In southern Oklahoma, you’ll find Comanche County, just a short drive north of the Oklahoma-Texas border. It’s an area of beautiful farmlands and is home to Fort Sill, a US Army base that was established during the Indian wars of the late 19th century. It’s a modest city filled with ranch homes and simple bungalows, just under 100,000 residents. But Lawton has an unusually high crime rate.
In 2009, Lawton had twice the violent crime rate of the rest of Oklahoma, and almost 2.4 times that of the rest of the nation. The property crime rate in Lawton was more than 150 percent of the national rate. It may come as no surprise to find out that Comanche County, where Lawton is located, is included in the North Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The North Texas HIDTA is composed of 15 northern Texas counties and 6 Oklahoma counties including Oklahoma County and Comanche County.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawton,_OK
http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs40/40394/40394p.pdf
The trafficking of drugs through the area is reflected in the number of people seeking Lawton drug rehab for their addictions. Between 2007 and 2009, Lawton saw increases in the number of people seeking Lawton drug rehab for heroin and prescription opiates. Also, the number of people entering drug treatment in Lawton and Comanche County for marijuana increased 40 percent between 2008 and 2009. And amphetamine-type stimulants (usually methamphetamine) sent twice as many people to Lawton drug rehabs in 2009 as they did in 2008.
Also, in 2009, ten times as many people died in Comanche County from prescription drug abuse as from illicit drugs.
Reference: http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs40/40394/40394p.pdf
Lawton’s Location Contributes to Drug Problems
Lawton lies on Interstate 44, also known as the H. E. Bailey Turnpike. This interstate runs from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area north to Oklahoma City. This location may actually contribute to a higher flow of illicit substances through the area, as many drug traffickers utilize some of the lesser highways that are not subject to such law enforcement scrutiny and monitoring.
News Media Provides Insight into Extent of the Drug Problem
Sometimes it’s hard to find out how many people are using drugs in a specific area. But the news media will sometimes tell you how many people have been arrested for drug offenses in an area, providing an index to the level of drug trafficking and abuse.
In August 2010, 14 people in Lawton and dozens in Weatherford were arrested for bringing cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana into the Lawton area from Mexico. In June 2010, a Lawton businessman was arrested after he was found to be selling cocaine, marijuana and steroids from his business and storing them in nearby Elgin. He was found to have $30,000 worth of drugs at home. And in September 2010, three men were arrested for possession of methamphetamine after unsuccessfully trying to flee police while towing a heavy horse trailer. Also in August 2010, 33 people in Lawton and surrounding cities were arrested for trafficking in meth.
The high violent crime and property crime rates are most likely connected to the pervasive methamphetamine problem that exists across Oklahoma. Methamphetamine use is often connected with property crime and crack cocaine use is often associated with violent crime. In 2009, 69 people in Comanche County went to a Lawton drug rehab for help with crack cocaine. That means that there are probably hundreds in the area who have not yet sought drug rehab in Lawton.
Lawton Drug Rehab is Needed to Save Lives
When there are drugs being trafficked and sold in an area, there are some people who are going to get trapped in addiction. No one intends to become an addict. They may think they can use a drug a few times and then the cravings take over and they can’t stop. Some people who are addicted will turn to crime or dealing drugs as a way to support their own habit. At this point, families start to fall apart, careers are abandoned and the addict’s entire life starts to be destroyed. Drugs are more important to an addicted person than caring for himself or herself or loved ones.
Lawton drug rehab is the solution. But there are only 5 drug rehabs in Lawton or the surrounding area. That does not provide enough beds to handle all the need for drug rehab Lawton.
If you seek Lawton drug rehab, contact Oklahomdrugrehab.org for help. The counselors at Oklahomadrugrehab.org are experienced in helping people locate drug rehab in Lawton, in other parts of Oklahoma or even in other regions of the country. Oklahomadrugrehab.com’s counselors have access to 10,000 listings for substance abuse treatment programs and can help you find one that is best suited to your situation. Drug rehab Lawton may be the exact answer you need to save the life of a loved one who has been trapped by methamphetamine, crack cocaine, heroin, prescription drug or marijuana abuse.
While some people may not think that smoking marijuana will do them any harm, more than 100 people in Lawton and Comanche County sought help at a drug rehab Lawton for marijuana addiction in 2009. Marijuana is far more potent than it was in years past, leading to higher addiction statistics. Those who can’t stop smoking marijuana despite harm being done to their lives should contact Oklahomadrugrehab.org today for help finding Lawton drug rehab. Call today at 1-888-816-0667.
For more information on drug rehab in Norman, Oklahoma or other areas of Oklahoma click here.