addiction and drug dependence affects thousands of adolescents and adults in the Austin, Texas area. Although many addicted people in Travis County are seeking treatment for their addiction(s), there are still many people who need help. Here are some of the most recent substance abuse trends and statistics in the Austin, Texas area.

General Substance Abuse in Travis County:

• An estimated 74,357 adults in Travis Country were dependent on drugs and alcohol in 2012.¹
• 80% of children served by child welfare agencies in 2013 had parents that abused illicit drugs or alcohol.¹
• 113 days worth of ambulance time was attributed to alcohol and drug abuse in 2012.¹
• 24% of eighth graders in Austin ISD in 2000-2007 cite more frequent alcohol use than their statewide peers (23%).²
• 8-15% of suicides in Travis County are related to drugs and alcohol.³
• 60% of inmates in Travis County jail have substance abuse problems.³
• Marijuana seizures in 2010 were 59% higher than in 2009 in the South Texas HIDTA region.⁷
• 52% of heroin addicts in Austin under the age of 30 were seeking addiction treatment in 2013.⁸

Drug Overdoses in Travis County (when drugs and alcohol are mixed):

• There were 153 drug overdose deaths in Austin in 2016.⁴
• 88 people died of heroin overdoses in Austin in 2015-2016.⁴
• 64% of drug overdose deaths in Austin in 2015-2016 involved opioids. Other drugs contributing to overdose deaths included:⁴
  • Opioids – 191 deaths (64%)
  • Benzodiazepines – 89 deaths (30%)
  • Cocaine – 52 deaths (17%)
  • Methamphetamine – 51 deaths (17%)

Drunk Driving in Austin, Texas

• There were 5,708 DUI arrests in Austin in 2016.⁵
• There were 1,679 DUI crashes in Travis County in 2016.⁶
• 23 people in Travis County were killed as a result of drunk drivers in 2016.⁶
• 34% of traffic fatalities in Travis County involve alcohol.³

Drug and Alcohol Detox at Briarwood Detox Center in Austin, Texas

If you or a loved one is suffering from addiction, the professional addiction treatment specialists at Briarwood Detox Center can help. Although you may be searching for detox centers in San Antonio, Dallas, or other Texas cities near your home, we invite you to broaden your search to include Briarwood Detox in Houston and Austin. We provide individualized drug and alcohol detox programs for men and women addicted to all substances. There’s no reason to wait any longer to start your recovery journey. Call Briarwood Detox Center today to learn more about our detox centers in Austin and Houston, Texas.

References:

1. http://www.integralcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/140616_short_term_plan.pdf
2. https://www.traviscountytx.gov/county-attorney/underage-drinking-prevention
3. http://www.integralcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/150901_sud_report_6.pdf
4. https://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Health/Epidemiology/Drug_overdose_data_brief__9-28-2017.pdf
5. https://www.caglefirm.com/austin-duis/
6. http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/trf/crash_statistics/2016/39.pdf
7. https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/dmas/South_Texas_DMA-2011(U).pdf
8. https://www.health-street.net/blog-drug-testing/drug-use-in-austin-tx/