Homewood AL Narcotic Abuse Statistics

Homewood is a Birmingham suburb located in Jefferson County in the southeastern part of Alabama. The City of Homewood had a population of 23,840 as on 1 July 2008 and was once known as the most populated place in Alabama. Like most cities and counties in Alabama, the City of Homewood is also known for its hospitality, tradition, and culture as well as its open acceptance of progressive methods required for success in the future. The City of Homewood is also well known for its cultural and recreational stimulations. However, amid this progress and cultural enhancement, the city of Homewood also faces the problem of narcotic abuse, which has become pretty rampant all across Alabama.

Recent research has shown that the number of drug offenders, both adult as well as juvenile, is on the rise. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse, Jefferson County was recognized as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. Moreover, the DEA has made several arrests related to drug abuse violation, with the figure reaching 137 in 2006 alone. In several cases related to possession of narcotics, there have been nearly 14,816 arrests of adults and 1,118 arrests of juvenile offenders, clearly indicating that substance abuse in Homewood AL is not restricted to adults but has many children following in the footsteps of adults.

It is pertinent to note that the commonly abused drugs in Alabama fall into two categories, namely, pure drugs and prescription drugs. Prescription drug abuse is common where drugs, such as Oxycontin, Vicodin, and Hydrocodone, are used. Some other commonly abused drugs include Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, Club drugs, such as Ecstasy and GHB, along with the locally grown Marijuana. Likewise in Homewood, drug abuse normally occurs in case of drugs, like heroin, and club drugs, like GHB.

In an attempt to rein in the menace of drug addiction and do something positive with regard to the current drug addiction statistics, the DEA, along with the local and state enforcement personnel, has set up various mobile enforcement teams that help handle the issue of drug abuse in the entire country. Although Homewood does not have a separate team deployed within its periphery, one is deployed in Bessemer, which is a suburb in the same county.

In addition to such enforcement teams, which incidentally have accounted for nearly 19,643 arrests all across the country, the State of Alabama has also created drug courts that solely deal with cases related to drug abuse. Moreover, the City of Homewood is also geared to provide excellent support for those victims of alcoholism and drug addiction through rehabilitation centers. Such centers are excellent avenues where the addict can overcome his or her dependency in a holistic manner. In other words, rehabilitation techniques include spiritual, mental, and physical support, so that the individual can easily blend with society after his or her treatment at such centers.

All in all, addicts must be made aware of the threat of drug addiction posed to their lives and that of their families. This awareness can act as a stimulant to renounce addiction. This will help bring the number of cases of substance abuse in Homewood AL down.