Title:

Maine Drug Threat Assessment Update

Publication Date: April  2002

Document ID: 2002-S0377ME-001

Available Maine Assessments
   2003 Update: August 2003
   2002 Update: April 2002
           Original: April 2001

Archived on:  January 1, 2006. This document may contain dated information. It remains available to provide access to historical materials.

This report is a brief update to the Maine Drug Threat Assessment, which is a strategic assessment of the status and outlook of the drug threat to Maine. Analytical judgment determined the threat posed by each drug type or category, taking into account the most current quantitative and qualitative information on availability, demand, production or cultivation, transportation, and distribution, as well as the effects of a particular drug on abusers and society as a whole. While NDIC sought to incorporate the latest available information, a time lag often exists between collection and publication of data. NDIC anticipates that this update will be useful to policymakers, law enforcement personnel, and treatment providers at the federal, state, and local levels. 

The Maine Drug Threat Assessment was produced in April 2001 and is available on NDIC's web site www.usdoj.gov/ndic or by contacting the NDIC dissemination line at 814-532-4541.

Your questions, comments, and suggestions for future subjects are welcome at any time.  Addresses are provided at the end of the page.
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Contents

Overview

Diverted Pharmaceuticals

Heroin

Cocaine

Marijuana

Other Dangerous Drugs
  MDMA
  LSD

Methamphetamine

Outlook

List of Tables 

Table 1. Drug-Related Treatment Admissions, Maine, 1995-2001

Overview

The distribution and abuse of diverted pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs pose serious threats to the safety of Maine residents. Diverted pharmaceuticals, primarily OxyContin and Dilaudid, have become the primary drug threat in the state. The high number of treatment admissions, seizures, and arrests associated with diverted pharmaceuticals illustrate the magnitude of the problem. Heroin, primarily South American, is the second most significant drug threat, and abuse continues to increase. The abuse of cocaine, which previously was the state's primary drug threat, is now relatively stable, although crack cocaine abuse is increasing in southern and central Maine. Marijuana is the most widely available and commonly abused drug in Maine; however, marijuana poses less of a threat than diverted pharmaceuticals, heroin, and cocaine because its effects are less debilitating and it is not commonly associated with violent crime. Other dangerous drugs, including LSD and MDMA, are popular among teenagers and young adults. Methamphetamine is available in limited quantities and is considered a low threat.

Addresses

National Drug Intelligence Center
319 Washington Street, 5th Floor
Johnstown, PA 15901

Tel. (814) 532-4601
FAX (814) 532-4690
E-mail NDIC.Contacts@usdoj.gov

Tel. (703) 556-8970
FAX (703) 556-7807

Web Addresses

ADNET:  http://ndicosa 
      DOJ:  http://www.usdoj.gov/archive/ndic/
      LEO:  home.leo.gov/lesig/archive/ndic/ 

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