Drug & Alcohol Rehab For Michigan City, Indiana

Situated on the beautiful southern shores of Lake Michigan, Michigan City, Indiana is just a stone’s throw from the state’s border with Michigan, and a short drive from Chicago, Illinois. Aside from the picturesque views and sandy dunes, Michigan City is known for its popular Old Lighthouse Museum, as well as its many parks and commercial attractions. Even though it’s in an idyllic location, Michigan City is a relatively small lake-side city, with a current population of just 31,792 people.

A major tourist attraction in LaPorte County, Michigan City is the largest city by population in the county, though the city of La Porte serves as the county seat. Despite the tourism it brings in, Michigan City has struggled with economic difficulties for years. These issues have only become worse in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the latest census data, Michigan City has a poverty rate of 21.2%, which is nearly double the poverty rate in Indiana. Similarly, the median household income in Michigan City is $51,554, compared to a median of $67,173 statewide. [1] While drug and alcohol addiction has plagued Michigan City, Indiana for years, the declining economy has only added more stress and increased the prevalence of substance abuse.

In spite of the beautiful lake-side environment, Michigan City is a community in the midst of a full-blown epidemic. In Michigan City, marijuana and meth are among the most commonly abused drugs, though prescription opioids, cocaine, alcohol, and heroin are not far behind. Michigan City does not have any substance abuse resources or programs of its own, which makes it even harder for residents in need to get help. 

Continue reading to learn about substance abuse and addiction in Michigan City, Indiana. If you or a loved one are fighting addiction in Michigan City or the surrounding area, you can always reach out to Addiction Rehab Centers for help.

Drug and Alcohol Addiction in Michigan City

Michigan City’s substance abuse data is collected via county and state agencies, which means that things like drug arrests, overdose deaths, and even hospital discharges are not recorded at the city level. Instead, the data for Michigan City is combined with the data collected throughout the rest of LaPorte County, including the city of La Porte. However, Michigan City still accounts for roughly 30% of the county population, so evaluating the county-level data provides useful insight into the current epidemic in Michigan City.

One of many factors that can shine a light on substance abuse is the number of deaths caused by drug or alcohol abuse. Since 2016, LaPorte County has experienced a rise in substance abuse deaths, indicating a worsening addiction epidemic in Michigan City and the rest of the county. [2] The table below shows how deaths involving all drugs (including alcohol) have changed in the area over the past few years in LaPorte County:

*Data for 2023 is provisional and only accounts for the first quarter of the year.

Like other counties in Indiana, LaPorte County does not have finalized data for 2023. That said, the latest numbers could indicate that the substance abuse crisis is easing up slightly. This trend is common in many counties and cities like Michigan City, as substance abuse deaths spiked in 2020, 2021, and 2022. It’s still too early to conclude that a positive trend is taking place, but we could see the number of substance abuse deaths decline to pre-COVID levels in 2024 and beyond. This would especially uplifting considering that, between 2016 and 2022, annual deaths increased by 96.4% in LaPorte County.

While overdoses are frightening and life-threatening situations, the majority of people who experience an overdose survive, especially if they have quick and reliable access to emergency care. Some overdoses are the result of first-time experimentation with drugs or alcohol, but many reflect ongoing addiction. This is part of the reason why they are so important to consider. Overdoses are most often recorded via local hospital records, which can help provide solid evidence of substance abuse in Michigan City and LaPorte County.

The table below shows the hospital discharges involving drug overdoses in LaPorte County between 2016 and 2023: [3]

*Data for 2023 is provisional and only accounts for the first quarter of the year.

Hospital discharges paint a more positive picture of substance abuse in LaPorte County. Between 2016 and 2022, overdose hospital discharges fluctuated, but ultimately declined by 4.9%. Once again, the numbers for 2023 are provisional, but they could indicate that overdoses are declining drastically in the county.

Types of Substance Abuse in Michigan City

In 2022, marijuana, meth, and alcohol were the most abused drugs in LaPorte County and Michigan City. Using arrest and re-arrest records, we can see how addiction has trended towards particular drugs and away from others. Here is the latest data from Indiana’s Next Level Recovery program showing the arrests involving different kinds of addictive substances between 2016 and 2023 in LaPorte County:

*Statistics for 2023 are still preliminary and do not account for the entire calendar year.

With the exception of 2020 (when Indiana was under a stay-at-home order), drug and alcohol-related arrests remained relatively high compared to the small population. Between 2016 and 2022, alcohol and cocaine arrests declined dramatically. Over the same period, meth arrests increased by an astounding 537%. These trends have continued into the provisional data of 2023, and arrests have increased to the highest levels since 2019. While opioid arrests appear to be declining, it’s important to note that drug paraphernalia arrests are often associated with heroin (a type of opioid). These arrests increased by 18.7% between 2016 and 2022, and the figures indicate that heroin abuse only became more prevalent in 2023.