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With Chicago, Illinois stands as the major Midwest hub for drug distribution. Chicago is home to the country's largest trucking center, the world's busiest rail yards, and a major Great Lakes port with access to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Add O'Hare International Airport and the financial city's money laundering capability, and it's easy to see why.

Fortunately, Illinois residents use illicit drugs a little less frequently than the national average. According to the White House's Illinois Drug Control Update, 7% of residents reported past month drug use versus the national average of 8%.

However, the number of residents who died because of drug use (1,239) was only slightly lower than those who died from vehicle accidents (1,375), according to CDC data.

Cocaine Addiction
According to local and state law enforcement in the Great Lakes Region, cocaine is the biggest threat of all illicit drugs. And cocaine is the third most treated addiction in Illinois treatment centers. According to The Department of Health and Human Services, just shy of 6,000 Illinois residents were treated in 2010. 

Club Drugs
Club drugs include MDMA, PCP, ketamine, Rohypnol, GHB, and GBL and are popular with teenagers and young adults who frequent dance clubs and raves. They're mostly found in the Chicago area and other parts of Illinois with colleges.

Many of these drugs, particularly MDMA, are smuggled in through O'Hare from Western European countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium. Others like GHB are manufactured clandestinely throughout Illinois.

Because users mistakenly believe club drugs are not addictive, they are less likely to seek help in Illinois addiction treatment centers.

Heroin Addiction
Though not as great a threat as cocaine, heroin remains a huge problem for law enforcement, particularly in Chicago where it's smuggled from Mexico, Southeast Asia and Colombia.

Heroin is the "most commonly cited drug among primary drug treatment admissions in Illinois," according to the Illinois Drug Control Update.

Methamphetamine Addiction
Meth is one of the most addictive and destructive drugs on the street in Illinois. Use of meth is rising rapidly.

Illinois ranks Number 4 in the country for meth-related arrests, according to the Illinois Meth Project. Between 2002 and 2005, meth-related arrests jumped 91%. And meth admissions to Illinois treatment centers increased 73% over the past decade.

Marijuana Addiction
Marijuana is the most readily available and abused drug in Illinois, according to the National Drug Intelligence Center. And "Illinois provides an adequate environment for cannabis cultivation. Despite a limited growing season, the fertile soil and large, sparsely populated rural areas of Illinois attract cannabis growers. Cannabis is intermixed with corn and soybean crops, making it visible only from the air."

Marijuana not grown in Illinois is imported from Mexico.

Of those admitted to Illinois addiction treatment centers, marijuana ranked as the #2 drug with nearly 10,000 admittances in 2010, according to The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Prescription Drug Addiction
Like nearly every state in the country, Illinois is experiencing a high rate of prescription drug (Vicodin, Oxycontin, Xanax, etc.) abuse. The drugs are both highly addictive and relatively easy to obtain.

Kids abuse prescription drugs because they mistakenly think the drugs are harmless. After all, they're doctor-prescribed. What could be the harm? Plus, more doctors are legally prescribing opioids like Vicodin to manage chronic pain.

Though the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program monitors pharmacy dispensing of these drugs on a weekly basis, many drugs are smuggled in from outside state and sold online by illegal pharmacies.

Treatment admissions nationwide jumped 345% for non-heroin opiates between 1998 and 2005, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Illinois Drug Laws
Illinois takes illicit drug use seriously. Possession of drugs has two categories:

  • Possession of cannabis
  • Possession of a controlled substance (any illicit drug that is not marijuana; e.g. cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, etc.)

For example, possession of any controlled substance that weighs less than 15 grams has a penalty of 1-3 years and a possible fine of up to $25,000. Penalties for possession of marijuana are slightly less harsh.

Illinois Addiction Treatment Centers
Most of Illinois' over 600 addiction rehab facilities are located in the Chicago area. But you'll find them throughout the state. And you'll find a variety of treatment methods. A report by The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, found that the majority of Illinois treatment centers offer the following services:

  • Individual, group and family counseling
  • Relapse prevention
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  • 12-step facilitation
  •  Motivational interviewing
  • Anger management
  • Case management services
  • Substance abuse education
  • HIV/AIDS education
  • After care/continuing care

To learn more about treatment outcomes for your particular addiction, visit the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Studies website. Visit "Treatment Center Selection" for tips on finding the right Illinois rehab center.