It’s interesting but unsurprising to note that drug abuse is largely concentrated in Pennsylvania’s most populated major city: Philadelphia. Chances of finding illicit drugs, using them, and abusing them are more prevalent in Philly than anywhere else in the state. 

This doesn’t mean that substances don’t create issues for families and individuals across PA. That’s why St. Joseph Institute is committed to educating our community members on the substances that Pennsylvania struggles with and how we can help. 

A Quick Look into PA’s Commonly Abused Substances

Most of the stats you’ll read about below were collected with mixed parameters, like lifetime use and 30-day use. Lifetime use refers to someone having tried a certain substance at least once within their lifetime. 30-day use is a bit more accurate when researching a state’s drug problem, as this type of usage indicates that the person used a certain drug in the past month or so (PA’s stats are often reported with mixed parameters). 

In 2001, Pennsylvania recorded alcohol as the most frequently abused substance, followed by cocaine and crack. Heroin followed cocaine in popularity and marijuana was registered in last place. Reports of methamphetamine, commonly referred to as meth or crystal meth, and its production and consumption were quite low with small spikes in certain demographics. Later, party and club drugs like MDMA, CHB, ketamine, and LSD steadily rose, but not at the same rates as alcohol, cocaine, heroin, or marijuana.  

Just 9 years later in 2010, heroin overtook those stats monumentally—with over one-third of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs serving people addicted to some form of opioids. Around the same time, prescription drug abuse was also increasing at an alarming rate—not only in the Keystone State but around the nation. By 2018, opioids became the largest threat to Pennsylvania residents, with many people becoming addicted to and overdosing on heroin, fentanyl, and dangerous derivations of each. 

In the present day, Pennsylvania’s rural and urban populations are seeing dips in overall drug abuse and drug-related overdoses, especially from heroin. This is thrilling for our St. Joseph team, as we have passionately involved ourselves in tackling this problem. 

How St. Joseph Institute Supports Pennsylvania’s Health and Wellness

PA is doing so well partly because of its policies, its people, and the level of sophisticated treatment that rehabilitation centers like ours can provide. We also know that our recovery program for specific drugs has the power to safeguard our residents against any new addictions that may develop in the future.

One of our greatest strengths at our Port Matilda facility is our comprehensive scope: we provide treatment for any type of drug addiction. For more information about the addictions we most often treat, see the following pages: 

• Heroin abuse and addiction
• Cocaine addiction
• Meth addiction disorders
• Alcohol abuse and addiction
• Fentanyl addiction

With this wide reach, we’re equipped to administer the most effective treatments and therapies for the type of addiction that you or your loved one struggle with. We also realize how common it is for alcohol or drug addiction to accompany a mental health concern. That’s why we provide mental health care and dual diagnosis treatment, including services that cater to the Veteran experience, general mood disorders, anxiety and panic disorders, grief, and more.  

Lastly, we make sure that you’re not thrown to the wolves after you complete treatment. This means that you’ll always have continuing care, recovery education, and virtual telehealth services at hand and throughout your sobriety. We’re not just an addiction treatment center; we’re a community that you can lean on in your time of need whenever it arises. 

Contact St. Joseph Institute in Port Matilda to Win Your Substance Abuse Battle

We’re not here to judge or perpetuate harmful myths about the individuals and families who struggle with SUD. We’re simply here to help with healing the underlying factors that drive addiction and relapse. Contact us today to learn more about how bright life can be without drugs and alcohol!