Drug & Alcohol Rehab For Lafayette, Indiana

Lafayette, Indiana is located about an hour northwest of Indianapolis, at the juncture of I-65 and Highway 26. The city of Lafayette is often combined with the city of West Lafayette, with which it shares a border. West Lafayette is best known as the home of Purdue University, which has many students and faculty from both cities. Lafayette currently has a population of 71,402 and West Lafayette has a population of 44,672 for a combined total of 116,074.^[1] However, estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau put the population for the Lafayette-West Lafayette Metropolitan Area as high as 226,452, as of 2022.^[2] Both cities are located in Tippecanoe County and account for the majority of the county’s population.

The population of Lafayette has grown significantly over the past few decades, and continual support from Purdue University has helped maintain the local economy. The city is known for its many historical neighborhoods, which help attract visitors every year. Additionally, Lafayette still maintains various factories and industrial businesses that employ thousands of residents. Sadly, the reduction of manufacturing jobs throughout Indiana and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a poverty rate of 16.8%. This is well above the rate of 12.6% in all of Indiana.

A rising population and struggling economy have also led to cramped living conditions in some areas, particularly West Lafayette, which is the most densely populated city of its size in Indiana. Moreover, economic anxiety has pushed many residents to abuse drugs and alcohol. Currently, Lafayette and much of Tippecanoe County are in the midst of a full-blown substance abuse epidemic.

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

Drug and Alcohol Addiction in Lafayette

According to data collected from Tippecanoe County, drug abuse and alcohol abuse are both growing problems among youth in the region. Here are just a few frightening statistics concerning substance abuse in the county:^[3]

• 20% of children between the ages of 12 and 13 have tried “huffing” (inhaling glue, paint, or cleaning products from a bag or bottle to get high)
• 22% of children between the ages of 13 and 14 have experimented with alcohol
• 41% of students between the ages of 15 and 16 report drinking alcohol at least once within the last month

The high prevalence of experimentation with drugs and alcohol among younger residents helps explain the high rates of addiction among adults, because early adoption is often a precursor to substance use disorders in the future. Outside of Indianapolis, Lafayette also ranks among the worst offenders for drug and alcohol arrests. The table below provides an overview of arrests involving substance abuse in Tippecanoe County between 2015 and 2023:^[4]

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

What is readily apparent from the data above is that, in contrast to most other counties in Indiana, Tippecanoe County saw a reduction in total substance abuse arrests during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This may suggest that many of the arrests are related to excessive drinking and drug use among college students in West Lafayette, though this has not been officially confirmed. During the pandemic, Purdue University quickly transitioned more than 5,000 in-person classes to remote settings, while also instituting strict guidelines for social distancing among students and staff alike.^[5] This made it harder for students to engage in “party culture” involving heaving drinking or drug use throughout most of 2020 and 2021.

The high percentage of alcohol arrests also aligns with many other “college towns,” where DUI and public intoxication arrests involving alcohol tend to be more common. However, it’s important to note other changes that have taken place over the years in Lafayette and Tippecanoe County. Cocaine arrests have only increased slightly, while marijuana arrests have declined. Meth and opioid arrests also increased since 2015.

Just remember that these arrest statistics do not directly correlate with substance abuse. For example, many of these arrests could involve people who overindulged in drugs or alcohol, but do not have substance use disorders. However, the increase in drug paraphernalia arrests is very telling, as possession of drug paraphernalia (such as needles and drug baggies) is a common sign of substance abuse and addiction.

Drug overdose deaths in Tippecanoe County have not shown a consistent pattern. Between 2016 and 2019, the county recorded 141 drug overdose deaths, with an average of 35.25 deaths per year. As the pandemic set in, most of Indiana saw an increase in overdose deaths, and Tippecanoe was no exception. The county recorded 34 deaths in 2020, 43 deaths in 2021, and 45 deaths in 2022, with an annual average of 40.66 deaths. However, preliminary data from 2023 has shown just 8 drug overdose deaths in the county, indicating that fatal drug abuse cases may be in decline.

Lafayette Substance Abuse Resources

The city of Lafayette does not have many resources to prevent substance abuse or help locals with existing addiction problems. Students of Purdue University have access to the university’s substance abuse prevention and treatment services, which include initial assessments, therapy, consultations, and referrals.^[6] Residents who are not students have to rely more on county and state-level programs.

Tippecanoe is one of the more active counties in the state when it comes to substance abuse programs. Currently, the county manages all of the following initiatives:

• Overdose Response Project
• Overdose Fatality Review Team
• Naloxone education and distribution
• Syringe exchange programs
• IN CAREs ECHO

Tippecanoe also has a comprehensive action plan based on directives from the state of Indiana.^[7] Naloxone distribution is particularly important, as it can help save lives in the event of an opioid overdose. While the IN CAREs ECHO program does not specifically help addicted individuals in the region, it does connect substance abuse experts to exchange information and come up with actionable plans for the prevention and treatment of addiction in Lafayette and the rest of Tippecanoe County. At the state level, residents of Lafayette and West Lafayette can turn to Indiana Next Level Recovery for additional support.

Lafayette Drug Rehab & Alcohol Rehab

Lafayette struggles with economic woes that only add to the substance abuse crisis. While many legal issues related to substance abuse in Lafayette involve alcohol, many other substances are abused on a daily basis. The city has not been immune to the opioid crisis, with drugs like heroin and fentanyl becoming increasingly common, along with legally-prescribed opioids. And though residents can depend on county and state-level programs to a certain degree, these are not enough to treat addiction on their own.

Thankfully, you can get help from the trained professionals at Addiction Rehab Centers. Located in Indianapolis, we are just a little over an hour’s drive from Lafayette. In addition to all of the services you would expect from a high-quality drug and alcohol rehab center, we also offer dual diagnosis treatment, multiple levels of care, and even family support services. Whether you require detox, inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, or all three, we are here to help you begin your journey to a full recovery.

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.