The state of Iowa sits astride major drug smuggling routes across the United States, with a fair amount of illicit drugs being consumed within the state. The biggest substance abuse problem in Iowa, however, is not drugs, but alcohol. The state ranks consistently below national averages for drug usage across all age categories, but consistently well above national averages for binge drinking and alcohol dependence.

This is not to say that Iowa residents should never worry about needing the services of an Iowa drug rehabilitation center for themselves or a loved one. As shown below, drugs are a problem in Iowa, led by marijuana and the fast-spreading abuse of methamphetamine. This is not just an urban affair; according the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, large amounts of meth are brought into Iowa by Hispanic gangs and Mexican drug cartels. It is available everywhere in Iowa and is rated as the principle drug of concern in the state.

Iowa residents faced with the problem of substance abuse within their own family do have resources to turn to. As of 2006, there were 125 drug and alcohol treatment centers in Iowa, of which six were private for-profit facilities, 108 were private nonprofit, and the rest were operated by the State of Iowa. Of these, 82% received some type of public funding, either local, state, or federal, and 97 contracted with managed care organizations to provide treatment for substance abuse. Iowa families should therefore carefully evaluate local options for an alcohol or drug problem. Not all facilities offer the same services, and not all programs are the same, nor should they be. Treatment for alcoholism or drug abuse is a highly individual matter, requiring a tailored approach. Be wary of any drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility that seems to offer a single approach to treatment.

Services offered by the various rehab facilities in Iowa range from outpatient programs, offered by 90% of Iowa’s drug and alcohol treatment centers, to residential care, offered by 28 facilities. Only four were licensed to treat opiate addiction (heroin, cocaine, prescription painkillers, etc.).

There is no room for complacency in the drug war, even in pastoral Iowa. A 2007 study by the Office of National Drug Control Policy showed that Iowa ranks among the top ten states in the nation for binge drinking and alcohol dependency in the 12-17 age group. The same study shows that 31% of Iowa high school students had tried marijuana at least once. Among high school seniors, the number rose to 38.8%. Marijuana serves as a gateway drug to many serious addictions, such as to cocaine, heroin, and meth. Even recreational use could lead to an extended stay in an Iowa drug rehabilitation center. Eastern and central Iowa especially have noted upswings in the amount of club drugs like Ecstasy, marijuana, and meth making the rounds among young people at clubs, raves, and parties along with alcohol. Parents should be vigilant and seek help at the first sign of an alcohol dependency or substance abuse problem.