Last year, 101,084 people in Massachusetts began substance abuse treatment. Some 28 percent were women, 31 percent were people of color, 20 percent were injection drug users, and 61 percent used more than one drug. Of residential programs, 32 percent of the clients were homeless when admitted.
The drugs of choice included alcohol, used by 79 percent of abusers; cocaine, 32 percent; heroin, 31 percent; marijuana, 30 percent; crack, 23 percent.
Ages ranged from 4 percent, who were younger than 19, to 60 percent between 30 and 49. Only six percent were over 50. Another 29 percent were 19 to 29.
Abusers entering treatment programs were primarily men, with 72 percent, compared to 28 percent for women.
The majority were white, non-Latino, at 68 percent, followed by black, 16 percent; Latino, 12 percent.
How does this area compare? In Westfield, more of the people seeking treatment used alcohol--90 percent. Followed by marijuana, 32 percent, crack, 21 percent; cocaine, 16 percent; heroin, 11 percent.
Westfield also has more abusers under 19, with 42 teenagers seeking treatment. That's 8 percent of the total, with another 25 percent 19 to 29, 56 percent between 30 and 49 and 10 percent over 50. Of these, 90 percent are white, and 70 percent are men.
In my district, 494 people in Westfield sought treatment last year, none from Montgomery.
The numbers are kept and people counted by the state's Office of Health and Human Services, in case you wondered.
Since we're talking statistics today, let's take a look at AIDS. During 1996 the state's department of Public Health AIDS surveillance unit reported the 12,000th case of AIDS in the Commonwealth.
Of the 12,112 AIDS cases in Massachusetts, 31 are in Westfield, where you'll also find 96 people who are HIV-positive. In the state, there are 37,710 HIV-positive people.
Want more statistics?
This January-February goose season, 4,200 geese were bagged in Massachusetts.
Harry Truman was not president in 1958.
The average American eats the equivalent of 28 hogs in a lifetime.
Ninety percent of current smokers started smoking as teenagers.