Hawaii

• In 2001 in Honolulu, Hawaii 58.8% of adult male arrestees tested positive for drug use at the time of arrest.
• During 2000, Honolulu’s Clandestine Laboratory Response Team pursued 97 complaints and identified eight clandestine meth laboratories. This team made six arrests during this time.
• The Central Complaints Detail of Hawaii received 913 complaints and tips resulting in the service of 66 search warrants. The unit made 136 arrests for drug-related offenses through the execution of search warrants and proactive investigations.
• The Regional Complaints Detail of Hawaii received and investigated 535 complaints of drug activity in the community in 2001. The detail executed 42 search warrants and effected 262 arrests in Hawaii during 2001.
• During 2000 in Hawaii, a total of 1,697 people were arrested in Honolulu, Hawaii for drug law violations.

Drugs

• Heroin: Heroin is considered “somewhat” available in the Honolulu, Hawaii area. Colombian, Mexican black tar, Southeast Asian, and Southwest Asian heroin are all decreasing in availability. Heroin prices range from $50-75 for a “bindle” (0.1 grams) or “paper” (0.25 grams) to $150-300 for a gram. Heroin sales and use in beach parks have decreased due to the police using laptop computers, giving them the ability to write their reports onsite. Heroin users in Honolulu, Hawaii tend to be over age 18 and white. Many users live in the central city of Hawaii. Injecting is the most common form of ingestion of heroin in the area.
• Cocaine: Crack cocaine is considered “widely” available, although overall availability has declined in Hawaii. Crack cocaine prices range from $25-30 for 0.25 grams to $100-250 for a gram. Crack users tend to be young adults between the ages of 18-30 and white or Asian. Crack use has increased slightly in suburban areas although most crack users reside in the central city. The crack market on the beach has also declined due to the Hawaii police typing their reports onsite with laptops. Powder cocaine is considered “widely” available by Hawaii law enforcement and “not very” available by epidemiologists and ethnographers. Overall powder cocaine availability has decreased in the last year. Powder cocaine prices range from $100-120 for a gram to $250-350 for an eightball (1/8-ounce). Powder cocaine users tend to be white or Asian. Domestic violence is associated with both powder and crack cocaine use.
• Marijuana: Marijuana is considered “widely” available with increasing overall availability in the Honolulu, Hawaii area. Marijuana sales have declined in public housing developments because of increased Hawaii police efforts in those areas within the past year.
• Methamphetamine: Meth is considered “widely” available in the Honolulu,Hawaii area, although overall availability has decreased. Methamphetamine costs $100-300 per gram. Young adults are the predominate user group, although novice adolescent users have increased.
• Diverted Synthetic Opioids: Diverted OxyContin is emerging in the Honolulu, Hawaii area and is considered “widely” available. This drug market is slowly keeping up with national trends. There has been an increase in the number of novice users in the area. OxyContin abusers are typically Caucasian males in their 40s and 50s.
• Club Drugs: Club drug use is emerging in the Honolulu, Hawaii area. Ketamine availability is increasing at high levels. Ecstasy prices vary depending on the location of the sale. A pill can be $2-3 cheaper in high schools than on the street, but usually upwards of $20-45. LSD sells for $4-6 a hit.

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.