Expert Insights
I love it when I come across stories of people getting creative in the name of helping others overcome addiction. So it goes without saying, I was very impressed when I came across Greensboro’s Freedom House Thrift, a thrift store that raises money to provide long-term addiction recovery treatment for mothers with young children. Freedom House Thrift recently opened its third location at 2811 Battleground Ave in the Northwest Centre shopping center, next to Ross Dress for Less and T.J. Maxx.
The Freedom House organization began in 2006, and the first store opened its doors in 2007. They also operate a working farm. All proceeds from the thrift stores and farm products go towards funding addiction treatment. Freedom House is one of the only programs in the country that lets young moms bring their children with them to treatment, which can last for up to two years.
~ Kerry Nenn
How Expensive is Drug Rehab in Greensboro?
The cost of addiction treatment can vary considerably, ranging from $0 to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on type of program, location, length of stay, amenities and features, insurance coverage, state funding, and more. However, the cost of drug or alcohol rehab in Greensboro should not be seen as a barrier to care. Many facilities offer low-cost and free options.
How Does Greensboro Compare in Alcohol and Drug Use?
Greensboro is home to more than 307,000 people, making it the third-largest city in North Carolina and the 67th-largest city in the U.S.1 Like the rest of the country, however, North Carolina is in the midst of combating an opioid epidemic.
From 2000 to 2020, more than 28,000 North Carolinians lost their lives to a drug overdose.2 If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, one of the 30 accredited alcohol and drug rehab centers in Greensboro can help you begin the recovery process.3
Greensboro is North Carolina’s third-largest city and the county seat of Guilford County. Each week, Greensboro law enforcement and EMS treat people who have overdosed on prescription or illegal drugs. Here are some statistics about drug and alcohol misuse in Greensboro:1,2,3,4

Since 2014, Greensboro Police have seen a 300% increase in overdose calls.

In Guilford County, at the end of 2021, the drug overdose rate was significantly higher than in the state.

The number of opioid overdose deaths has been on the rise since 2017.
The five-year mortality rate from drug overdoses, including deaths from prescription and nonprescription opioids, shows that while Guilford County has a lower overdose rate than the state, its numbers are higher than nearby Wake and Durham counties.
When it comes to alcohol,
Guilford County saw almost 74,000 car crashes from 2015 to 2019.4 Almost 300 of them resulted in a fatality, and 30% of those fatal crashes involved alcohol.4
Alcohol and Drug Laws in Greensboro
North Carolina and Guilford County offer several programs designed to get people the help they need and avoid jail time.
Guilford County Formerly Incarcerated Transition (FIT) program: The Guilford County Formerly Incarcerated Transition (FIT) program connects people who have been released from prison with needed health care services, including treatment for substance use disorders. The FIT program helps with additional insurance, medication assistance, and medically related services. Specially trained community health workers serve as peer navigators and have a special focus on opioid use disorder.
Good Samaritan Law: North Carolina’s Good Samaritan law protects people who call 911 during a drug overdose from prosecution for drug possession in small amounts, drug paraphernalia possession, possession or consumption of alcohol while underage, and violating parole or probation. The victim is also protected. The caller must provide their name to law enforcement or emergency services to receive this protection.
North Carolina Recovery Courts: North Carolina Recovery Courts are available to non-violent, repeat offenders facing prison time because of their substance use disorder. The Recovery Courts are available to adults, teens, veterans, and people with mental health issues. A team of court and community professionals works together to ensure people with drug or alcohol addiction get the help they need. This can include counseling, supervision, drug testing, and incentives for meeting recovery goals.
When you’re ready to find accredited alcohol and drug rehab centers in Greensboro, help is available. Call
800-681-1058
(Sponsored)
any time to start your journey to sobriety.
Resources
- Greensboro, North Carolina Population 2020 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs). (n.d.). Worldpopulationreview.com.
- Overdose Epidemic | NCDHHS. (n.d.). Www.ncdhhs.gov.
- FindTreatment.gov. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
- Greensboro Police Department. (n.d.). Opioid Crisis.
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). The NC Opioid and Substance use Action Plan Data Dashboard.
- Guilford County. (2019). A Deeper Dive: Advancing Health Priorities in Guilford County.
- North Carolina Division of Public Health. (n.d.). Alcohol & the Public’s Health in North Carolina.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2021). Mental health by the numbers.
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2019). Mental health and substance use disorder.
- Carey, T. L. (2019). Use of antidepressants in patients with co-occurring depression and substance use disorders. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, 250, 359–370.
- Xu L., Nan J., & Lan, Y. (2020). The Nucleus Accumbens: A Common Target in the Comorbidity of Depression and Addiction. Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 14, 37.
- Anxiety & Depression Association of America. (2021, October 19). Substance Use.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2020, July 13). Treatment of Co-Occurring PTSD and Substance Use Disorder in VA.
- Stokes, P., Kalk, N., & Young, A. (2017). Bipolar disorder and addictions: The elephant in the room. British Journal of Psychiatry, 211(3), 132-134.
- Parmar, A., & Kaloiya, G. (2018). Comorbidity of Personality Disorder among Substance Use Disorder Patients: A Narrative Review. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 40(6), 517–527.