Tulsa, Oklahoma:
Drug Abuse

Tulsa, Oklahoma: Alcohol and Drug Addiction Information

Tulsa, Oklahoma has a population of 179,405 and is located in Tulsa County. The city quite often experiences severe weather that includes ice storms, hailstorms or tornadoes. It’s located on the Arkansas River at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains.

For most of the 20th century, the city held the nickname “Oil Capital of the World” and played a major role as one of the most important hubs for the American oil industry. Tulsa has been credited as the home of Western Swing music.

Tulsa houses two world-renowned art museums, full-time professional opera and ballet companies and a concentration of art deco architecture. The city has several parks and a zoo as well as a convention center.

Tulsa tends to rate higher than the national average in most crime rates including murder, aggravated assault, and arson. Tulsa also has a severe ongoing drug problem.

Tulsa Oklahoma’s Drug Situation

Oklahoma map
All the major types of drugs are available to Oklahomans. As is true in most states, alcohol sends most people to rehab. In 2002, the percentage of people admitted to rehab for alcohol was about 45%. In the years since, the number has declined to below 40%. Cocaine is also less of a threat, sending fewer people to rehab each year.

Then what drugs are showing an increase? Prescription opiates (painkillers) have been inching up for the last decade and heroin admissions have just started showing some growth. The ominous factor in these increased admissions is that people abusing heroin or pain medications are risking death every time they consume their drugs of choice.

Methamphetamine and marijuana are both serious problems in Oklahoma. With such easy access to drugs coming from the Southwest border, these two drugs will always be in plentiful supply.

Meth and marijuana send similar numbers of people to rehab—one year, meth sends more and the next year, it’s marijuana. Both drugs contribute to the number of explosions and fires occurring in the state with meth labs and people manufacturing hash.

Tulsa continues to struggle with the discovery of meth labs as well as the trafficking of large quantities of methamphetamine from the Mexican border.

On the other hand, Oklahoma’s proximity to Colorado means that it’s easy for an individual who sees the potential for profit to pick up edibles and bring them back to Oklahoma.

In July 2014, two individuals who had traveled to California and Colorado to purchase edible and smokable marijuana products were arrested and their 50 pounds of cannabis products were seized.

Drugs commonly used in music and nightclub venues are occasionally seized in Tulsa as it has a higher concentration of young people than the rest of the state of due to having colleges and trade schools in the area.

The Dwindling Spiral Will Continue

Crack pipe
Once a person is addicted, the compulsion to use overwhelms him or her. It takes great effort to break these bonds and for most people, this means they must have help. 

There are more than 100 drug rehab programs within driving distance of Tulsa. The great majority of these fall into two categories: they are either Twelve Step programs or they prescribe a substitute medication such as methadone or buprenorphine. In Oklahoma, more than 3,100 people are in programs that offer these drugs during treatment.

The goal of the Narconon program is to help a person get to the point where they can deal successfully with life’s challenges so that no drugs or alcohol are needed and they do not need continuous contact with meetings to stay sober.

The Narconon program has helped them with sober living skills and to overcome the cravings for drugs that forced them back into drug or alcohol abuse before.

They don’t need a drug like methadone to keep them from returning to an addictive lifestyle.

Choosing a Drug Rehab and Addiction Treatment Program

man leaning on wall

How should a family address the challenge of choosing a drug rehab program for a loved one? Or how should a person choose a program for himself (or herself)?

When possible, a program that is not limited to 28 days should be chosen. Different people recover their sober living abilities at different rates. A program that tells them they are done when the 28-day limit is reached may condemn them to return to drug abuse as soon as they get home.

A person on the Narconon program graduates when he has learned how to live a productive, rewarding sober life and not before.

Should the Drug Rehab Location Matter When It Comes to Finding a Solution to Addiction?

Location can be a critical factor for a person seeking recovery. For so many people, being away from the usual triggers to use drugs or drink, not being around one’s drug-using friends, being far from pals who will sell one drugs, having an undisturbed chance to work on changing oneself—these all help the recovery process.

When the program allows a person to complete their recovery before considering the program complete, this is another factor that improves one’s chances for success.

For some people, a rehab that operates 24/7 and shields the recovering person from drug-using influences is their only hope for stable, lasting recovery. They need that time in rehab to gain a clear vision to make drug-free decisions once they go home.

One person still trapped in cravings is sent home after 28 days and immediately runs into his old drug dealer. A woman goes home from a daytime program and is threatened by her former husband. A young man without a job is trying to keep his head above water while he goes to meetings but is so stressed he considers returning to drug sales to make ends meet. situations like these are avoided when a person finds a supportive drug rehab with accommodations and 24-hour support.

When that facility is also away from the usual influences that used to drive one to want drugs, the chances of lasting recovery get even better. This is why every Narconon facility offers accommodations for those in recovery. This is the pattern of rehabilitation that has worked well for fifty years.

Narconon New Life Retreat Helps END Addiction and Alcoholism FOR GOOD.

To stay sober after the program is complete, a Narconon graduate must repair the damage caused during addiction and learn new skills.

Very often, his (or her) abilities to make sober decisions were destroyed during the time spent addicted. He will need to know how to get his life on a productive path that allows his integrity and self-respect to stay intact.

A Narconon Program Graduate is someone:

  • Who has successfully completed the steps of the Narconon drug rehab program
  • Who has a greatly improved ability to face challenges and communicate with others
  • Who has brightened his outlook and sharpened his thinking
  • Who has improved his perceptions and ability to control his thinking and actions
  • Who has learned problem-solving skills so he is more able to weather changes in life
  • Who has recovered his own self-respect and integrity

Call anytime to speak with one of our counselors about our program. We will take the time to answer your questions whether it be for yourself or a loved one.

It is possible to replace the loss and pain of alcohol or drug addiction with a productive, enjoyable life.

Call now.