NCJ Number
215164
Date Published
January 2006
Length
48 pages
Annotation
This report provides an overview of drug abuse patterns and trends in Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG) areas.
Abstract
Cocaine/crack abuse indicators were higher than those for heroin and methamphetamine in nine Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG) areas: Atlanta, Miami/South Florida, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Seattle, Texas, and Washington, DC; in five areas cocaine abuse indicators stabilized or decreased in 2004-2005 and were mixed in three. In 2005, heroin abuse indicators were higher than indicators for cocaine and methamphetamine in six CEWG areas: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Newark, and San Francisco with some decline shown in San Francisco from 2000 to 2005. In 2005, abuse indicators for opiates other than heroin were low but were increasing in many CEWG areas. Methamphetamine abuse indicators were higher in 2005 than those for cocaine and heroin in six CEWG areas: Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Phoenix, and San Diego. During this same time period, CEWG area representatives reported that marijuana was the most widely available and commonly abused drug in all CEWG areas. Abuse indicators for MDMA or methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as ecstasy decreased or remained at low levels in all CEWG areas. This report presents a synopsis of selected findings from the January 2006 CEWG meeting. The report includes a summary of abuse indicators, as noted above, as well as abstracts from the papers prepared by the 21 CEWG representatives on drug abuse in their areas. Appendixes A-D