Substance Abuse Trends in Houston, Texas

Certain cities in Texas are known as High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs), including San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston. Many drugs come into the United States through the Port of Houston.¹ In 2016, the #1 drug threat in Houston was cocaine, followed by Xanax and methamphetamine.²

Although drug abuse continues to be a major problem in the Houston, Texas area, thousands of adolescents and adults do seek and receive treatment for their addiction. Here are some of the most recent substance abuse and treatment statistics regarding the Houston, Texas area.

General Substance Abuse in the Houston area:

• An annual average of 490,000 persons aged 12 or older used an illicit drug in the past year.³
• 369,000 persons aged 12 or older were classified as having a substance use disorder in the past year.³
• 25.1 percent of persons aged 12 or reported binge drinking at least once during the past month.³

Illicit Drugs Seized in the Houston Area in 2016

• 472.9 pounds of illicit drugs were seized in Harris County⁴
• 224.18 pounds of illicit drugs were seized in Chambers County⁴
• 92.61 pounds of drugs were seized in Fort Bend County⁴

Drug-Related Deaths and Overdoses in the Houston Area

• Cocaine contributed to 205 deaths in Harris County in 2016.²
• Methamphetamine contributed to 84 overdose deaths in Harris County in 2016.²
• Heroin contributed to 73 overdose deaths in Harris County in 2016.²
• Xanax contributed to 97 overdose deaths in Harris County in 2016.²
• Vicodin contributed to 67 overdose deaths in Harris County in 2016.²
• The average age among those killed by drug overdose in the Houston area is 44.5 years old.²
• More than 75% of drug overdose deaths in the Houston area happened in the city of Houston.²
• Drug overdoses account for 1/10 of the caseload for Harris county’s medical examiner.⁶

Youth Substance Abuse in Houston:

• 12.3% of high school students in Houston reported using synthetic marijuana in 2015. The national average is 9.2%.⁷
• 17.5% of high school students in Houston reported using marijuana in 2015.⁷
• 9.6% of high school students in Houston reported using cocaine in 2015. The national average is 4.8%.⁷

Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Facilities in the Houston Area

• 1,268 adolescents in the Texas Gulf Coast region were admitted to state-funded treatment programs in 2015.⁵
• 7,839 adults in the Texas Gulf Coast region were admitted to state-funded treatment programs in 2015.⁵
• 58.6% of patients entering substance abuse treatment in the Texas Gulf Coast region in 2015 cited marijuana or alcohol as their primary substance of abuse.⁵
• The primary substances of abuse in treatment in the Texas Gulf Coast region are:⁵
  • Marijuana – 31.3%
  • Alcohol – 27.3%
  • Meth – 7.3%
  • Cocaine 6.7%
  • Crack – 5.5%
  • Heroin – 4.7%
  • Opiates and synthetics – 3.6%
  • Vicodin – 3%
  • Amphetamine – 2.2%
  • Xanax – 2%

Drug and Alcohol Detox at Briarwood Detox Center in Houston

If you or a loved one in Houston, Texas is suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, contact Briarwood Detox Center today to learn more about our individualized drug detox programs. We have detox centers in Houston and Austin, Texas that are fully staffed with addiction treatment professionals who are ready to help addicted individuals transition from a life of substance abuse to a life of recovery. Call today to start the enrollment process.

References:

1. https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs32/32771/32771p.pdf
2. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/deadliest-drugs-in-Harris-County-may-surprise-you-10895019.php
3. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUHMetroBriefReports/NSDUHMetroBriefReports/NSDUH-Metro-Houston.pdf
4. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Most-common-drugs-seized-in-Texas-counties-11241901.php
5. http://www.houstonrecoveryinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/RNA-2016_PRC6_Final_2.pdf
6. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Prescription-drug-deaths-in-Texas-vastly-6222850.php
7. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/results.htm