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Title:District of Columbia Drug Threat Assessment Update |
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Publication Date: May
2003
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Contents |
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List of TablesTable 1. Drug-Related
Emergency Department Mentions Per 100,000 Population, Washington, D.C., and
United States, 2001 |
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OverviewThe District of Columbia (D.C.) is a regional distribution hub for illicit drugs. Its proximity to New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore and its well-developed transportation infrastructure make D.C. an important node in the drug transportation network along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Drugs transported into and through D.C. by commercial and private vehicles; by couriers aboard buses, trains, and commercial aircraft; and via package delivery services have an excellent chance of reaching their destination because of the daily volume of goods moving into and through the District.
Cocaine is readily available throughout D.C., and its distribution and abuse are associated with more violent crime than any other illicit substance, making cocaine the primary drug threat. Low cost, high purity South American heroin is nearly as serious a threat as cocaine. Younger individuals are abusing high purity South American heroin at an increasing rate, and the higher purity levels increase the risk of overdose. Marijuana is the most widely available and frequently abused illicit drug in the city. The availability of other dangerous drugs--particularly the hallucinogen PCP and the club drugs MDMA and GHB and its analogs--is high, and there are indications that PCP abuse is increasing rapidly. The number of PCP-related arrests in 2002 increased fourfold over 2001, and the potential for PCP-related violence makes this drug a serious threat. Diversion of pharmaceutical drugs such as OxyContin is a growing threat to D.C. The production, distribution, and abuse of methamphetamine pose a low threat to the area.
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Addresses |
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National
Drug Intelligence Center Tel.
(814) 532-4601 |
National
Drug Intelligence Center 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1001 McLean, VA 22102-3840 Tel. (703) 556-8970 |
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Web AddressesADNET: http://ndicosa |
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