Albany is located on the Flint River
in Southwest Georgia; with surrounding cities
of: Dawson, Thomasville, Cario, have
a growing awareness of its drug addiction problems. The city is in the county of Dougherty, population close to 100,000 and with a
median household income estimated at $35,000, has seen its fair share of
Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin, amongst other drugs including Opioid misuse. Other areas close by like Atlanta, which is 150
miles away, is showing an increase in Marijuana 
and Heroin. Albany
has had several police busts that have produced millions of dollars worth of
the drugs that is one of the increase of drug related crimes.

 

Poverty, unfortunately, can lead to drug addiction. Addiction can also lead to poverty.

In Albany,
Poverty is widespread. In 2016, Albany
was listed as having a 39.1% of the people living there below the poverty line
in comparison to the rest of the state of Georgia at 20.8%.

Females between the ages of 18-24 were listed as
most in poverty.

 

Albany, also,
has its own share of make shift drug houses. People can either go inside the
house and buy drugs or drive up curbside to purchase drugs illegally.

 

In 2017, law enforcement in Albany arrested 16 people associated with a
drug house after a police sting of the location was conducted. They had not
found any drugs on the premise in regards to pills but did see people driving
up curbside trying to buy pills from the house.

 

Most Commonly Used
Drugs

 

Marijuana

Cocaine

Heroin

Opioids

 

Marijuana is an
increasing drug of choice in the whole state of Georgia. Drug trafficking from Mexico makes it
readily available.

Teenagers tend to use this drug as a drug of choice.

 

Cocaine,
especially crack cocaine, is a drug that has increased in distribution and in Georgia is most
associated with violent crimes.

In 2012, Albany
was 569% higher than Georgia
in violent crimes.

Albany is also
listed out of southern Georgia
to have the most aggravated assaults.

 

Heroin usage is
on the rise in age groups 18-25 throughout the state, at least 45% have started
because of Opioid addiction in part due to increasing costs of the pain
medicine as being a factor.

Ages 18-25 who live in large cities more likely to
use.

In 2016, Albany
police reported an increase in Heroin use in the metro area.

 

Opioid overdose
is a major factor. In 2015 at least 549 overdoses from these drugs were
reported in Georgia
alone.

Older adults were found to be more likely to have
opioid addiction by going to multiple doctors for prescriptions. However, due
to law improvements with prescription reporting, it has decreased.

Narcan Nasal Spray is often
used as an emergency solution for opioid overdoses.

Narcan Nasal Spray is in a class of medications called opiate antagonists

 

 

A grant by the President
Trump administration of $11.7 million dollars was given to Georgia to help
fight against heroin and Opioids

 

Albany drugs
usage in the year 2014:

 

Marijuana use at 11.67%

Cocaine use at 1.68%

Opioids use at 4.59%

 

 

Georgia in 2017
drug usage was to be estimated:

 

Marijuana users at 451,885

Cocaine users
at 74,050

Opioids or other prescription
drugs users at 197,888

Heroin users at 4,195

 

In 2017, eight people have
died from street drugs believed to be Percocet but proven to be fake yellow
pills with a combination of cyclopropyl fentanyl and U-47700.

 

Georgia has 10.7 drug overdose deaths for every 100,000 people.

In Albany it is estimated to be about 4 overdose
deaths compared to Georgia
where there is 12 for the state.

Georgia ranks about 11th for opioid overdoses in the country.

 

In Georgia
in 2010, Rx prescriptions deaths were 560, and illicit drugs 101.

In 2010, the age limits of these drug deaths:

 

15 or
younger: 5

15 –
24: 80

25 –
34: 115

35 –
44: 180

45 –
54: 226

55 –
64: 106

64 or
older: 17

Drug Laws in Georgia

The strict drug laws in Georgia define possession as
“actual” or “constructive”. The law means specifically that
you do not need to have the drug on your person to be charged.

 

In 2016, a man was arrested for drug trafficking in Albany with possession of
2.5 pounds of marijuana and 29.5 grams of cocaine.  In Georgia, possession of more than 1 ounce
of Marijuana is considered a felony with jail time up to 10 years and multiple
fines and cocaine possession is anywhere from 2-30 years depending on whether
it is a first offense or more.

 

In any conviction
of a drug offense, a mandatory suspense of driver’s license is done.

 

Universities

 

Universities in Albany have strict
policies regarding drug and alcohol use.

A drug conviction
in the state of Georgia
can make you possibly loose student aid. If conviction of the drug offense
happened while you were not receiving financial aid, you will still be able to
be eligible for aid in the future.

 

In an example, Albany State
University has set up
guidelines to different offenses for drug and alcohol abuse and they are also
based on usage and whether or not they have committed harm to themselves or
others. They have also made available counselors who can help to direct people
to facilities or counseling. In these guidelines which are strictly enforced,
counseling secessions maybe required for each offense.

 

Legislation

 

Illegal synthetic Opioid or U-47700 and/or furanyl ,fentanyl, which can be used
the same as heroin and is fifty times more powerful than heroin itself, is
disturbed in either powder or tablet form, has increased in usage. In 2017, Georgia
legislation was introduced to ban both U-47700 and furanyl ,fentanyl and passed
on April 17th, 2017.

 

Georgia’s
Good Samaritan Law

In 2014 legislation was passed, Georgia
House Bill 965, that if a person calls 911 seeking medical attention for a
victim of a possible drug overdose that neither them or the victim will be
prosecuted for small amounts of  possessed drugs.

 

 

 

 

Albany, Georgia

 

Albany has set up a Drug Unit called The Albany Police Drug
Unit. It was formed to stop illegal drugs from coming into the community and
surrounding areas, plus dealing with stopping any drug trafficking including
the dealers themselves. The drug unit has four different sectors: the City of Albany Police Department,
the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office, the Dougherty County Police Department
and the Dougherty County District Attorney’s Office. The drug unit is located
in downtown Albany.

Many
agents now carry Narcan as a way to help people with opioid overdoses.

 

The Albany
Police Drug Unit

700 Pine Ave, Albany, GA 31701

(229) 430-5150

 

Albany Drug Rehabs and Clinics

 

Rehab facilities are listed over 200 and some in Georgia and
over 180 and some in sober living residential facilities.

 

Georgia has in
the southern states more of a rise in Opioid 
rehab clinics. Due to this demand for addiction help, clinics do tend to
fill up fast as others from different states rush to get the help they need due
to wait lists at other facilities where they live.

 

Drug rehabs and clinics are
not as widespread in Albany
as in its surrounding cities.

 

 

Detox

 

Albany has
centers in which detoxing is available. Detoxing is the removal of harmful
substances from the body through either medicine or physiological means.  The costs depend on type of insurance, the
center itself, how long of stay and what type of treatment you need. There are
outpatient, inpatient and behavioral therapy options available. However, most
centers are outpatient care.

 

Dougherty County Mental Health

601 West
11th Avenue Albany,
GA. 31701.

(229)430-4140.

Treatment Services: Drug and Alcohol Rehab Programs,
Detox, Inpatient Drug Rehab

 

Albany Addiction
Associates

Rehabilitation center for alcohol
and drug detox

2607 Ledo Road Albany, GA 31707

(229) 903-0022.

Outpatient recovery

 

Georgia Drug Detox
Program

2800
Old Dawson Rd Ste 2, Albany, Ga

(229) 231-2983

 

BHG Albany
Treatment Center

2607 Ledo Rd
• Albany, GA
31707

(229) 903-0022

 

 

Graceway Recovery Residence Inc For Women

alcohol rehab and drug
treatment facility for detox

412 West Tift Avenue Albany, GA 31701

(229) 446-4550.

Short term and long term
stays, inpatient and outpatient

Women only

 

 

Detox Abuse Action
Addiction

Handles  drug
detox, family services, therapy and alcohol treatment.

4825 N
Dixie Hwy

Albany, GA 31707

(229) 420-3707

 

 

Health

910 North Jefferson St
# C

Albany, GA 31701

(229)312-7000

Handles
drug and alcohol detox

 

Inpatient
Treatment

 

Inpatient treatment can last any amount of time. It
can be from 3 days to longer depending on the treatment provided and what you
need; such as a hospital or even a private facility. Albany has different types
of inpatient facilities for one to go to if needed. However, because of
relapses of the drug addict, shorter stays may not be recommended.

 

New Moon Addiction Recovery Services

Deals with Alcohol and Drug
addictions

Has inpatient long term stays

325 N Jefferson St No. 552 Albany, GA 31701

(229) 329-1918

 

Dougherty County Mental Health

601
West 11th Avenue Albany,
GA. 31701.

(229)430-4140.

Treatment Services: Drug and Alcohol Rehab Programs,
Detox, Inpatient Drug Rehab

 

Health

910 North Jefferson St
# C

Albany, GA 31701

(229)312-7000

Handles
drug and alcohol inpatient care

 

Outpatient
Treatment

Outpatient treatment is sought for a short period of
time and is how many times per week it can be required. It can be up to
starting from an hour at a clinic to longer depending. Outpatient clinics can
be therapy based or a drug therapy based or combination. Rehab facilities and
clinics are found in Albany.
The difference between Intensive outpatient and regular outpatient is intensive
does about 1 hour of treatment roughly 4 times a week.

 

 

 

Sycamore Center, Inc.

1216 Dawson Road
Albany, GA – 31707
(229) 639-0881

Deals with  substance
addiction recovery for adolescents ages 12-17

 

 

 

 

Dougherty County Mental Health

601
West 11th Avenue

Albany, GA. 31701

(229)430-4140

Alcohol Rehabilitation and Drug Rehab Program

 

Aspire BHDD

601
11th Avenue

Albany, GA. 31701

(229)430-4140

Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program

 

After care and
Sober Living

 

After care and sober living helps to keep the person
addiction free through lifestyle changes, therapy and even drug therapy. A lot
of facilities are community based to help the person feel safer in their
surroundings. The idea with after care and sober living is to help the addict
feel confident in themselves to be able to keep off the addiction.

 

 

 

D U I Albany Driver Improvement
Clinic

2401 Dawson
Road Suite U

Albany, GA 31707

(229)439-8826

 

Agape Recovery
Residence

212 West
Residence Avenue

Albany, GA 31701

(229)446-1953

 

 

Substance Abuse
Counseling Center Marine and Family Services

Marine Corps
Logistics Base Albany
814

Radford
Boulevard Suite 20311

Albany, GA 31704

(229)639-5252

 

 

 

Way Sober Living
Apartments

drug and alcohol treatment program

416
West Tift Avenue Albany,
GA. 31701.

(229)-446-7800.

 

Pain Management

 

Pain management programs can help to reduce the pain
that has resulted in taking drugs as medication. These facilities can help
through physical, mental and behavioral thearpy.

 

Phoebe Pain Management Center

425 W
3rd Ave Ste 300, Albany,
Ga

(229) 312-0300

 

 

Pain Treatment CenterGeorgia

810
14th Ave, Albany,
Ga

(229) 434-4966

 

Nexus

2810
Meredyth Dr # 100, Albany,Ga

(229) 496-1874

 

Dania Beach West Rehab

507 W
3rd Ave, Albany,
GA 31701

(229) 405-1596

 

Meetings

Meetings are to help addicts get through daily
struggles. They can be public where people are sharing their stories or closed where
a specific topic is discussed. The meetings are usually a group of people.

 

Alcohol Anonymous Meetings

Alcoholics
Anonymous

304 Pine Ave, Albany, GA 31701

(229) 435-2263

 

Narcotics
Anonymous Meetings

 

 Amazing Grace
Baptist Church

2217
Ledo Road

Albany, GA. 31707

Notes: Albany
Freedom to Choose Group Topic Open

 

Meeting Times

Monday – 8:00
PM

Tuesday – 8:00
PM

Thursday – 8:00
PM

 

Courage To Change
Group

312
Flint Avenue

Albany, GA. 31701

Notes: Courage to Change Group Topic, Discussion Participation

 

Meeting Times

Monday – 7:00
PM

Wednesday – 7:00
PM

Friday – 7:00
PM

 

 

Helpline for Georgia
Substance Abuse

1-800-338-6745

 

Georgia Crisis
Access Line (GCAL)

1-800-715-4225