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Substance abuse is prevalent in all parts of the United States, Louisiana included. Below are some statistics from 2015 concerning substance abuse among Louisiana residents aged 12 or older:
Just over 12,000 people were in some type of substance abuse treatment program in a single day count in 2015, an increase from previous years. Considering the staggeringly large number of people who abuse drugs and alcohol, this one-day snapshot of those seeking treatment only represents a small portion of those who need addiction treatment help. Those who fail to seek help for substance abuse risk significant impairment in many areas of their lives including the development of significant mental and physical health problems.
Louisiana has some of the harshest penalties in the nation for drug possession. Louisiana classifies illegal substances into five schedules. Each schedule determines the dangerousness of a drug, with schedule I being the most dangerous and schedule IV being the least dangerous. Penalties vary according to the type and amount of the substance involved.
| Schedule | Type of Drug(s) Included | Maximum Sentencing and Fines |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule I | Opiates and opium derivatives, including heroin | Up to 30 years in prison and/or fine up to $600,000, or both |
| Schedule II | Opiates and opium derivatives not included in schedule I, including cocaine and methamphetamine | Up to 30 years in prison and/or fine up to $600,000, or both |
| Schedule III | Anabolic steroids, stimulants, narcotics and depressants | Up to 5 years in prison and/or fine up to $5,000 |
| Schedule IV | Other narcotics, depressants and stimulants not listed in schedule III, including alprazolam | Up to 5 years in prison and/or fine up to $5,000 |
| Schedule V | Other narcotics, stimulants and depressants not listed in schedule IV | Up to 5 years in prison and/or fine up to $5,000 |
While marijuana is treated differently than other illicit drugs in Louisiana, penalties are no less harsh. If you're caught in possession of marijuana, even if it's your first offense, you will face jail time.
| Possession Amount | Penalty | Maximum Sentencing and Fines |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 14 grams (first offense) | Not classified | Up to 15 days in jail and/or fine up to $300 |
| 14 g to 2.5 lbs (first offense) | Not classified | Up to 6 months in prison and/or fine up to $500 |
| 2.5 lbs to 60 lbs | Not classified | Up to 10 years in prison and/or fine up to $30,000 |
| 60 lbs to 2,000 lbs | Felony | Up to 30 years in prison and/or fine up to $100,000 |
| 2,000 lbs to 10,000 lbs | Felony | Up to 40 years in prison and/or fine up to $400,000 |
| 10,000 lbs or more | Felony | Up to 40 years in prison and/or fine up to $1 million |
Additional factors can determine the type of sentence an offender receives. For instance, if the crime occurred within 2,000 feet of a drug-free zone, like a school or park, the sentence is multiplied by one-and-a-half times the maximum penalty.
Louisiana participates in the United State's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. This program supplies areas of the U.S. critically affected by drug trafficking with resources they need to address the threat. Resources include state-of-the-art drug monitoring technologies as well as dedicated drug task forces.
The Gulf Coast HIDTA supports 12 drug task forces and one intelligence-related initiative in Louisiana. These task forces are located within every major Louisiana city and address the issues like the transportation of drugs over Louisiana's highways.
The Louisiana counties and parishes included in the Gulf Coast HIDTA are:
In response to dangerously high drug abuse rates, Louisiana has become one of the most harm reduction-friendly states in the country. Several laws have been enacted to reduce the risks associated with drug addiction and improve the lives of Louisiana's residents.
The reason many overdoses turn fatal is because 911 isn't called quickly enough. In fact, some people hesitate to callcalling 911 out of fear of being charged or arrested for their own drug abuse.
Louisiana has a Good Samaritan law that gives a person legal immunity if they call 911 for an overdose. The law applies to someone's own overdose as well as witnesses to an overdose. However, according to state law, the overdose must have resulted from drugs that were legally prescribed for medical purposes.
Naloxone, the life-saving antidote used to reverse heroin overdoses, became widely available in Louisiana in 2016. The expansion allows people to obtain Naloxone as an over-the-counter medication. Because of this, more lives can be saved from heroin-related overdoses.
Each person who is struggling with addiction comes to substance abuse via a different path, but experts believe that rising rates of opioid abuse share some common factors. The over-prescription of opioid painkillers is proving to be a major factor in opioid abuse.
In 2015, Louisiana's opioid painkiller prescription rates were higher than the national average. Nationally, there were 70 opioid prescriptions written per 100 people. In Louisiana, there were 103.2—more than one prescription for every state resident.
Prescription opioids were previously the biggest contributor to opioid overdose rates. However, since 2012, heroin and synthetic opioids such as illegally manufactured fentanyl have significantly contributed to this deadly trend.
From 2012 to 2016:
Naloxone is an opioid overdose reversal medication that can stop an overdose from becoming fatal. Naloxone has traditionally only been available by prescription, but to fight the mounting death toll caused by the opioid epidemic, Louisiana renewed a standing order for naloxone in early 2018. This allows caregivers and loved ones of individuals who abuse opioids to receive naloxone without a prescription.
Dr. Rebekah Gee, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, cautioned that “Louisiana has more opioid prescriptions than we have people, and the widespread distribution of Naloxone is a key component of our strategy to combat the opioid epidemic and save lives.”
Further measures in place in Louisiana to combat the opioid epidemic include:
On an individual level, one of the biggest resources against drug abuse of any sort is Louisiana drug addiction treatment.
If you are one of the thousands of people who struggle with addiction on a daily basis, it’s not too late to take this first step toward recovery. There are many different types of treatment programs in Louisiana, including inpatient, luxury, holistic, executive, faith-based, and outpatient. The kind of recovery program you enter all depends on your own personal preferences. You can research programs here, or if you’d like to speak to a treatment support representative directly, call us to learn more about your addiction treatment options.
If you have insurance, chances are you probably will receive at least partial coverage for your substance abuse treatment services. Calling your insurance company will ensure that you learn all of the details of your specific plan.
When looking for a rehab program in Louisiana, there are some important things a person should consider about the facility itself. This includes:
When researching rehab services in Louisiana, a person should also understand some important terminology in relation to the types of services offered. Here are some of the most important ones:
Choosing where to seek treatment for a substance use disorder is a potentially life-changing decision. It's important that the person in need of treatment examines their options. It can be helpful to have family and close friends get involved in this process. Having an active support network is important both during and after treatment.
Sometimes a person isn't ready to accept that they need treatment. A person experiencing denial may ignore their loved one's pleas to get help. When this happens, a professionally led intervention can help family and friends to get their loved one the help they need.
After a successful intervention, or once a person decides to seek treatment on their own, a clinical assessment will be performed at the chosen addiction treatment center. This evaluation determines the severity of the addiction and the presence of any co-occurring disorders.
The results of this assessment are used to form a treatment plan that outlines the best Louisiana drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs and combinations of therapies for the client's unique needs. A treatment plan may include some or all of the following levels of care and specialized services.
For some, drug and alcohol detox is the first step of treatment before they can start therapy to work on the psychological effects of the addiction. The safest and most effective way to do this is in a Louisiana medically supported detox program.
Withdrawal symptoms can range from mildly uncomfortable to life-threatening, depending on the substance and severity of the addiction. Drugs that commonly require professional detoxification services include:
While outpatient and inpatient facilities may offer this service, due to the danger of some withdrawal symptoms and the need for medical supervision, it's safer to go through drug and alcohol detox at an inpatient facility.
Methadone and buprenorphine-based medications like Suboxone may be used in a Louisiana drug and alcohol detox program to address opioid addiction. Both reduce or prevent withdrawal symptoms and decrease cravings. Disulfiram (Antabuse) and acamprosate (Campral) are often used to deter a return to alcohol use.
Many Louisiana addiction treatment centers offer drug and alcohol detoxification services under the same roof as their rehabilitation programs. This allows a person to move easily to the next stage of treatment, a stress-free transition that can enhance treatment success rates.
Louisiana inpatient drug rehab programs offer comprehensive, compassionate care for individuals working to achieve sobriety and regain control of their life. Programs are offered in a variety of formats and lengths to suit each person's unique needs. Clients live onsite for the duration of treatment, immersed in a sober environment that offers round-the-clock support.
Inpatient addiction treatment is available in 30 or 60-day program lengths, but research has shown that the best success rates occur in programs that are 90 days or longer. These long-term programs can last three months to a year.
While Louisiana outpatient addiction treatment programs may be sufficient for people who are struggling with the beginning stages of addiction or a mild relapse, they are generally best used as a step-down level of care following an inpatient addiction treatment program.
Rebuilding life in sobriety is often full of new challenges. As a person moves from the structure and support of a residential treatment program back to independence, it can be hard to maintain optimism and adhere to important recovery principles. Louisiana outpatient drug rehab programs can provide a crucial bridge between these points in a person's recovery journey.
People who get involved in aftercare services and recovery support after completing a Louisiana addiction treatment program often see better recovery outcomes than those who do not. These options include aftercare and alumni programs and sober living arrangements.
Aftercare programs are typically offered by a treatment provider for their program alumni. These outreach services may provide recovery support groups, suggestions for community support programs and alumni mentorship programs.
For individuals who need a little extra help and support while they transition from treatment to a life in sobriety, Louisiana sober living homes may be worth considering. Sober living homes are drug- and alcohol-free residential facilities that give a person the time and space needed to build stability and self-sufficiency.
Specialty drug rehab programs offered in Louisiana may include:
Evidence-based behavioral therapies that may be offered in Louisiana treatment programs include:
These therapies may be offered in an individual, group or family setting. They are also frequently used in dual-diagnosis treatment programs and for those who require trauma-informed care.
Medication-assisted treatment may be recommended for certain individuals who are working to recover from opioid or alcohol addiction. Medication-assisted treatment in Louisiana combines medications with behavioral therapies and counseling, an approach that has been shown to increase the medication's effectiveness.
Methadone and buprenorphine-based medications such as Suboxone are used in this way as maintenance medications. These medications help an individual to maintain abstinence while preventing withdrawal. Disulfiram (Antabuse) and acamprosate (Campral) are available to help maintain recovery from an alcohol use disorder.
Complementary addiction treatment therapies that may be offered as part of holistic treatment plans in Louisiana include:
When determining the price of rehab in louisiana, look at the expense as an investment in your future and your family's. Most rehabilitation facilities are able to take partial payment through any insurance plan you have. If you wish to talk about your eligibility and the expense of treatment in LA, contact our helpline, toll-free to get clear and truthful answers to your questions.
Whether your LA inpatient-residential prescription and illicit drug recovery with take 30 days or three months, beginning treatment now improves your odds of getting and keeping healthy. Choosing a rehab center that can address your needs before you ever get started can also help quite a lot. When you're ready to book treatment, our hotline advisors can help you find the right spot so you feel comfortable.
Due to the different approaches to treatment and the varying levels of care offered at different treatment facilities, there is no set price for addiction treatment. The cost of rehab will depend on the length of treatment you need, facility amenities, program type, and other services offered.
Inpatient treatment is generally more expensive than outpatient programs due to the associated costs of meals and lodging. Luxury facilities with resort-like amenities are also more expensive. Factors outside of your control such as the recommended length of treatment and the needed treatment services will also impact the cost.
If you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol and you don’t have insurance, there may be alternative means of funding addiction treatment services. There are several ways in which you can finance your substance abuse treatment, such as:
Other options for paying for rehab include taking out a personal loan or even asking for financial help from people who love you.
Every state is different as to what resources it offers and how people can find treatment. Below is a list of both national and Louisiana-specific hotlines and websites related to substance abuse and treatment:
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