Expert Insights
Newport News, along with the rest of Virginia, continues to experience devastating fatal drug overdoses. A majority of these are caused by fentanyl. Drug cartels are selling this drug disguised as prescription pills. To curb these illegal sales, lawmakers in Virginia want to classify fentanyl as a weapon of terrorism and increase the penalties for manufacture and distribution. It’s about time we make the punishment fit the crime. This threat is severe, so the consequences should be severe – as severe as we can make them. These dealers can kill just as many Newport News residents with a batch of fake pills as with a terrorist bomb. So yes, let’s up the stakes to match the threat.
~ Kerry Nenn
Cost of Drug Rehab in Newport News
The cost of Newport News alcohol rehabs can vary greatly depending on multiple factors like the type of care you receive. Types of treatment for drug and alcohol addiction include:4
- Detoxification
- Residential inpatient
- Short-term and long-term outpatient care
- Telehealth
- Ongoing counseling therapies.
Costs vary in price from $0 all the way up to thousands of dollars. Free treatment centers are often funded by the state, while more expensive facilities offer resort-like accommodations and amenities.
Newport News Drug and Alcohol Statistics
When it comes to alcohol use, residents of Virginia report a higher average than America as a whole. Here are the stats:1,2,3
Over 23% of Virginia residents engaged in heavy drinking or binge drinking
Over 10% of Virginia residents had alcohol use disorder.
13% of Virginia residents had a substance use disorder.
Alcohol and Drug Laws in Newport News, VA
The Good Samaritan Law: The Good Samaritan law states that anyone who reports a drug overdose, whether involving themselves or another person, to the police is protected from being charged with minor drug possession. The law is meant to encourage people to contact 911 if they witness a drug overdose without fearing that they will be charged with a crime themselves.
Naloxone Access: In Virginia, anyone can access naloxone by getting a prescription from their doctor, using the standing order written for the general public, or from Virginia’s Local Health Departments and some Community Services Boards at no cost.
Resources
- FindTreatment.gov. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Virginia State-Specific Tables.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2017). 2016-2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health National Maps of Prevalence Estimates, by State.
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Drinking Levels Defined | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (nih.gov). National Institutes of Health.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Types of Treatment Programs.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). Single State Agency Directory.
- Healthcare.gov. (n.d.). Mental health and substance abuse health coverage options.
- Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Eligibility Medicaid.
- Mentalhealth.gov. (n.d.). Health Insurance and Mental Health Services.
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2021). Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting Help.National Institutes of Health.
