Drug and Alcohol Abuse Statistics in New Brunswick, NJ
Recent alcohol- and drug-use statistics for New Brunswick and Middlesex County, New Jersey include:1, 3, 4, 5, 6
Middlesex County recorded a 52% increase in alcohol-induced deaths from 2016 to 2020.
Middlesex County saw a 199% increase in opioid-related overdose deaths from 2013 to 2020.
From 2013 to 2021, Middlesex County reduced its number of opioid prescriptions dispensed by 51%, but opioid-related fatalities continue rising.
In 2021, Middlesex County had the third-highest number of drug-related deaths of all New Jersey counties.
Roughly 15% of Middlesex County residents report engaging in excessive drinking monthly.
In 2020, 40% of all Middlesex County residents admitted to rehab said heroin was their primary drug, and 35% said alcohol was their primary substance of use.
Approximately 61% of people admitted to rehab in Middlesex County in 2020 were between the ages of 25 and 44.
In 2020, 56% of Middlesex County residents who were admitted to rehab identified as white, 21% identified as Hispanic, and 19% identified as Black.
Traveling to and Within New Brunswick, NJ
If you’ll be traveling to New Brunswick for rehab or to visit a loved one in a local addiction treatment center, this information may help you plan your trip:
- Newark Liberty National Airport is situated roughly 24 miles from New Brunswick. Other nearby airports include John F. Kennedy International Airport (49 miles away) and La Guardia Airport (54 miles away).
- New Brunswick is well-connected to several major transit routes, including Interstate 95, U.S. Routes 1 and 130, and State Routes 18, 27, and 171.
- New Brunswick is highly walkable, so if you want to get around on foot, you can do so easily.
- If you’d like to use public transportation, you have several options. The city offers a dial-a-ride service for individuals with disabilities and low incomes, as well as shuttle service, rentable scooters, and three commuter bus routes. New Jersey Transit also operates five fixed bus routes that serve New Brunswick, and more than 90 transit trains stop in the city each day.
- New Brunswick has more than 272 acres of public parks where you can spend time enjoying the great outdoors.
- Local attractions include the Buccleuch Mansion, City Market, Rutgers Gardens, the State Theatre, Zimmerli Art Museum, Stress Factory Comedy Club, Rutgers Geology Museum, and the George Street Playhouse.
Resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. CDC Wonder Online Database. (2021). Underlying Cause of Death, 1999-2020 Results, Deaths occurring through 2020.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
- New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. (n.d.). NJ CARES, a Real-Time Dashboard of Opioid-Related Data and Information.
- New Jersey Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner. (2021). Drug-Related Deaths: January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021.
- New Jersey Department of Health. (2021, December 17). Complete Health Indicator Report of Alcohol Consumption – Binge Drinking.
- New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. (2021, August). Substance Abuse Overview 2020 Middlesex County.
