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What are the cities in California with the highest rates of reported substance abuse (alcohol and narcotics)? What are the median incomes of each area? What is the average age of the reported substance abusers? What are the reported substances being abused?
Hello! Thanks for your question regarding substance abuse rates in California. The short version is that, after searching extensively through reports from city, state and federal agencies, I’ve determined that the exact information you requested is not publicly available because agencies that track this information do so by county, rather than city, populations. However, I was able to learn the counties with the highest rates of reported substance abuse, along with the substance use rates for five of the state's largest cities. Below you will find a deep dive of my research and methodology.
METHODOLOGY
After exhaustive research, I was unable to find the rates of substance abuse, ranked by city, in California. The California Department of Healthcare Services, the most reputable sources of substance abuse rates in California, compiles this information by county, rather than city. The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) compiles information on alcohol and drug use rates, rather than reported abuse rates. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, meanwhile, reports on trends in substance abuse, rather than rates and demographics. Additional searches of media and other resources revealed no listing of substance abuse rates by city in California, only by the state's counties. No sources provided an average age of drug or alcohol abusers.
HELPFUL FINDINGS
While I could not find a direct answer to your question, I was able to gather some information about this topic that I think will be helpful for your project. First, I located the counties that have the highest rates of drug and alcohol abuse, the details of which you will find on the first and second tabs of the attached spreadsheet. Next, I determined the largest metropolitan areas in California and cross referenced those with data compiled by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration to provide statistics regarding the usage rates for different substances in five of the state's largest cities. These findings are listed on the third tab of the attached spreadsheet.
SUMMARY
Lassen, Del Norte and Amador counties have the highest alcohol abuse rates, according to research by the California Department of Healthcare Services. The same research report shows that Lassen, Del Norte, and Humboldt counties have the highest drug abuse diagnosis rates. You will find details regarding the counties with the highest rates of drug and alcohol abuse on first two tabs of the attached spreadsheet.
On the third tab of the attached spreadsheet, I've provided usage rates, by age range, of: all illicit drugs (other than marijuana), cocaine, non-medical use of pain relievers, and alcohol, for five of California's largest cities, per research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.
CONCLUSION
To wrap it up, while the exact information you requested is not publicly available, I have located data regarding the California counties with the highest rates of reported substance abuse, along with the substance use rates for five of the state's largest cities.
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