Drug and Alcohol Statistics in Rapid City
Below are some eye-opening stats related to drug abuse and overdose deaths in Rapid City and Pennington County:2,3,4
In 2019, about 7 out of every 100,000 county residents died of a drug overdose
In 2022, the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team in Pennington County seized 7 times as much fentanyl as in 2020
Between September 2021 and November 2022, Narcan (naloxone) was issued nearly 20 times
About 42% of Rapid City residents engage in problem drinking
Approximately 11% of Rapid City residents have severe alcohol abuse
About 7% of Rapid City residents use marijuana
Local Information for Visiting Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is considered the gateway to Mt. Rushmore. It also has access to tons of fun attractions, both indoor and outdoor. If you are planning to attend drug and alcohol rehab in Rapid City, or you are planning your trip to visit a loved one there, you’ll want to know the best way to get there, get around, and what to do once you’re there. Here’s what you need to know:
- The closest regional airport to Rapid City is the Rapid City Regional Airport
- If you are having trouble finding affordable flights into Rapid City, other nearby airports include Chadron and Gillette
- Rapid City has a city trolley you can take to explore the city
- There is also a Rapid Transit System in which you can travel by bus
- You can even get around using the Black Hills Buggies
- Otherwise, you might want to rent a car or use rideshare services like Uber and Lyft
- Not all of Rapid City is walkable but the downtown area certainly is
- While in Rapid City, you’ll want to be sure to check out Mount Rushmore
- Enjoy the outdoors at Custer State Park, which has gorgeous views, nice nature walks, and opportunities to see wildlife like bighorn sheep, elks, mountain goats, prairie dogs, river otters, and more
- Spend a day driving through Badlands National Park, which boasts beautiful buttes and views
- Visit the South Dakota Air and Space Museum and the Museum of Geology
- Visit the lush oasis of the Reptile Gardens
- Go on an ATV tour through Black Hills National Forest
- Enjoy some golf and sunshine at the Golf Club at Red Rock
- Have some family fun at Storybook Island, which is a free children’s amusement park
Resources
- South Dakota Department of Health. (n.d.). South Dakota Vulnerability Assessment.
- Trudeau, G. (2021). Our community is dealing with a pandemic, but it’s not COVID. KEVN Black Hlls FOX.
- Baer Gee, S. (2022). Fentanyl seizures soar in Pennington County. Rapid City Journal.
- Oregon Health & Science University. (n.d.). Results from the South Dakota Health Survey.
