New Jersey Addiction Treatment Centers And Recovery Resources
New Jersey is called the drug gateway state. The Garden State has two international airports, a major railroad terminus, and one of the busiest seaports in the world.
In addition, high intensity drug trafficking areas are all around—New York above, Pennsylvania to the west and the Atlantic coast.
Drugs aren’t hard to find. It’s no wonder that 47,128 of its citizens were in New Jersey drug rehab centers in 2010. Of the 25,436 offenders in New Jersey correctional facilities almost 30% of the inmates committed drug offenses.
Cocaine and Crack Addiction
Cocaine poses the most serious threat to New Jersey citizens according to law enforcement. Its sale and distribution brings violent crime including assaults, drive-by shootings and homicides.
In 2008, nearly 30% of the federally sentenced drug cases involved powder cocaine; crack cocaine accounted for another 29% of cases.
In 2010, 4,755 people were admitted to New Jersey treatment centers for cocaine addiction.
Club Drugs
MDMA is a popular New Jersey club drug. It’s also called ecstasy, Adam, X, essence, M&M, and the love drug. MDMA is taken by teens and young adults at clubs and raves (all night dance parties) because it produces amphetamine-like and hallucinogenic properties.
Other popular club drugs are GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), ketamine, and the hallucinogenic LSD.
MDMA is often smuggled in through Newark International Airport from Europe. Three Dutch citizens attempted to smuggle in their suitcases 200,000 MDMA tablets worth $5 million. A Dutch woman tried to hide 7,104 MDMA pills in her luggage.
Marijuana Addiction
Marijuana is the most widely available and frequently abused drug in the state.
It is grown indoors and outdoors throughout rural New Jersey, particularly in Atlantic, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Warren counties. Farmers hide the plant between rows of corn.
What is not grown in the state is imported from Jamaica and Mexico. Jamaicans smuggle plants on commercial maritime vessels. Commercial trucks and private vehicles transport Mexican marijuana. Canada also supplies the state.
In 2010, 10,959 people were admitted to New Jersey treatment centers for marijuana rehab.
Pharmaceuticals
The abuse of prescription drugs especially by high school students has risen dramatically over the last decade. Treatment admissions for painkillers increased 400%; emergency room visits for non- medical use of narcotic painkillers increased 111%.
The most commonly abused pharmaceuticals in the state are Percocet, OxyContin, Xanax, and Vicodin.
The DEA of New Jersey recently launched "Operation Take Back New Jersey." Residents can dispose of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine with the help of a prescription drug task force. In 2010, the operation collected 14,436 pounds of drugs.
Heroin Addiction
High purity South American heroin is widely available in New Jersey. With heroin comes violence from rival gangs who distribute the drug.
Heroin accounted for 20% of all federally sentenced drug cases in New Jersey, just behind cocaine and crack cocaine.
More New Jerseyans seek treatment for heroin addiction than alcohol abuse. In 2006, 24,096 people were in New Jersey treatment centers for heroin. In 2010, that number was 29,421 v. 23,123 for alcohol abuse.
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Methamphetamine Addiction
“Methamphetamine is the most available and widely used clandestinely manufactured drug in the Southern New Jersey area,” according to the DEA. Filipinos smuggle large quantities of meth from Mexico and the Philippines.
However, unlike many other states, overall meth abuse is relatively low in New Jersey. From 2004-2008, only 12 meth labs were confiscated statewide. Compare that with the 2,571 that were confiscated in Arkansas. And only 18 residents were sentenced in federal court in New Jersey in 2008.
Drug Laws
Until recently, New Jersey had some of the harshest drug laws in the country. In 2010, several laws were passed to ease drug offenses: The “Compassionate Use Act,” allows seriously ill patients access to medical marijuana. Another law passed gives a judge discretion to waive mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.
Other penalties remain stiff. For example, maximum sentencing for first offense possession of illegal narcotic like cocaine, heroin, MDMA, or prescription drugs includes:
- From 3-5 years in jail
- Fines from $1,000 to $25,000
- Mandatory rehab
Most possession convictions no matter how small include loss of driver’s license. However, a law passed in 2006 gave judges authority to make hardship exceptions.
Finding Help at New Jersey Treatment Centers
If you or someone you love has a drug addiction, find a treatment center using Recoverycorps.org’s database. There are nearly 400 New Jersey rehab centers waiting to help.
These facilities provide programs such as:
- Substance abuse counseling
- Relapse prevention
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- 12-step programs
- Anger management
- Contingency management programs
- Individual, group and family counseling
Additionally, some rehab centers provide detox treatment and pharmocotherapies using drugs like Methadone, Naltrexone and Buprenorphine.
To find a New Jersey treatment center, click on a location or type an address in the box above.