Illinois is the land of many nicknames. It is called the Garden State of the West due to its miles of lush prairie and fields of both corn and soybeans. This lends way for yet another nickname, the Corn State. It is also known for its deep dish pizzas and with windy city itself, Chicago. It is also home to the world’s largest cookie factory.
Unfortunately, Illinois is also known for something else. People know it for its politicians, corruption, and crime. Another thing that is commonly associated with Illinois is the strong mafia presence. All of these things contribute to the substance abuse issues that Illinois faces.
Despite its relatively low unemployment rate of 4.7 percent depending on the county, Illinois is still economically depressed. This leads to a climate where it is easy to slip into a drug or alcohol addiction.