Substance Abuse in Rural and Small Town America

Abstract

ural America is changing in significant ways. Industries that traditionally sustained rural people and places—farming, timber, mining, fi shing and manufacturing—are employing fewer workers than they have R in the past. Some communities, especially those distant from urban areas and with few scenic amenities, are struggling with low incomes, a low-skill labor force, limited access to services, and weak infrastructure. Other communities are fi nd- ing new development opportunities in their rural quality of life, natural resources and landscape. Regardless of whether they are declining or growing, rural communities must cope with the impacts of globalization, new land use patterns, changing demographics, and challenging issues such as substance abuse.