Addiction in Kentucky

38% of Kentucky residents report having a family member or friend who struggles with prescription drugs.

Drug abuse caused 52,294 emergency department visits last year in KY alone.

Kentucky has the 5th highest opioid dispensing rate in the US (72.3 per 100 people).

Kentucky Overdose Statistics

What drug has caused the most overdose deaths in Kentucky?

Fentanyl causes more overdose fatalities than any other type of drug. In Kentucky, fentanyl was present in 70% of overdose deaths last year.

Opioids in general, including heroin and prescription pain medication like morphine or Oxycontin. 90% statistic.

What Kentucky county has the most overdose deaths?

Jefferson County had the highest number of fatal overdoses of any county (512). However, when adjusted for population, Knott County, Kentucky had the highest overdose rate in the state.

1. Knott 121.69
2. Clark 104.3
3. Bourbon 98.43
4. Henry 87.97
5. Carter 82.34

In Kentucky, drugs are categorized into five schedules. The punishment for possession and trafficking (selling, manufacturing or distributing) of these scheduled substances depends on the amount of the drug and which schedule it falls under.

Kentucky Drug Possession Laws

There are 3 degrees of possession under Kentucky Law: first, second and third.

Possession Law Considerations

• Multiple Possession Charges: If you are charged with drug possession more than once, the courts will lean towards harsher sentencing.
• Marijuana: Even though marijuana is technically a Schedule I drug, the maximum jailtime that you can receive for possession is 45 days.

Kentucky Probation and Parole Drug Testing

If you are on probation or parole in Kentucky, you will be randomly drug tested to ensure you are following the rules of the program.

If your corrections officer suspects you are using, they can order a test to check.

• Cheating a drug test for parole or probation in Kentucky is a felony.Fact Checked

Drug Testing Laws for Welfare

Kentucky does not drug test welfare recipients.

In 2011, Kentucky lawmakers tried to pass a bill that would require anyone receiving federal public assistance or Kentucky Medicaid to be drug tested once per year. Ultimately, the bill was struck down as unconstitutional.

Kentucky Drug Court

Kentucky’s Drug Court program is available to non-violent drug offenders facing legal trouble because of their addiction.

Drug court is a coordinated effort between law enforcement, the Kentucky court system and treatment professionals. The goal is to help people who are struggling with addiction rather than punish them.

The goal is to help people who are struggling get back on their feet rather than punish them. Instead of jail time, people enrolled in drug court have to meet several requirements.

Requirements for Kentucky Drug Court

To qualify for drug court, participants must:

• Attend all required counseling sessions and court appearances
• Maintain contact with court staff once per week
• pass weekly random drug tests
• Maintain full-time employment (or school)
• Pay all required court fees on time

Drug Court Duration

After completing the program, the court will either dismiss your charges or grant you conditional discharge with probation.

Drug court for misdemeanor charges lasts fifteen months minimum. Felony drug court lasts 18 months minimum.

Kentucky’s 120 counties decide for themselves if and how they want to restrict alcohol sales. Recently, the law changed allowing bars and restaurants are to sell alcoholic drinks “to-go” with the purchase of food. Each county falls into one of three categories: wet, dry and moist.

Wet Counties

All other Kentucky counties are wet counties where alcohol sales are allowed:

Adair, Anderson Barren, Bath, Boone, Bourbon, Boyd, Bracken, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Campbell, Carroll, Christian, Clark, Cumberland, Daviess, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Grant, Hancock, Harrison, Henderson, Henry, Jefferson, Jessamine, Kenton, Lee, Lyon, McCracken, McCreary, Magoffin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Meade, Metcalfe, Nelson, Nicholas, Oldham, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Powell, Robertson, Russell, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Trigg, Union, Warren, Wayne, Wolfe, Woodford

Alcohol Sales in Kentucky

Kentucky’s laws surrounding the purchase of alcohol are similar to other states- you must be 21 to buy and consume alcoholic beverages and must present a valid ID at the time of purchase.

Statewide alcohol laws permit alcohol purchases from 6 AM until midnight every day except Sundays.