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 National Drug Intelligence Center.

NATIONAL DRUG INTELLIGENCE CENTER

Title:

National Drug Threat Assessment 2005

Cover image of National Drug Threat Assessment 2005.Publication Date: February 2005

Document ID: 2005-Q0317-003

Archived on:  July 1, 2009. This document may contain dated information. It remains available to provide access to historical materials.

This assessment addresses the status and outlook of the drug threat to the United States. It covers the trafficking and abuse patterns associated with cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, MDMA, pharmaceutical drugs, and other dangerous drugs.

Your questions, comments, and suggestions for future subjects are welcome at any time.  Addresses are provided.
     


                                        

Contents

From the Director

Executive Summary

Scope and Methodology 

Cocaine
   Introduction and Trends
   Availability
   Demand
   Production
   Transportation
   Distribution
   Outlook  

Methamphetamine
   Introduction and Trends
   Availability
   Demand
   Production
   Transportation
   Distribution
   Outlook  

Marijuana
   Introduction and Trends
   Availability
   Demand
   Production
   Transportation
   Distribution
   Outlook  

Heroin
   Introduction and Trends
   Availability
   Demand
   Production
   Transportation
   Distribution
   Outlook  

MDMA
   Introduction and Trends
   Availability
   Demand
   Production
   Transportation
   Distribution
   Outlook  

Pharmaceuticals
   Introduction
   Demand
   Availability
   Outlook

Other Dangerous Drugs
   Introduction
      GHB
      Ketamine
      LSD
      PCP

Inhalants
   Introduction
   Demand
   Outlook

Steroids
   Outlook

Money Laundering
   Introduction
   Outlook

Appendix A: National Drug Threat Survey 2004 Methodology

Appendix B: Selected National Substance Abuse Indicators

Sources


List of Figures

Figure 1. Primary Market Areas
Figure 2. Six Regions
Figure 3. Greatest Drug Threat - Percentage of State and Local Agencies Reporting
Figure 4. Greatest Drug Threat by Region - Percentage of State and Local Agencies Reporting
Figure 5. Regional Drug Availability - Percentage of State and Local Agencies Reporting High Availability
Figure 6. Federal-wide drug seizures, cocaine, in kilograms, 1999-2003.
Figure 7
. Adult trends in percentage of past year use of powder cocaine and crack cocaine, 2000-2003.
Figure 8. Adolescent trends in percentage of past year use of powder cocaine and crack cocaine, 1999-2004.
Figure 9. Trends in perceived harmfulness of cocaine, selected groups, 1992-2004.
Figure 10. Trends in perceived harmfulness of cocaine, teens, 1995-2003.
Figure 11. Trends in disapproval of cocaine use, 1992-2004.
Figure 12. Cocaine-related emergency department mentions, estimated number, 1995-2002.
Figure 13. Cocaine-related admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities, number, 1995-2002.
Figure 14. Cocaine flows to the United States.
Figure 15. Methamphetamine-related arrests, United States, 2000-2003.
Figure 16. Methamphetamine-related arrests, by region, 2003.
Figure 17. Adult trends in percentage of past year use of methamphetamine, 1999-2003.
Figure 18. Adolescent trends in percentage of past year use of methamphetamine, 1999-2004.
Figure 19. Trends in perceived harmfulness of methamphetamine, teens, 1996-2003.
Figure 20. Trends in perceived harmfulness of ice methamphetamine, selected groups, 1992-2003.
Figure 21. Methamphetamine-related emergency department mentions, estimated number, 1995-2002.
Figure 22. Methamphetamine-related admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities, number, 1995-2002.
Figure 23. Methamphetamine laboratory seizures, number reported, 1999-2003.
Figure 24. Methamphetamine seizures at or between ports of entry, in kilograms, 2003.
Figure 25. Federal-wide drug seizures, marijuana,  U.S. and 4-state total for Texas-Arizona-California-New Mexico, in metric tons, 2000-2003.
Figure 26. Rates of past year use, marijuana, 2000-2004.
Figure 27. Percentage of past year marijuana use across age groups, 2000-2004.
Figure 28. Trends in perceived harmfulness of marijuana, selected groups, 1992-2004.
Figure 29. Trends in disapproval of marijuana use, selected groups, 1991-2004.
Figure 30. Marijuana-related emergency department mentions, estimated number, 1994-2002.
Figure 31. Federal-wide drug seizures, heroin, in kilograms, 1999-2003.
Figure 32. Adult trends in percentage of past year use of heroin, 2000-2003.
Figure 33. Adolescent trends in percentage of past year use of heroin, 2000-2004.
Figure 34
. Trend in percentage of perceived harmfulness of heroin, selected groups, 1995-2004.
Figure 35. Trends in disapproval of heroin use, 1995-2004.
Figure 36. Heroin-related emergency department mentions, estimated number, 1996-2002
Figure 37. Heroin-related admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities, number, 1992-2002.
Figure 38. MDMA submitted for testing, in dosage units, 2000-2003.
Figure 39. Federal-wide drug seizures, MDMA, in dosage units, 2000-2003.
Figure 40. MDMA-related arrests, United States, 2000-2003.
Figure 41. Adult trends in percentage of past year use of MDMA, 1999-2003.
Figure 42. Adolescent trends in percentage of past year use of MDMA, 1999-2004.
Figure 43. Trends in perceived harmfulness of MDMA, selected groups, 1992-2004.
Figure 44. Trends in perceived harmfulness of MDMA, teens, 2001-2003.
Figure 45. Trends in disapproval of MDMA use, 1997-2004.
Figure 46. MDMA-related emergency department mentions, estimated number, 1995-2002.
Figure 47. States reporting MDMA production, 2000-midyear 2004.
Figure 48. MDMA-related emergency department mentions, estimated number, Los Angeles, 1998-2002.
Figure 49. MDMA-related emergency department mentions, estimated number, Miami, 1998-2002.
Figure 50. MDMA-related emergency department mentions, estimated number, New York, 1998-2002.
Figure 51. Emergency department mentions for narcotic analgesics, 1995-2002.
Figure 52. Emergency department mentions for benzodiazepines, 1995-2002.
Figure 53. Treatment admissions for opiates other than heroin, 1992-2002.
Figure 54. Counterfeit drug cases, 1997-2003.
Figure 55. Ketamine-related emergency department mentions, 1998-2002.
Figure 56. Trends in percentage of past year use of LSD, 1999-2004.
Figure 57. PCP-related emergency department mentions, 1998-2002.
Figure 58. Adult trends in percentage of past year use of inhalants, 1997-2003.
Figure 59. Adolescent trends in percentage of past year use of inhalants, 1995-2004.
Figure 60. Trends in perceived harmfulness of inhalants, eighth and tenth graders, 1995-2004.
Figure 61. Trends in perceived harmfulness of inhalants, teens, 1999-2003.
Figure 62. Inhalant-related emergency department mentions, estimated number, 1995-2002.
Figure 63. Adolescent trends in percentage of past year use of steroids, 1995-2004.
Figure 64. Trends in perceived harmfulness of steroids, twelfth graders, 1992-2004.
Figure 65. Trends in disapproval of steroid use, twelfth graders, 1992-2004.
Figure 66. Estimated annual domestic retail-level drug purchases, in billions of dollars, 2000.

List of Tables

Table 1. Seizures of Drugs at Ports of Entry, Southwest Border vs. Northern Border, in Kilograms, 2003
Table 2. Seizures of Drugs, Southwest Border States vs. All Other States, in Kilograms, 2003
Table 3. Andean Region Coca Cultivation and Potential Cocaine Production, 1999-2003
Table 4. Cocaine Losses in Transit Toward the United States, in Metric Tons, 2002-2003
Table 5. National Price Ranges, Methamphetamine, in Dollars, 2003
Table 6. Powder Methamphetamine Prices, in Dollars, 2001-2003
Table 7. Ice Methamphetamine Prices, in Dollars, 2001-2003
Table 8. Percentage of Past Year Use of Methamphetamine, by Gender, 2003
Table 9. Percentage of Past Year Use of Methamphetamine, by Population Density, 2003
Table 10. Average THC Concentration, Percentage by Year Confiscated, 1994-2002
Table 11. Percentage of Past Year Use of Methamphetamine, by Population Density, 2003
Table 12. Percentage of Past Year Marijuana Use by Age Group, Origin, and Race, 2003
Table 13. Top Five States for Cannabis Eradication, 2003
Table 14. Percentage of NDTS Respondents Reporting Methods of Cannabis Cultivation 2002-2004 
Table 15. Cannabis Plants Eradicated on Public Lands, 2000-2003
Table 16. Canadian Marijuana Seizures, 2003
Table 17. U.S. Arrival Zone Seizures, Marijuana in Kilograms, 2001-2003
Table 18. Principal Ports of Entry/Counties for Marijuana Seizures Along Southwest Border, 2003
Table 19. Principal Ports of Entry/Counties for Marijuana Seizures Along Northern Border, 2003
Table 20. Potential Worldwide Heroin Production, in Metric Tons, 1999-2003
Table 21. Theft of Pharmaceuticals From Pharmacies, Manufacturers, Distributors, and Importers/Exporters, in Dosage Units, 2000-2003
Table 22. Effects of GHB Use
Table 23. Effects of Ketamine Use
Table 24. Effects of PCP Use
Table 25. Chemical Hazards of Commonly Abused Inhalants
Table 26. Seizures, Cash and Monetary Instruments, in Millions of Dollars, 2001-2003
Table 27. Top Ten Origins Recorded for Cash and Monetary Instrument Seizures, 2001-2003
Table 28. Top Ten Destinations Recorded for Cash and Monetary Instrument Seizures,
Table 29. Top Fifteen Locations of Most Suspicious Activity Reports Filed by Money Services Businesses, October 1, 2002 Through December 31, 2003
Table 30. Suspicious Activity Reports Filed by Depository Institutions, 2001 Through 2003
   
Table A1
. NDTS 2004 Sample Design (3,429 of 3,484 Agencies Responding)
Table A2. NDTS 2003 Response Rates   
    
Table B1. NSDUH: Percentage of Respondents Reporting Use of Specific Drugs in Lifetime, Past Year, and Past Month by Age Group, 2002-2003 
Table B2
. MTF: Trends in Lifetime Prevalence of Use of Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth Graders, by Percent, 1998-2003
Table B3
. MTF: Trends in Past Year Prevalence of Use of Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth Graders, by Percent, 1998-2003
Table B4. MTF: Trends in Current Prevalence of Use of Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth Graders, by Percent, 1998-2003
Table B5. PRIDE: Percentage of Past Year Drug Use by Junior and Senior High School Students and Twelfth Graders, 1998-1999 through 2002-2003 School Years
Table B6. PRIDE: Percentage of Current Drug Use by Junior and Senior High School Students and Twelfth Graders, 1998-1999 through 2002-2003 School Years
Table B7. DAWN: Estimated Number of Emergency Department Drug Mentions and Mentions of Selected Drugs by Year, 1995-2002
Table B8. TEDS: Number of Treatment Admissions and Admissions by Selected Substances of Abuse, 1994-2002


From the Director:

The trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs pose a significant threat to the citizens of the United States and wide-ranging challenges to law enforcement and drug treatment personnel. To effectively address the threat, policymakers require timely and accurate intelligence regarding national and regional drug trends for use in developing tailored counterdrug strategies. Therefore, I am pleased to present the National Drug Threat Assessment 2005. This annual report provides policymakers and law enforcement personnel with information necessary to help formulate counterdrug policy, establish law enforcement priorities, and allocate resources.

The National Drug Intelligence Center produces the National Drug Threat Assessment in partnership with federal, state, and local agencies. To accurately and reliably depict the domestic drug situation, the report merges foreign and domestic counterdrug information on domestic drug trends. The most recently available reporting from law enforcement and intelligence agencies is integrated with the most current data from public health agencies regarding national substance abuse indicators. This year's report draws on information from more than 3,400 state and local law enforcement agencies that responded to our National Drug Threat Survey 2004 as well as thousands of personal interviews with law enforcement and public health officials.

My thanks to all participating agencies and organizations whose contributions have made the National Drug Threat Assessment 2005 possible. Their continued assistance has been invaluable.

Martin W. Pracht
January 2005


Addresses

National Drug Intelligence Center
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FAX (814) 532-4690
Email cmbwebmgr@ndic.osis.gov

National Drug Intelligence Center
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Tel. (703) 556-8970
FAX (703) 556-7807

 

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