
Mississippi’s battle with drug and alcohol abuse leans heavily toward the drug side, thanks in large part to its location astride some of the major shipping routes in the United States. Passage of drugs through Mississippi has been a major law enforcement problem for years, and much of that traffic finds its way into the homes of Mississippi residents. Of the 21,000 admissions to Mississippi drug and alcohol treatment centers in 2005, just under 13,000 were for drug abuse. Cocaine and methamphetamine are the two most widely abused drugs in the state, both highly addictive and difficult to treat.
Admission trends reported by Mississippi rehabilitation centers clearly show why Mississippi ranks below national averages for alcohol abuse and among the top ten for illicit drug abuse in adults. All drug categories have been rising while alcohol-admissions have been dropping for years. Drug-only admissions have doubled since 1995.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues At-A-Glance, Mississippi
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), December 2008
Such troubling trends underscore the need for vigilance and early identification of substance abuse problems. The earlier a child is exposed to drugs or alcohol, the greater the likelihood of developing a dependency later on. Many state and national studies show that the highest percentages of drug and alcohol habits began in adolescence. Mississippi families who consider drugs to be solely an inner city problem should consider the following numbers.

With drug dealers targeting younger and younger children in an attempt to expand their markets, and increasing numbers of teenagers selling stolen prescription pills to each other, no family is really safe from the prospect of one day needing the services of a drug and alcohol treatment center.
In Mississippi, rehabilitation services are offered through a network of 112 drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. Located across the state, 47 are operated by governmental agencies and 58 are private non-profit, with the rest private for-profit facilities. This gives Mississippi residents choices, especially considering that 65% of all Mississippi treatment centers receive public funding. Mississippi spent about $21 million in 2006 helping its citizens obtain drug and alcohol treatment. Programs offered included both inpatient and outpatient services.
Mississippi lags behind many states in the number of facilities and the public dollars spent on drug treatment, so people seeking treatment for drug and alcohol abuse in Mississippi need to be proactive in seeking the right type of care for their particular addiction. About 73% of all Mississippi rehab centers provide services on an outpatient basis; 39 facilities also offer residential care. People hoping for opioid programs such as methadone or buprenorphine may have to look outside their local community, for only one treatment center in Mississippi offered such a maintenance program as of 2006, and only six programs and 69 doctors were certified to administer buprenorphine for opiate addictions. Many types of treatment have proven successful, however, so patients should evaluate all options carefully with their doctor.