As the U.S. continues to battle the widespread effects of the opioid epidemic, New Jersey residents have felt the effects on a deep and often personal level. Substance use costs millions in incarceration, work productivity, mortality, and treatment, and many in New Jersey are searching for answers. Government agencies have stepped in recently in order to institute laws and regulations in order to mitigate the far reaching consequences of this epidemic, but is it enough? Many remain unaware of just how much substance use costs New Jersey each year.

Throughout New Jersey and the rest of the nation, many have found themselves in a struggle with addiction that often seems hopeless. However, there is hope. At Guardian Recovery Network, we understand the grip that addiction can have and because of this, we are committed to providing the best quality of treatment to every person that walks through our doors. Call Guardian Recovery Network today and speak with our admissions team to learn more about our New Jersey locations as well as the nation wide services we offer.

New Jersey Drug Abuse Rates

Throughout New Jersey (1) in the year 2019 there were over 98 thousand admissions to treatment facilities for drug or alcohol related issues. The predominant reason that patients listed for attending substance use treatment was due to various opioid use. The second most popular reason for participation in substance use treatment for New Jersey residents was alcohol. 

Annual Overdose Death Rates & Data for NJ

 It is estimated that in 2022, nearly 3,000 residents (2) were killed due to a drug overdose. The majority, 57%, of the drug related deaths were identified as white, with a growing number of African-American deaths making up 25%. The age range for the most overdoses in New Jersey were 35-44 year olds making up 24% of drug overdose deaths. The overdose prevention substance Naloxone was reportedly administered over 15,000 times in New Jersey during 2022. 

New Jersey recognizes the extreme need for something to be done about the rates of substance abuse within the state, especially for opioids. One of the steps that it has taken is the NJ CARES initiative (3). This initiative is sponsored by the New Jersey state government and is dedicated to ensuring state grant funding is allocated to resources dealing specifically with the opioid crisis.

Which New Jersey Counties Suffer From the Highest Rates of Drug Abuse?

Of the substance use treatment admissions for 2019, almost 9,000 of these admissions reported that Camden county was their place of residence making it the leading county for treatment admissions in the state. Of these residents, over 3,500 of them reported that heroin was their primary drug of choice and nearly 2,200 reported alcohol.

What Are the Yearly Costs of Drug Addiction to Businesses in the United States?

Since 1999 it is estimated that substance use, for both drugs and alcohol, has cost businesses in the United States $510.8 billion (4). This amount breaks down to approximately $21.3 billion each year that American businesses lose as a result of drug and alcohol use. Drug use affects the workforce in many ways that most Americans are unaware of. Missed days of work, reduced productivity, and workplace injury are just a few of the far reaching consequences that substance use has on the United States Economy. Statistics show that full‐time workers who were current drug users also were about twice as likely as non‐users to skip one or more days of work in the past month. Similarly, full‐time workers who were current drug users were more likely to report missing two or more workdays in the past month due to illness or injury, when compared with workers who were not current users.

New Jersey’s Yearly Economic Consequences of Addiction and Co-Occurring Diseases

Though the emotional consequences of drug use are often unable to be quantified, what is able to be quantified is the economic impact that substance use has had on the state of New Jersey. It is estimated that annually New Jersey spends approximately $1 billion (5) on substance use and its related consequences. Over half is from police, one-fifth is from incarceration, and one-fifth is from death or injury related expenses. This means that each of New Jersey’s 9.3 million residents spends approximately $107 each year on substance use related effects.

Factors Affecting New Jersey’s Drug Usage Rates

Similar to many other states, New Jersey is no different when it comes to the reasons for such high rates of opioid use and its relation to the prescription of opioids. With the over prescription of opioids, many were not made aware of the potential addictive nature of these substances. As prescriptions ran out, finances ran low, or tolerances grew, many who were prescribed these legal opioids began searching for something stronger or more cost efficient. The substance that at one time filled this void was heroin. In recent years, however, heroin has waned in popularity being replaced by fentanyl. In New Jersey during the year 2022, over 3 million prescriptions (3) were written for opioids. With this many opioids being made available to New Jersey residents, it is no surprise why many find themselves struggling with their addictive power.

Addiction Treatment in New Jersey

Whether you are a New Jersey resident or are located anywhere else in the United States, Guardian Recovery Network has a location in your area. As a premier network of substance use treatment facilities, our primary focus is our patents. Each person that comes through our doors has a story and history as unique as they are. We are committed to ensure that each individual is equipped with the tools needed to overcome the addictive cycles that have brought them to our facility. Call Guardian Recovery Network today to speak with an intake coordinator. They will be able to conduct a free, no obligation, insurance check for you in order to ensure that finances aren’t a barrier to you being able to receive quality substance use treatment. Call today.