• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

FHE Health | Inpatient Rehab & Mental Health Facility in Florida Homepage

Drug, Alcohol and Mental Health Treatment

ContactCareers

Call for Immediate Help (833) 596-3502

MENUMENU
  • About
        • About FHE Rehab
          • About FHE Health
          • Our Staff
          • Locations We Serve
          • Testimonials
        • Our Campus
          • Gallery
          • Our Videos
          • The Health and Wellness Center at FHE Health
        • Our Locations
          • Alcohol Rehab
          • Detox Center
          • Drug Rehab
          • Mental Health Center
          • Outpatient Rehab
        • Careers at FHE Health
          • Employment Opportunities
        • Our Expertise
          • Accreditations
          • Educational Opportunities
          • Community Impact Award
          • First Responder Families Podcast
          • First Responder Paws
          • Education Scholarship
  • Addiction
        • Treatment Programs
          • Treatment Program Overview
          • Alcohol Addiction
          • Drug Addiction Treatment
          • Behavioral Addiction
        • Levels of Care
          • Continuum of Care
          • Addiction Detox
          • Inpatient Addiction Treatment
          • Outpatient Addiction Treatment
        • What We Treat
          • Alcoholism
          • Amphetamines
          • Benzodiazepines
          • Cocaine
          • Heroin
          • Opioids
          • Sedative
  • Mental Health
        • Mental Health Rehab
          • Mental Health Rehab
          • Onsite Psychiatric Care
          • Dual Diagnosis
        • Levels of Care
          • Residential Mental Health Care
          • Outpatient Mental Health Care
        • What We Treat
          • ADD & ADHD
          • Anxiety Disorders
          • Bipolar Disorder
          • Depression
          • Eating Disorders
          • Personality Disorders
          • PTSD
          • Schizophrenia
          • Substance Use Disorder
          • Trauma
  • Programs
        • FHE Programs
          • Specialty Program Overview
          • Restore (Mental Health)
          • Empower! (Women's Program)
          • Shatterproof FHE Health(First Responders)
          • Compass Program
        • Support Programs
          • Alumni
          • Family Support
        • Therapies
          • Acupuncture
          • Breathwork Therapy
          • CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
          • DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)
          • EMDR Therapy
          • Expressive Arts Therapy
          • Individual Therapy
          • Group Therapy
          • Gambling Therapy
          • Massage
        • Medical Care
          • Medical Integration
          • Ketamine Infusion
          • IV Vitamin
          • Fitness & Nutrition
          • Medication-Assisted Treatment
          • Medication Management
        • NeuroRehab Services
          • Neuro Rehabilitation
          • Neurofeedback Training
          • Neurostimulation Therapy
          • EEG Brain Mapping
          • Insomnia Treatment for PTSD
  • Resources
        • FHE Guides
          • Understanding Drug Abuse
          • Signs of Addiction
          • The Disease of Addiction
          • Confronting Addiction
          • Staging an Intervention
          • Rehab Success Rate – Does It Really Work?
          • Withdrawal Timelines
          • Life After Rehab
          • LGBTQ+ Community Resources
          • Veteran Resources
          • FHE Podcasts
          • Remote Resources Toolkit
        • Learning Center
          • Help for You
          • Help For Loved Ones
          • Help For Alcoholism
          • Help With Substance Abuse
          • Behavioral & Mental Health
          • Life in Recovery
          • Rehab Explained
          • Addiction Statistics
          • Our Research Articles
          • View All Articles
        • The Experience Blog
          • Addiction News
          • Alumni
          • Community Events
          • Expert Opinions
          • FHE Commentary
          • FHE News
          • Treatment Legislation
          • View All Articles
  • Admissions
        • Insurance
          • Blue Cross Insurance
          • Beacon Health / Value Options Insurance
          • Cigna Insurance
          • Humana Insurance
          • TRICARE Insurance
        • Admissions
          • Steps to Addiction Help
          • Will Insurance Cover Behavioral Treatment?
          • Self-Pay Rehab
        • FAQ
          • Keeping Your Job in Rehab
          • Example Day in Rehab
        • Contact Admissions
          • Contact Us
          • Secure Payment Form
  • Contact
  •  
Home > Experience Blog > Addiction News > Shocking New Data Reveals Devastating Fallout of West Virginia’s Opiate Epidemic

September 4, 2019 By Brett Friedman

Shocking New Data Reveals Devastating Fallout of West Virginia’s Opiate Epidemic

Devastating Fallout of West Virginia's Opiate Epidemic

While drug arrests are down nationwide for the second consecutive year, the aftermath of the opiate epidemic in West Virginia continues to create ripple effects throughout the state.

According to a report from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), there were 26,645 nationwide drug arrests in 2018, continuing a downward trend from 27,307 in 2017. From skyrocketing prison costs, to startlingly meager drug company opioid settlements, to the emerging menace of a methamphetamine crisis wreaking havoc statewide, the Mountain State just can’t seem to catch a break.

Prison Costs Due to Drug Epidemic in West Virginia

As if dealing with the continuing drug epidemic isn’t enough, representatives from the County Commissioner’s Association of West Virginia, speaking at their annual meeting in Canaan Valley, say they’re bearing staggering jail costs each year to house arrested and jailed inmates, according to Metro News.

For example, Lewis County’s annual jail bill paid to the Regional Jail Authority used to be $300,000 and is now upwards of $1 million, according to Agnes Queen, Lewis County commissioner. Greg Puckett, commissioner of Mercer County, said that a single month’s jail bill in the county is more than the amount spent annually on countywide economic development. And Dick Waybright, Jackson County commissioner, laments they could be doing so much more to benefit the community than spending so much money each year on the regional jail.

The state requires counties to pay per diem rates for each jailed inmate, whereas municipalities, where most of the arrests originate, don’t pay per diem rates. Commissioners would like to work something out, although the situation is far from equitable in the interim.

West Virginia Settles for Way Too Little with Drug Companies

Ravaged by the effects of the opiate epidemic, West Virginia isn’t seeing nearly enough from the settlements with drug companies agreed to and accepted by the state’s Attorney General Patrick Morrissey, says a view published in the West Virginia Record. The piece by Ken Hall, president of Teamsters Local 175 and general secretary of Teamsters International calls Morrissey’s settlements an embarrassment and a sellout, hinting that ties to Big Pharma may be a reason for the sweetheart deals.

The settlements come after a yearlong quest for access to seven years of data involving the opioid industry, from 2006 to 2012. That information, now made public, shows more than 76 billion opiate pills deluged the United States. In West Virginia during that period, 67 pills per person on a per capita basis were received annually, ultimately propelling the state to the highest per capita opioid death rate in America.

Settlements Morrissey agreed to thus far include $37 million with McKesson Corporation, the nation’s single largest opioid distributor, $20 million with Cardinal Health, and $16 million with Amerisource Bergen. Yet, the opioid epidemic costs West Virginia nearly $9 billion a year, according to estimates from the American Enterprise Institute. Deriding paltry drug settlement sums as an annoyance to highly profitable drug companies that won’t even dent the state’s annual bill to deal with this preventable public health crisis, Hall opines, “West Virginians deserve better.”

Meanwhile, a report in the Insurance Journal indicates that state lawmakers have asked the Attorney General for control of the $37 million McKesson opioid settlement, so it can be spent on opioid treatment programs— not administrative costs. A Morrissey spokesman says the office looks forward to working with the governor and legislature to get the settlement money to the state to “attack the drug epidemic holistically.”

Methamphetamine Also a Problem for Northern West Virginia

Methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug also known as meth, ice or crystal methamphetamine, is also a huge problem for the Northern District of West Virginia, according to WV News. Officials there say the deadly drug is more than 90 percent pure and made in secretive labs in other states. It is then shipped in or brought into the district from larger cities.

Combatting the methamphetamine crisis has prompted the state to seek federal and other aid. Even though methamphetamine distribution penalties are often harsher than those for opioid trafficking, meth is the drug of choice in the district. Indeed, about 90 percent of the drug seizures in Clarksburg is meth – and in large quantities. Drug task forces determinedly follow all the evidence to ferret out meth production sources and vow to “aggressively prosecute” anyone who’s responsible. Meth cases comprise the biggest percentage of all drug cases in the district, with about 45 percent of defendants facing meth charges.

While heroin, Suboxone® and other opioids create their own problems, methamphetamine in the district is uniquely challenging and more concerning due to the violence meth distribution creates. Lacking money to support their habit, meth users resort to robberies, burglaries and shoplifting, often involving guns. Confronted daily with psychotic behavior, members of law enforcement use their training to apprehend meth users, who tend to be dangerous, erratic and often violent.

Addiction Treatment Needs Must Be Addressed

Addiction to opioids, methamphetamine, prescription drugs and other substances of abuse doesn’t get better on its own. Professional treatment is the best approach to help those suffering the downward cycle of addiction begin their personal journey to recovery. While FHE Health is located in Florida, we welcome residents of any state and offer our services to anyone who’s looking to be free of an addiction.

Filed Under: Addiction News

More Questions about Treatment?

More Questions about Treatment?

We offer 100% confidential and individualized treatment

Contact Us

About Brett Friedman

With an insistence on only the highest standards in policy compliance and documentation, and a strong commitment to highly ethical business practices... read more

Primary Sidebar

The Experience Blog

  • Addiction News
  • Alumni
  • Community Events
  • Expert Columns
  • FHE Commentary
  • FHE News
  • Treatment Legislation
  • All Articles

Sign up for the Blog

Our Facilities

Take a look at our state of the art treatment center.

View Our Gallery

Learning Center

  • Help for You
  • Help For Loved Ones
  • Help For Alcoholism
  • Help With Substance Abuse
  • Behavioral & Mental Health
  • Life in Recovery
  • Rehab Explained
  • All Articles
Contact Us
  • Call Now:
  • Best Time to Call:

Footer

FHE Health

© 2025 FHE Health

505 S Federal Hwy #2,
Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441
1-833-596-3502
youtube facebook instagram linkedin twitter
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • AI Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
A+ BBB and Top Places to Work - Sun Sentinel

Copyright © 2025 · FHE Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}

The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. If one of our articles is marked with a ‘reviewed for accuracy and expertise’ badge, it indicates that one or more members of our team of doctors and clinicians have reviewed the article further to ensure accuracy. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.

If there are any concerns about content we have published, please reach out to us at marketing@fhehealth.com.

833-596-3502

Text/Call Me