PULSE CHECK Trends in Drug Abuse November 2001 Executive Office of the President Office of National Drug Control Policy Washington, DC 20503 NCJ 191248 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) acknowledges the contributions made by the 83 Pulse Check sources who voluntarily prepared for and participated in the in-depth discussions that are the basis for this report. Their names (unless they requested anonymity) appear in an appendix. Information presented in this publication reflects the views of those sources, and not necessarily those of the Federal Government. Marcia Meth and Rebecca Chalmers of Johnson, Bassin & Shaw, Inc., produce the Pulse Check for ONDCP, under Contract Number 282-98-0011, Task Order Number 10. Anne McDonald Pritchett, Office of Programs, Budget, Research, and Evaluation, ONDCP, serves as the project director and editor for Pulse Check. All material in this publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from ONDCP. Citation of the source is appreciated. The U.S. Government does not endorse or favor any spe- cific commercial product. Trade or proprietary names appearing in this publication are used only because they are considered essential in the context of the information reported. This issue and previous issues of Pulse Check are available online at <www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov>. CONTENTS CONTENTS Highlights. 1 Introduction . 5 Heroin . 7 Crack Cocaine . 29 Powder Cocaine . 43 Marijuana . 55 Methamphetamine . 67 Ecstasy and Other Club Drugs. 75 Special Topic: Synthetic Opioids . 89 Appendix 1: Methodology . 99 Appendix 2: Population Demographics in the 21 Pulse Check Sites . 101 Appendix 3: National-Level Data Sources Available in the 21 Pulse Check Sites . 101 Appendix 4: Pulse Check Sources . 102 Appendix 5: List of Discussion Areas by Source Type . 104 EXHIBITS Highlights Exhibit 1. How serious is the perceived drug problem in the 21 Pulse Check communities? . 1 Exhibit 2. How has the perceived drug problem changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .1 Exhibit 3. What new problems have emerged or intensified during spring 2001? . 2 Exhibit 4. How has the perceived drug problem changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)?. 3 Exhibit 5. What are the most serious drug problems in the 21 Pulse Check sites, by type of source? . 4 Exhibit 6. What are the most serious drug problems in the 21 Pulse Check sites, by number of sources and sites? . 4 Heroin Exhibit 1. How available is heroin across the 21 Pulse Check cities? . .7 Exhibit 2. How has heroin availability changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .8 Exhibit 3. How available are the different varieties of heroin? How has their availability changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .9 Pulse Check: November 2001 page iii CONTENTS Exhibit 4. What are the prices and purity levels of different types of heroin in 18 Pulse Check cities? How have prices and purity changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .11 Exhibit 5. How is heroin referred to, and what types of heroin predominate, in different regions of the country? . .12 Exhibit 6. How likely are heroin sellers to use their own drug? . .14 Exhibit 7. Where is street-level heroin sold and used? . .15 Exhibit 8. What other drugs do heroin dealers sell? . .16 Exhibit 9. What demographic groups predominate among heroin users, according to different Pulse Check sources? . .19 Exhibit 10. How do users administer heroin? . .22 Exhibit 11. How has heroin use impacted the health of users? . .25 Crack Cocaine Exhibit 1. How available is crack cocaine across the 21 Pulse Check cities? . .29 Exhibit 2. How has crack cocaine availability changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .30 Exhibit 3. How much does crack cocaine cost in 19 Pulse Check cities? . .31 Exhibit 4. How is crack cocaine referred to across different regions of the country? . .31 Exhibit 5. What other drugs do crack dealers sell? . .33 Exhibit 6. How likely are crack sellers to use their own drug? . .34 Exhibit 7. Where is street-level crack sold and used? . .35 Exhibit 8. What age group is most likely to use crack? . .37 Exhibit 9. Which genders are the predominant users of specific drugs in the 21 Pulse Check cities? . .38 Exhibit 10. What racial/ethnic group is most likely to use crack? . .38 Powder Cocaine Exhibit 1. How available is powder cocaine across the 21 Pulse Check cities? . .43 Exhibit 2. How has powder cocaine availability changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .44 Exhibit 3. How much do grams and "eight-balls" of powder cocaine cost in 17 Pulse Check cities? . .44 Exhibit 4. How is powder cocaine referred to across different regions of the country? . .45 Exhibit 5. What other drugs do powder cocaine dealers sell? . .46 Exhibit 6. Where is street-level powder cocaine sold and used? . .48 Exhibit 7. What racial/ethnic group is most likely to use specific drugs? . .50 Exhibit 8. What is the predominant socioeconomic status of powder cocaine users? . .51 Marijuana Exhibit 1. How available is marijuana across the 21 Pulse Check cities? . .55 Exhibit 2. What varieties of marijuana are described as “widely” or “somewhat” available across the 21 Pulse Check cities? How has availability changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .56 Exhibit 3. How has marijuana availability changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .57 Exhibit 4. How much does marijuana cost in 19 Pulse Check cities? . .58 Exhibit 5. How is marijuana referred to in different regions of the country? . .59 Exhibit 6. What age group is most likely to use marijuana? . .62 Exhibit 7. Where are drug users most likely to reside? . .64 page iv Pulse Check: November 2001 CONTENTS Exhibit 8. How are different drug users referred to treatment? . .64 Exhibit 9. What are some slang terms for drug combinations involving marijuana? . .65 Methamphetamine Exhibit 1. How available is methamphetamine across the 21 Pulse Check cities? . .67 Exhibit 2. How has methamphetamine availability changed (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .68 Exhibit 3. How much does methamphetamine cost in 16 Pulse Check cities? . .69 Exhibit 4. How is methamphetamine referred to in different regions of the country? . .69 Exhibit 5. In what other crimes are illicit drug sellers involved, by different drugs, across Pulse Check sites? . .71 Exhibit 6. Where is methamphetamine sold and used across 18 Pulse Check cities? . .71 Exhibit 7. What age group is most likely to use methamphetamine? . .73 Club Drugs Exhibit 1. Where are club drugs emerging? . .75 Exhibit 2. How available is club drugs across the 21 Pulse Check cities? . .76 Exhibit 3. Has club drug availability changed across the 21 Pulse Check cities (fall 2000 vs spring 2001)? . .77 Exhibit 4. How are ecstasy and ecstasy combinations referred to across Pulse Check cities? . .78 Exhibit 5. How are ecstasy pills labeled in reporting Pulse Check cities? . .79 Exhibit 6. How much does a pill (one dose) of ecstasy cost in 17 Pulse Check cities? . ..