NCJ Number
186747
Editor(s)
Anne M. Pritchett
Date Published
March 2001
Length
74 pages
Annotation
Drug abuse trends are examined, based on telephone discussions with 74 sources between September and October 2000.
Abstract
Data obtained from a variety of sources throughout the United States indicate an emerging club drug scene continues to grow. In some cities, heroin has increased in supply and purity levels and the number of users has also increased. The number of young people starting to use heroin has increased, usually via snorting. Some adolescents are reportedly shifting from snorting to injecting, however, as the primary route of administration. The availability of crack and powder cocaine appears to be stable, with only a few isolated changes reported in user groups. While epidemiological and ethnographic sources report few signs of crack initiation, treatment sources in 10 cities throughout the United States report increases in novice use of crack. Street-level crack and powder cocaine sellers usually use their own drug and are often involved in violence. The availability of marijuana appears to be stable, and users span a wide range of age, race, gender, socioeconomic, and residence groups. Adolescent marijuana users often outnumber young adult users, sellers are primarily adolescents and young adults, and sellers are seldom involved in violence. The availability of methamphetamines has increased in several areas, particularly in the western part of the United States. Laboratory seizures have increased, often due to targeted law enforcement efforts. While the methamphetamine scene is generally a rural phenomenon, it has started spreading to some suburban and inner city areas. The availability of club drugs has increased dramatically throughout the United States, especially for ecstasy. Ketamine availability is also increasing in most cities, whereas gamma-hydroxybutyrate and flunitrazepam is concentrated in the southern and western parts of the country. Club drug users and sellers tend to be young, white, middle-class males and females who use or sell the drugs in combination with other drugs, such as hallucinogens, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine, and prescription drugs. Club drug activity generally occurs in suburban areas, although ecstasy activity is moving to urban areas as well. Ecstasy user and seller groups are also expanding to include more blacks and Hispanics. Trends in the abuse of prescription drugs such as OxyContin and Viagra are also examined. Appendixes contain information on methods used in the trend analysis and on data sources. 54 exhibits