Connecticut

• Law enforcement agencies in Connecticut reported 17,544 arrests for drug abuse violations during 2001.
• In 2001, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported making a total of 283 arrests for drug violations in Connecticut.

Drugs

• Cocaine: Both powdered and crack cocaine poses a significant drug threat in Connecticut. In the first quarter of FY 2003, powdered cocaine sold for $20,000-$30,000/kilogram, $600-$1,100/ounce, and $50-$90/gram in the state. Crack sold for $650- $1,300/ounce, $10-$50/vial, and $10-$20/rock during the same time period in the state of Connecticut.
• Heroin: Heroin has far surpassed cocaine as the greatest drug threat in Connecticut. Most of the heroin available in Connecticut is produced in South America. The drug’s increasing popularity, especially among younger users, is primarily due to the increased availability of low cost, high purity heroin that can be snorted or smoked instead of injected. In the first quarter of FY 2003, heroin available in Connecticut was 40-95% pure and sold for $51,000-$100,000/kilogram, $1,300-$4,000/ounce, $50-$125/gram, and $5-$20/bag.
• Marijuana: Marijuana is the most readily available illicit drug in Connecticut. While a majority of the marijuana available in Connecticut is produced in Mexico, locally produced and Canada produced marijuana are also available. Depending on the type, marijuana sold for $600-$6,000/pound, $75-$600/ounce, $5-$40/bag, and $2/joint in the first quarter of FY 2003.
• Methamphetamine: The production and abuse of Methamphetamine in Connecticut pose low threats. Those who do use Methamphetamine are typically teens and young adults who go to raves.
• Club Drugs: The diversion and abuse of MDMA have increased throughout Connecticut. Club drugs are primarily distributed and abused by teens and young adults at raves, nightclubs, and on college campuses. In the first quarter of FY 2003, wholesale quantities of MDMA sold for $5-$15/tablet and retail quantities sold for $15-$30/tablet; GHB sold 6 for $5-$10/dosage unit; Ketamine sold for $40/dosage unit; and LSD sold for $50-$150/100 dosage units and $3-$5/dosage unit.
• Other Drugs: Diverted pharmaceuticals such as oxycodone, Hydrocodone, methadone, methylphenidate, alprazolam, and diazepam pose an increasing drug threat to Connecticut. Some heroin addicts in Connecticut sometimes use prescription opiates, particularly OxyContin, as a substitute when heroin is not available.

Trafficking and Seizures

• Located between New York and Boston, Connecticut is an important transit and destination area for drugs.
• Interstate 95 extends through Connecticut and connects New York City with Boston and continues on to the U.S./Canada border. Interstate 91 extends from New Haven north to Massachusetts, Vermont, and the U.S./Canada border. These interstates form what is known by the law enforcement as the New England Pipeline.
• Most of the cocaine found in the state of Connecticut is transported by local suppliers who travel to New York City and return with the drug.
• Wholesale quantities of heroin are purchased in New York City and are then transported into Connecticut by couriers using various modes of transportation.
• During 2002, Federal agencies seized more than 31 kilograms of cocaine in Connecticut.
• Since 1997, only 2 Meth laboratory seizures have been reported in Connecticut. Both of the labs were non-operational at the time of the seizure. Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies seized one MDMA lab in Connecticut during 2001 (in North Stonigton, Connecticut) and another in 2002 (in Thompson, Connecticut). In November 2002, an individual was investigated for producing Methamphetamine, MDMA and steroids. The individual had built a lab into the foundation of his mobile home.
• DEA Hartford, Connecticut seized 5,000 tablets of suspected MDMA from a UPS package sent from Austin, Texas in 2001. The DEA Northeast Regional Lab reported that the tablets tested negative for MDMA and were really substances known as piperazines (BZP). Piperazines is a substance that produces stimulant and hallucinogenic effects similar to MDMA and are not currently controlled under the Controlled Substances Act.
• In 2002, Connecticut authorities eradicated and seized 2,935 cultivated marijuana plants in Connecticut under the DEA’s Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program.

Across the United States, drug use is a cause for concern. For more and more individuals, drug use (including hard drugs like cocaine, meth, and heroin) is becoming a part of their daily lives. This raises concern that the country may be entering a period of drug use unseen since the '70s.

This increase in drug use affects not only the drug user, but also their family and friends. They suffer along with the drug addict through their ups, downs, sobriety, and intoxication. This can be very stressful for those who care about an individual with a drug addiction.

The physical and physiological health of a person who has a drug addiction is also a concern. Drug use can lead to health problems ranging from heart trouble to memory loss. These issues may have long term consequences, and at times may be deadly. Drug overdose is one such trend that is monitored across the United States. Sadly, many people die each year due to an overdose of drugs or alcohol.

Crime is also a factor when it comes to drug addiction. Many find they must spend more and more money to meet the needs of their drug addiction. This can lead to robbery, prostitution, scams and so on. Often times, those who are taken to jail are either intoxicated at the time of their arrest or are committing a crime to support their drug habit.

Although drug trends throughout the United States vary year to year, drugs are always a problem. Even when statistics are low for drug abuse, drug related crime, and drug treatment admissions, it is important to remember that it is still a cause for concern. Monitoring drug trends helps in determining where there are high amounts of drug use and how these areas may correlate with crime, addiction treatment, and health care.

This site, United States Drug Trends, will keep you informed of the current drug trends taking place throughout the United States. Use this site to educate yourself and increase your awareness of what is happening in the state you live in.