Fondly nicknamed “The Hoosier State”, Indiana has a rich and multi-hued personality. It’s known for its rolling cornfields, the world-famous Indy 500 (also known as “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”), and its prized professional basketball team, the Indiana Pacers. Sadly, it also suffers from a significant substance abuse problem. Let’s explore drug and alcohol statistics in Indiana.
Alcohol Abuse in Indiana
According to a recent survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association (SAMHSA), approximately 48.4% of Indiana residents above the age of 12 reported alcohol use in the past month. Indiana’s rate of alcohol use is close to the national average of 50.4%, with the highest rate of use noticed in the population aged 18 to 25. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reported that in 2020, an estimated 23.8% of Hoosiers over age 12 engaged in binge drinking - a particularly harmful form of alcohol abuse.
The Indiana Youth Survey (INYS) conducted in 2020 found that alcohol was the most widely-abused substance among students in all grades in Indiana, with 12th grade presenting the highest rate of alcohol use at 28.5%. As age increased, so did the rate of use.
Another study - the 2021 Indiana College Substance Use Survey (ICSUS) - surveyed 8,059 college students between the ages of 18 to 25 from 23 Indiana colleges. It found that 55.6% of the surveyed college students reported alcohol consumption within the past month, and 27.2% of students reported binge drinking within the past two weeks.
Alcohol abuse has a variety of negative consequences, and they show themselves clearly when looking at data. In 2019, 10,575 Indiana residents were hospitalized with an alcohol-related health problem. In a single year, 61 infants in Indiana were born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - the most severe type of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). From 2000 to 2020, 10,645 people died in Indiana due to alcohol-related causes - a sobering number indeed.
Avenues’ Indiana recovery center provides clinically-proven alcohol rehab services in Indiana.
Indiana Drug Use Statistics
Drug abuse has been a problem throughout the United States ever since the late 1900s, and Indiana is no exception. With the aftereffects of Covid still being felt across the country, thousands of people turn to substances to deal with the depression, loneliness, and fear that the pandemic has brought.
In 2019, 3.5% of Indiana residents reported illicit drug use in the past year.
These are some of the commonly abused drugs in Indiana:
- Marijuana - In 2020, 10.9% of Indiana residents aged 12 and over reported current marijuana use. The highest rate of use was reported among young adults (ages 18-25), with 26.7% of that age group reporting marijuana use within the past month.
- Opioids - In 2021, the opioid dispensation rate in Indiana 179.4 prescriptions per 1,000 people. During the 2020 NSDUH survey, approximately 3.3% of Hoosiers above age 12 reported abusing prescription opioids. About 0.5% of Indiana residents aged 18-25 reported heroin use within the past year. The 2020 drug overdose mortality rate involving opioids in Indiana was 27.8 per 100,000 people - a 9.3% increase from the previous year.
- Stimulants (i.e. Cocaine and Meth) - According to the NSDUH 2020 survey, 1.8% of Indiana residents reported cocaine use within the past year. IN 2021, 10.3% of Indiana rehab centers admissions reported cocaine as a primary, secondary, or tertiary substance. 2020 data shows that 0.8% of Indiana natives reported past-year methamphetamine use, and 41.3% of all 2021 Indiana treatment admissions listed meth as a primary, secondary, or tertiary substance of use.
Overdose Rates in Indiana
In line with Indiana drug use statistics, the state has witnessed its fair share of substance-induced overdoses and deaths. Since 2013, Indiana has consistently ranked in the upper half of U.S. states for drug overdose rates, and its overdose rates each year are consistently higher than the U.S. average.
The United States as a whole has experienced a fivefold increase in drug overdose death rates from the year 2000 to the year 2020, as the opioid epidemic took hold and wreaked havoc in communities across the country. This wave of overdoses has been driven primarily by opioids, and specifically the superdrug fentanyl. In the year 2020, 80.6% of all overdose deaths in Indiana were caused by opioids - a total of 1,828 opioid overdose deaths. As the government tries to cut back on the amount of medical prescriptions to prevent diversion and abuse, those desperate for drugs are merely turning to hard street drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl, which are far stronger than prescription opioids and more likely to cause a fatal overdose.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 2,272 reported overdoses in Indiana in the year 2020 alone - a 33% increase from 2019. In 2021, the number rose to an upsetting 2,755 - a 21% increase from 2020. Over the last 15 years, opioid use - and specifically overdoses - has cost the Hoosier State over $43 billion in direct and indirect expenses.
The need for high-quality drug and alcohol rehab centers in Indiana is glaring, and growing each day. And it’s a need that Avenues Recovery Center’s Indiana rehab strives to meet in everything we do.
Drug and Alcohol Laws in Indiana
If you’re caught with drugs or alcohol in Indiana, what happens? Learn about Indiana’s alcohol laws and Indiana weed laws, as well as other controlled substance laws.
Indiana Alcohol Laws
It is illegal to drive in the state of Indiana with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.08% or more. For commercial drivers, the BAC limit is 0.04%. Additionally, Indiana has a “zero tolerance policy” when it comes to underage drinking and driving. This means that the maximum legal BAC for anyone under age 21 is 0.02% - a level that can be reached with less than a single drink. Driving on Indiana’s roads means you have given “implied consent” to alcohol testing, should a police officer decide that it is necessary.
It is illegal to sell or provide alcohol to a minor, or to allow minors to loiter in your domain while intoxicated. It is also illegal to sell alcohol to an already-intoxicated person, sell alcohol without a permit, or sell alcohol to those who are visibly under 40 without checking their ID.
Another interesting facet of Indiana alcohol laws is that Indiana law prohibits outside alcohol in certain licensed venue. This means that you cannot bring your own alcohol into any Indiana bar, tavern or restaurant unless you are specifically authorized – such as for a private event, or if you are a licensed caterer.
Indiana Drug Laws
In Indiana, drugs are divided into five “Schedules” based upon their strength, addiction liability, and level of proven medical use. In Indiana drug laws, the penalties for possession, manufacture, and sale of drugs will depend on the Schedule and amount of the substance in question.
- Possession- Possessing a Schedule I, II, III, or IV substance is a Class A misdemeanor in Indiana. This can result in up to a year of jail time and up to $5,000 in fines. If any enhancing circumstance applies, the offense grows to a Level 6 Felony - which can result in up to two and a half years of jail time and up to $10,000 in fines.
- Manufacture/ Sale - Dealing in Schedule I, II, or III substances is a felony in Indiana, and the severity of the penalty is dependent on the amount of the substance. If the amount is 28 grams or above, you will be charged with a Level 2 Felony - which can result in up to 30 years of jail time, and up to $10,000 in fines.
Indiana Weed Laws
Indiana marijuana laws rank as some of the most stringent in the U.S. Both recreational and medical marijuana remain illegal, with no provisions allowing legal use of the drug for medical purposes. Under Indiana pot laws, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning it is considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Despite nationwide trends toward legalization, Indiana has not adopted any measures to decriminalize or regulate marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes.
Cannabis laws in Indiana criminalize possession of marijuana, and can lead to significant penalties. Possessing less than 30 grams is classified as a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. If the possession involves more than 30 grams or if the individual has a prior conviction, the charge escalates to a felony, which carries stiffer penalties, including up to 2.5 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Sale, cultivation, and trafficking of marijuana are also severely penalized, with penalties depending on the amount involved and prior convictions. Indiana also enforces a zero-tolerance policy for driving under the influence of marijuana, meaning any detectable amount of THC in a driver’s system can result in a DUI charge.
Medical marijuana is not permitted under current Indiana marijuana laws, although there has been some limited legislative progress on cannabis-derived treatments. The state allows for the use of CBD oil with very low THC content (less than 0.3%) for patients with epilepsy and certain other conditions, but this is a far cry from comprehensive medical marijuana legalization seen in other states. Efforts to expand medical marijuana access in Indiana have been consistently blocked in the state legislature.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, reach out to Avenues Recovery to receive the help you deserve. Our exceptional rehab centers in Indiana have transformed the lives of thousands of addicts, enabling them to live healthy and sober lives, and can help you too. Our rehab admissions team is waiting for your call and will guide you through all the options available to you. Contact us today to begin your journey to recovery.