NCJ Number
203858
Date Published
May 2003
Length
42 pages
Annotation
This report describes the status and outlook of the drug threat to Colorado.
Abstract
The production, distribution, and abuse of illicit drugs are significant problems for Colorado. Mexican crime groups transport illicit drugs into the State and distribute them at the wholesale level. Especially prevalent are methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. Following an overview of the drug threat to Colorado, each chapter presents an overview of the five most salient drug threats to the State, offering information on the drug’s local abuse statistics; local availability; violence associated with the drug; and the production, transportation, and distribution of the drug. Methamphetamine presents the most significant drug threat to Colorado and is readily available throughout the State. Since 1999, treatment admissions for methamphetamine abuse have increased each year. The number of methamphetamine-related treatment admissions increased from 1,748 in 1997 to 2,037 in 2001. One of the most serious concerns of law enforcement is the potential for methamphetamine-related violence. Police departments throughout the State report a direct correlation between methamphetamine distribution and violence. Cocaine represents another significant threat to Colorado; powdered cocaine is readily available throughout the State and crack cocaine is available in urban areas. Cocaine is associated with violence mainly because its distributors resort to violence to protect their operations. The number of treatment admissions for cocaine-related emergencies decreased from 3,182 in 1997 to 2,699 in 2001, which is the lowest level reported for the State since the 1980’s. Heroin, which is available in the metropolitan and suburban areas of the State, poses a considerable and growing threat to Colorado. In 1997 there were 1,613 treatment admissions for heroin-related emergencies and by 2001 that number had increased to 1,810. The most prevalent types of cocaine in Colorado include Mexican black tar heroin and brown powdered heroin. Most new heroin users in Colorado are young adults who smoke or snort the drug. Marijuana is the most widely available and most frequently abused drug in the State. Despite its prevalence, marijuana is rated as a lower threat because its users and distributors are generally nonviolent. Other drugs posing a threat to Colorado include club drugs, LSD, ketamin, psilocybin, and diverted pharmaceuticals. Predictions on the future outlook for the drug threat to Colorado are offered. Map, sources