San Diego Alcohol and Drug Use Statistics
Here are additional statistics about San Diego County drug and alcohol use for people aged 12 and older from the study year:1
Over 24% of San Diego’s residents admit to engaging in binge drinking
Over 15% used at least one illicit drug, including heroin, cocaine, hallucinogens, and prescription opioids (nonmedically)
Over 5% engaged in nonmedical use of prescription opioid painkillers that were not prescribed
Over 11% of all San Diegans admit to using marijuana
There were 532 deaths caused by heroin, alcohol, and other illicit drugs in San Diego County in 2019.2
Expert Insights
I never fully understood the link between addiction and homelessness until I moved to San Diego for work. I’d seen homeless people in my home state, but never anything like this. The bridges downtown were covered by tents that were occupied by multiple people (and usually a dog). In a short matter of time, I saw my share of drunken fights between homeless men, I saw a co-worker assaulted by a homeless man who was offended she offered to buy him breakfast instead of giving him cash, and I learned how to step over two men who constantly passed out in front of our office door right before lunch. But I was also very confused as to why so many addicted members of the homeless population refused to take advantage of the wealth of free treatment and recovery services offered by San Diego and California as a whole. I even asked some generational locals about it; I was told there are “too many rules they’d have to abide by – they don’t want to do it.” Despite the beauty of San Diego, the willing nature of the public to help, and the hundreds of millions of dollars poured into helping a population that desperately needs it, addiction rates and homeless rates never improved during the nearly five years I spent on the West Coast.
~ Nikki Seay
Top 4 Drug Rehabs in San Diego
Every alcohol and drug rehab in San Diego offers its own set of unique amenities, programs, and therapies. Evidence-based treatment is available at multiple inpatient centers in San Diego. These facilities often provide a range of therapies, faith-based treatments, and outpatient options for recovery.
Below are the top four addiction treatment centers in San Diego based on the following criteria:
- Offering evidence-based treatment
- Accreditation
- Certifications
- Client testimonials / reviews
Hope Canyon Recovery
Hope Canyon Recovery San Deigo rehab center offers a variety of addiction treatment programs individually tailored to your needs. They provide detox services, inpatient and outpatient programs, medication-assisted treatment, and more.
Treatment programs include:
- Intervention support
- Individualized recovery plan
- Detox
- Residential inpatient treatment
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
- Relapse prevention
- Medically-assisted treatment program
- Specialized programs
- Aftercare support services
Treatment programs are supported by:
- Joint Commission 563412
Location and contact information:
2821 Lange Ave
San Diego, CA 92122
(877) 626-1046
San Diego Rescue Mission
The goal of San Diego Rescue Mission is to get people off the streets permanently. They offer emergency services to help those in immediate need and a residential program to help address underlying issues.
Treatment programs include:
- Emergency services
- Residential program
- Children’s preschool
- Hunger relief
- Community outreach
Treatment programs are supported by:
- Accredited by Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA)
Location and contact information:
P.O. Box 80427
San Diego, CA 92138
(877) 626-1046
AToN Center
Surrounded by trees and waterfalls on a private ten-acre sanctuary, AToN is a luxury center uses an evidence-based curriculum built on CBT, DBT, and ACT, along with mindfulness techniques. In addition, there is no blackout period in their programs, meaning that you can continue to use your cell phone, tablet, or laptop to stay in touch with your loved ones.
Treatment programs include:
- Detox services
- Residential treatment
- Aftercare
- Holistic healing
- Evidence-based therapie
Treatment programs are supported by:
- Joint Commission accreditation
- LegitScript Certified
- Better Business Bureau accredited
- National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) member
Location and contact information:
3250 Country Rose Cir
Encinitas, CA 92024
(888) 535-6973
True Life Center
True Life Center in San Diego provides intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization services using a scientific and evidence-based approach. Here, you can find substance treatment or mental health programs.
Treatment programs include:
- Drug and alcohol addiction treatment
- Intensive outpatient program
- Partial hospitalization program
- Neurobiological integration approach
- Anxiety disorder treatment
- Trauma therapy
- Mood disorder treatment
Treatment programs are supported by:
- Joint Commission accreditation
Location and contact information:
Chancellor Park, 4520 Executive Dr 225 Floor 2
San Diego, CA 92121
(866) 318-7721
Resources
- SANDAG – SANDAG Home. (n.d.). SANDAG Home.
- FindTreatment.gov. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (Rev. 2012). Substance Use and Mental Disorders in the San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos MSA. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Report: Metro Brief.
- San Diego Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force. (2020). 2020 Report Card.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2021). Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS): 2019. Admissions to and Discharges From Publicly Funded Substance Use Treatment.
- United States Health and Human Services Department. (Dec. 2021). New HHS Study Shows 63-Fold Increase in Medicare Telehealth Utilization During the Pandemic.
- Drug Policy Alliance. (2013). Understanding California’s 911 Good Samaritan Law.
- California Legislative Information. (2021). Bill Text.
