Drug Test - Howell, NJ

Drug Use in Howell, NJ

NJ Overdose Deaths Rise 20%

In 2019, the state of New Jersey experienced the first downtick in drug overdose deaths in five years. In early 2020, the Attorney General's Office announced a 3% year-over-year decrease. However, the excitement was short-lived.

Through May of 2020, overdose deaths in the state had already experienced a 20% increase. Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli pointed the bulk of the blame towards the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, she cited job loss, isolation, and grief as major contributing factors.

However, new data shows that deaths actually began to significantly uptick before the pandemic began. This indicates that the state may have a bigger problem.

Monmouth School District's Drug Problem

New data shows that many New Jersey schools have seen major increases in student drug and alcohol use since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The 2019-2020 School Performance Reports revealed that the Monmouth-Ocean Educational Services Commission School District topped the list with a whopping 285.71 cases per 1,000 students. The second school on the list, Northern Region Educational Services Commission, Passaic, had only 89.29 cases per 1,000 students.

It should be noted that many school districts now count e-cigarette use as substance abuse, which could have contributed to some of the sharp increases.

The Local Economy, Jobs, and Major Industries in Howell

Howell is a mid-sized township located in Monmouth County. The median household income here is approximately $99,177, which is significantly higher than the national average. However, the cost of living is 121.2. This is significantly higher than the national average of 100, indicating that it is more expensive to live here than in other areas of the United States.

The major industries in Howell are retail trade, healthcare and social assistance, and educational services. The largest employers in Monmouth County are Hackensack Meridian Health, Saker Shoprites, Inc., CentraState Healthcare Inc., RWJ Barnabas - Monmouth Medical Center, Monmouth University, and Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey.