Plymouth is a small city that functions as the county seat and commercial center of Marshall County in northern Indiana. Situated at the crossroads of Interstates 30 and 31, the city is divided by the Yellow River and is home to many parks and natural points of interest. Perhaps best known for its annual Blueberry Festival that takes place every Labor Day Weekend, Plymouth is an upbeat city that provides jobs, tourism, and plenty of natural beauty to the region.
According to the latest census data, Plymouth has a population of 10,214, and the population has grown slowly over the past few decades. Despite its status as an economic hub in Marshall County, Plymouth’s economy has struggled in recent years. The median household income in Plymouth is $49,306 per year, which falls well below the state median of $69,477. Moreover, the poverty rate in Plymouth currently rests at 14.7%, compared to a rate of 12.3% statewide. [1]
These issues have only exacerbated the ongoing substance abuse crisis in Plymouth and the rest of Marshall County. Overdoses, deaths related to addiction, and arrests have all turned an otherwise peaceful community into one that is tormented by addiction. Based on the most recent data, marijuana, meth, and alcohol are the most commonly abused substances in Plymouth. The city also sees the abuse of other substances, such as prescription opioids, cocaine, and heroin.
Continue reading to learn about substance abuse and addiction in Plymouth, Indiana. And remember, if you or a loved one are fighting addiction in Plymouth or the surrounding area, you can always reach out to Addiction Rehab Centers for help.
Drug and Alcohol Addiction in Plymouth
Plymouth doesn’t collect or manage its own substance abuse data, which is no surprise. Most cities in Indiana depend on county administrators to collect, organize, and aggregate data related to arrests, overdoses, deaths, and even substance abuse resources and treatment options. Though this method does help state legislators better understand the broader picture of addiction in Indiana, it can make it complicated to see exactly how many substance abuse cases take place in a given municipality.
For instance, Marshall County combines data originating in Plymouth with data from nearby cities and towns, such as Bremen and Argos. However, since Plymouth accounts for nearly 25% of the county population (and almost half of the county’s substance abuse cases), analyzing Marshall County’s data still provides an accurate view of addiction and substance abuse in Plymouth.
We typically examine the number of overdose deaths first. We also look at how the figure changes from year to year. In Marshall County, overdose deaths have increased steadily since 2016. [2] The table below shows how deaths involving all drugs (including alcohol) have changed in the area over the past few years:
Year | Total Deaths | % Change From Previous Year |
2016 | 5 | N/A |
2017 | 11 | Increased by 120.0% |
2018 | 10 | Decreased by 9.1% |
2019 | 6 | Decreased by 40.0% |
2020 | 10 | Increased by 66.7% |
2021 | 14 | Increased by 40.0% |
2022 | 16 | Increased by 14.3% |
*2023 | 15 | N/A |
*2024 | <5 | N/A |
*Data for 2023 and 2024 is provisional and may be subject to change.
Since data for the most recent years (2023 and 2024) is still preliminary, it’s best to evaluate the change in overdose deaths based on finalized data obtained between 2016 and 2022. During this period, annual overdose deaths more than tripled. While there were certain years when overdose suddenly fell, like 2019, they remained in the double digits most years, particularly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data for 2023 and 2024 is not finalized, but it still indicates that overdose deaths are continuing to remain high each year, and could even increase in the near future. There are 15 overdose deaths in Marshall County on record for 2023, and that number could increase when the data is finalized. Thus far in 2024, there have been less than 5 overdose deaths on record, but considering that this only accounts for the first quarter of the year, it’s safe to assume that it will increase substantially as more cases come to light.
Fatal overdoses provide a very dark overview of addiction in Plymouth and the rest of Marshall County, but they don’t give us the whole picture. For this reason, it’s vitally important to consider non-fatal overdoses and see how they’ve changed over the years, particularly in relation to fatal overdoses. This data can be easily obtained from hospitals and emergency departments in the area. The table below shows the relevant overdose data in Marshall County between 2016 and 2024: [3]
Year | Total Hospital Discharges & Emergency Department Visits | % Change From Previous Year |
2016 | 115 | N/A |
2017 | 114 | Decreased by 0.9% |
2018 | 137 | Increased by 20.2% |
2019 | 78 | Decreased by 43.1% |
2020 | 90 | Increased by 15.4% |
2021 | 81 | Decreased by 10.0% |
2022 | 108 | Increased by 33.3% |
*2023 | 107 | N/A |
*2024 | 25 | N/A |
*Data for 2023 and 2024 is provisional and may be subject to change.
It’s difficult to find a consistent trend in non-fatal overdoses in Marshall County. From 2016 to 2018, non-fatal overdoses remained consistently high before dropping below 100 overdoses per year in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Since 2021, non-fatal overdoses began to rise again, though it’s unclear if this trend will continue throughout the rest of 2024 and beyond.
In 2016, there were a total of 120 overdoses (fatal and non-fatal) on record in Marshall County. Only 5 of those overdoses were fatal, accounting for just 4.1% of all overdoses that year. By 2022 (the most recent year with finalized data), the total number of overdoses increased to 124, and 16 of those resulted in deaths. That means that the rate of fatal overdoses more than tripled to 12.9% over a period of just 6 years.
Types of Substance Abuse in Plymouth
In 2023 and 2024, marijuana, meth, and alcohol were the most abused drugs in Marshall County. Arrest and re-arrest records are useful for determining what types of substances are being abused, but it’s not an exact science. Many people struggling with substance abuse suffer in silence, and may not be arrested for possession or misuse of those substances. In any case, here is the latest data from Indiana’s Next Level Recovery program showing the arrests involving different kinds of addictive substances between 2016 and 2024 in Marshall County:
Year | Total Arrests | Alcohol | Cocaine | Marijuana | Meth | Opioid | Drug Paraphernalia |
2016 | 672 | 277 | 3 | 263 | 88 | 17 | 165 |
2017 | 755 | 299 | 11 | 315 | 170 | 26 | 202 |
2018 | 751 | 246 | 15 | 199 | 252 | 34 | 189 |
2019 | 696 | 259 | 35 | 197 | 235 | 97 | 172 |
2020 | 458 | 168 | 25 | 161 | 152 | 45 | 120 |
2021 | 581 | 212 | 31 | 185 | 184 | 60 | 171 |
2022 | 382 | 128 | 28 | 130 | 88 | 38 | 95 |
2023* | 411 | 164 | 14 | 141 | 112 | 9 | 109 |
2024* | 446 | 150 | 7 | 146 | 113 | 6 | 105 |
*Statistics for 2023 and 2024 are still preliminary and do not account for the entire calendar year(s).
Substance abuse arrests have generally been in decline in Marshall County since the mid-2010s. Arrests were particularly low during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have since risen again. The types of drugs most commonly involved in arrests have also changed over the years. Alcohol and marijuana arrests have declined, though these two substances are still among the most commonly abused in Marshall County. Both cocaine and prescription opioid arrests have been on the rise, while there’s no clear trend for meth and drug paraphernalia (the latter is typically associated with heroin abuse).
Plymouth Substance Abuse Resources
Plymouth does not offer any city-level resources or programs to deter substance abuse. It depends entirely on Marshall County and the state of Indiana for support. Marshall County offers various county-wide resources, including segments of the county health department that are dedicated to substance abuse recovery and mental health. It also hosts Project HOPE as a way to help educate people of all ages on the dangers of addiction.
The state of Indiana has 7 official programs to fight substance abuse, of which Marshall County participates in 3:
- First Responder Naloxone Training
- Non-Syringe Harm Reduction Program
- Overdose Fatality Review Team
The First Responder Naloxone Training program helps distribute Naloxone to local clinics and train first responders on the proper application of the drug. Naloxone is one of the most effective ways to prevent death in the event of an opioid overdose. The Non-Syringe Harm Reduction Program provides single-use supplies to people struggling with addiction, thus reducing the spread of blood-borne illnesses through needle-sharing. Finally, the Overdose Fatality Review Team analyzes substance abuse data and crafts community action plans and programs to help prevent more cases and deaths in the future.
Plymouth Drug Rehab & Alcohol Rehab
Plymouth represents an important part of the economy and culture in northeastern Indiana. It’s a popular sight for tourism thanks to its many parks and festivals, and it continues to host various manufacturers, retailers, and service providers that help keep the population growing. Despite these advantages, Plymouth struggles with economic woes and a growing addiction crisis. While there are many county and state-level programs to reduce deaths in Marshall County and specifically in Plymouth, there are still many local residents who feel lost when looking for real help and treatment options.
Fortunately, if you or a loved one live in Plymouth, Indiana, and are looking for addiction treatment options, Addiction Rehab Centers is just a phone call or a two-hour drive away. Located in Indianapolis, Addiction Rehab Centers is a top-tier drug and alcohol recovery facility. Our modern accommodations and expert staff can help you or a loved one through every step of recovery — from the early days of detox and withdrawal to post-rehab aftercare and beyond. We even specialize in dual-diagnosis treatments for co-occurring mental health disorders so that patients can get the multi-faceted treatment they need, all in one place. By reaching out to our team, you can begin your journey to a brighter tomorrow — free from the grip of addiction.
If you or a loved one need help, don’t hesitate to reach out as soon as possible. Addiction Rehab Centers is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can contact us on our website or call us directly at 844-551-4673.
