Alaska drug abuse overview
Alaska has a population of 732,673 people. The most recent data from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that 149,000 people over the age of 12 had abused illegal substances in the past month, around 20.34% of the population. 146,000 reported marijuana use in the past month and 185,000 in the past year. The report also found that 18,000 Alaska residents had abused cocaine in the past year, 10,000 had abused meth, and 26,000 had abused prescription pain medication. 7,000 people over the age of 18 reported using heroin in the last year. Those reporting opioid misuse including heroin, painkillers, and fentanyl in Alaska totaled 28,000 people.
How do I pay for rehab in Alaska?
A challenge that can be as difficult as dealing with addiction is covering the cost of rehab. As much as most people praise rehab facilities for offering the kind of treatment addicts need, they are costly.
While you can pay using cash or credit card, most people who need rehab will find the payments hard to keep up with. But several options are available to help you cover rehab costs like health insurance, state insurance, and state-sponsored health benefits like Medicaid.
If you cannot qualify for state assistance, you can also try to secure private financing for treatment from the specific rehab facility you choose. Some rehab centers offer scholarships to help individuals pay for their addiction treatment.
Alaska alcohol abuse
Alcohol misuse was also reported in Alaska with 320,000 people over the age of 12 saying they had used alcohol in the last month and 145,000 reporting binge drinking. The perceived risk of people over 12 years of age indulging in problematic alcohol use (5 or more drinks twice a week) in a month was 281,000 people.
Overdose deaths in Alaska
In 2021, Alaska saw a total of 246 recorded drug-related overdose deaths. This includes those that were accidental or unidentifiable but excludes those that were related to suicide or homicide. This puts the overdose death toll in Alaska at 33.6 people per 100,000. The total number of alcohol-related deaths (including overdose and all other causes) was 315 or 43 per 100,000 people.
Diagnozed use disorders in Alaska
The NSDUH report also recorded the total amount of substance abuse disorders in Alaska and those who currently require treatment. The report found that 142,000 were recorded as having a substance use disorder (SUD) and 88,000 had an alcohol use disorder. 19,000 people were recorded as having an opioid use disorder including those with painkiller, heroin, and other opioid-based drug use disorders.
People requiring treatment in Alaska
There are also many who have been diagnosed with or reported a substance, illicit drug, or alcohol use disorder that require rehab treatment and are not receiving it. The report found that 74 people in Alaska needed treatment for illicit substance abuse, 86,000 required treatment for an alcohol use disorder, and 127,000 needed treatment for a diagnosed substance use disorder.
Local government assistance in Alaska
In Alaska, the Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention is focused on a public health approach to preventing and reducing substance abuse disorder and the harm it causes. They primarily focus on strengthening Alaska's public infrastructure systems, services, and facilities.
This office ensures that it provides Alaskans and their family members with knowledge on substance abuse and addiction to help promote safe and healthy communities. They also provide collaborative leadership to plan, develop, and implement programs like Marijuana education and Opioid Misuse and Addiction Prevention to help the community reduce substance use disorders.
If you need urgent assistance or have a general query for the Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention, you can reach them via e-mail or call 907 -334-2602.
