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Substance Abuse in Louisiana
Louisiana, USA is located in the southern region of the country and is home to over 4,492,076 people. Its capital Baton Rouge and its largest city New Orleans are the main urban areas in the state, which is the only one in the nation that terms its political subdivisions as ‘parishes’ instead of ‘counties’.
Louisiana is very well known for its unique and vibrant tradition which sets it apart from the rest of America. Its heritage and melting pot of languages, cuisines, and lifestyles are the result of an amalgamation of French, Spanish, Caribbean, Native American, and African cultures.
Louisiana is renowned for its seafood, and the state is the biggest producer of crayfish in the world. Louisiana’s balmy climate also facilitates the production of sugarcane, cotton, and rice, while natural gas and petroleum are also found in plenty here. The state’s economy is largely dependant on the shipping and seafood industries and tourism.
Despite its image as a state having abundant joie de vivre and its own niche in American culture, Louisiana has become infamous over the recent years due to the rampant influx of drugs and the increasing numbers of substance abuse and alcoholism cases here. The Port of New Orleans is a major narcotics distribution center and even a drop off point in this region of the USA due to it being the one of the busiest ports in the nation. Many bulk shipments coming in from Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America often act as fronts for the illegal drugs that are stacked inside in hidden compartments.
Tons of illegal substances have been confiscated by port authorities and by customs officers, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Not only do shipments come in from the Gulf of Mexico, but they are also sneakily brought into the state via the Mississippi River from other neighboring states. Drug addiction in Louisiana is also significantly prevalent due to the elaborately linked highways and roadways that pass through this state, thus giving many avenues to drug operators to exploit the transportation system and supply their ‘goods’ anywhere they want.
According to the 2008 National Drug Control Policy report, there were a whopping 17,959 drug related arrests in the state, and a major bulk of these arrests were made on charges of theft and aggravated assault. What is truly disturbing about these numbers, however, is that 7654 arrests or over 42% of these cases included juveniles.
Cocaine, both in powdered and ‘crack’ form, is widely used in Louisiana and is seen as a major threat to society by law enforcement officials due to the high crime rates associated with its use. Most of the cocaine comes into the state from cities like Miami, Houston, Dallas, and from the south via international shipments. Heroin, though not as prevalent in the state compared to other drugs, is more commonly abused in New Orleans and is distributed by local street gangs. Meth is another very widely used and abused chemical narcotic that is fast replacing crack cocaine as the drug of choice for many due to its lower price and easy availability of its ingredients.
The drug that is most abused in the entire state of Louisiana is marijuana. Though not always associated with violent crime, marijuana is always the ‘starter drug’ that has the potential to open the doors for prolonged drug abuse. The popularity of party or club drugs like ecstasy, LSD, Ketamine, et al may be waning in the country, but statistics have shown that these substances have got more takers in Louisiana. Another very disturbing trend is the use of pharmaceutical/prescription drugs like Oxycontin, Xanax, and hydrocodone for recreational purposes.
The growth of Louisiana’s economy has lead to the establishment of hundreds of casinos in the state, and this has significantly upped drug sales and contributed to substance and alcohol abuse in Louisiana. Evidence can be found in the Gambling Impact and Behavior Study conducted in 1999, which showed that a tendency to gamble was closely linked to greater drug and alcohol consumption.
Cities like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport unfortunately have many street gangs like the Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings and Gangster Disciples who have been known to be heavily involved in the widespread circulation of crack cocaine and marijuana in particular. Outlaw motorcycle gangs, on the other hand, are actively involved in the production and distribution of meth.
According to the New Orleans Police Department, as many as 75% of all homicides in the city are drug related. In order to curb the growing menace of substance abuse and drug related crimes in Louisiana, over 14,794 drug operators were arrested as of 2002, while task forces have been set up in various parishes to cooperate with society and set up rehab centers while also putting an end to drug trafficking.
Though Louisiana has hundreds of quality rehab centers dedicated to guiding, motivating, and treating drug addicts, it is imperative for people to stay informed about the symptoms of drug addiction. Such symptoms differ from one drug to the other, but as a whole, telltale signs of drug addiction include a gradual withdrawal from society, family and friends, depression, increased heart rate, blackouts, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, lack of hygiene/neglect, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and unpredictable behavior, to name just a few. People who become dependent on narcotics also end up hampering their work or academic performance in the quest for the next high.
With all that said about drug addiction, we also need to keep in mind that alcohol abuse in Louisiana is just as big a problem as illegal substance abuse. Alcoholism also leads to unpredictable behavior, depression, anxiety, and a host of other psychological effects that are as disturbing as the physical changes- which include liver damage, fatigue, irritability and nausea to name a few.
Drug and alcohol addiction are, more often than not, the path many people choose to take due to some issues regarding their personal lives. As such, it is always advisable to seek help from friends, family, or counselors/therapists who can lend a helping hand and even enroll a loved in a treatment facility to ensure he/she does not go back to a life of wasted potential.
Located in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, Ruston is home to over 21,250 people (July 2009 estimates) and the Louisiana Tech University. A significant portion of the local population consists of college goers, as Ruston has many well renowned local educational institutions. The city also plays host to ...
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New Orleans, Louisiana was founded in 1718 on the banks of the river Mississippi. The city is well known and renowned for its unique history, culture, lifestyle, architecture, food, music and traditions- all of which are remarkably different from the other places in the United States. The ...
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