NCJ Number
203871
Date Published
July 2002
Length
42 pages
Annotation
This document discusses the status and outlook of the drug threat in the State of Kentucky.
Abstract
The production, distribution, and abuse of illicit drugs pose a serious threat to Kentucky. Most illicit drugs are readily available, and the number of drug-related arrests, seizures, and treatment admissions has increased dramatically. The level of methamphetamine production, distribution, abuse, and violence has increased substantially, particularly in the rural areas. The number of treatment admissions for methamphetamine abuse increased 42 percent from 1998 through 2000, more than for any other drug. Mexican criminal groups are the primary transporters and wholesale distributors of Mexico-produced methamphetamine and methamphetamine produced in California and Southwestern States. Cocaine poses a significant threat to most metropolitan areas because it is abused at high levels, is increasingly available, and its distribution and abuse are frequently associated with violent crime. The number of treatment admissions for powdered cocaine fluctuated at high levels from 1998 through 2000, while the number of admissions for crack increased 31 percent during that period. Marijuana also poses a considerable threat to Kentucky and surrounding States because it is the most prevalent illicit drug, it accounts for more drug-related treatment admissions than any other drug, and a significant amount of the Nation’s marijuana is produced in the State. Growers are increasingly using violence to protect themselves and their crop. Diverted pharmaceuticals, club drugs such as MDMA and GHB, and hallucinogens are increasingly available and abused. The number of treatment admissions for abuse of oxycodone increased 163 percent from 1998 through 2000. The distribution and abuse of heroin pose a low threat to the State. Its availability is limited primarily to urban areas, and information regarding the heroin threat in other areas of the State is largely negligible.