Michigan

• The Detroit, Michigan Police Department reported 7,540 arrests for drug law violations in 2001. During 2000, 9,301 drug arrests are on record in Detroit, Michigan.
• During 2001, there were 11,412 drug arrests in Wayne County, Michigan.
• During 2001, approximately 64% of adult male arrestees in Detroit, Michigan tested positive for drugs at the time of arrest.
• Approximately 15% of Detroit, Michigan adult male arrestees reported using crack cocaine within the past month. Among the arrestees reporting past month crack cocaine use, they used the substance an average of 9.5 days during the month.
• In 1999, 61.8% of adult male and 45.5% of adult female arrestees in Detroit, Michigan who had committed a violent offense tested positive for drugs.

Drugs

• In exchange for drugs, some people (“hitters”) inject other drug users who have hard to find veins.
• Cocaine: Detroit, Michigan officials report that crack cocaine is the most widely used illicit drug in the city. Crack rocks typically cost $10-$20, with $10 being the most common unit price in Detroit, Michigan neighborhoods. The price for a gram of powder cocaine ranges between $75 and $125.
• Heroin: Nearly all of the heroin available in Detroit/Wayne County is white in color and comes from in Colombia. However, the availability of Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin is increasing. Packets of heroin are most often sold in $10 units and bundles of ten hits cost between $75-$125. One gram of Colombian heroin typically costs $100-$150. Most of the Detroit, Michigan heroin users are over the age of 30 and reside in the central city. Heroin is increasingly being used as a substitute for the prescription drug OxyContin. Quinine is a new heroin adulterant that is used to increase the heroin “rush.”
• Marijuana: Mexican marijuana is the most common form found in Detroit/Wayne County. The Mexican commercial-grade marijuana ranges in potency from 1-5% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and costs $150-$200 per ounce. One gram of marijuana costs approximately $10. Marijuana plants are increasingly being started indoors and are then moved outdoors. A marijuana joint in Detroit, Michigan costs between $2-$6.
• Methamphetamine: Meth is reported as an escalating problem in Detroit, Michigan and the number of small meth labs has increased in the area. A gram of meth costs $100. An ounce of Methamphetamine sells for $500-$2,000 with a purity range of 20-25%. Methamphetamine labs run by large operations in Mexico and California produce some of the meth available in Detroit, Michigan. Most meth users are male but the number of female users is on the rise.
• Club Drugs: Rohypnol is “somewhat available” in Detroit, Michigan. Liquid GHB is frequently packaged in plastic bottles. The liquid form of Ketamine is injected and is sometimes mixed with marijuana. The price for an MDMA pill in Detroit, Michigan ranges from $20 to $30.
• Other Drugs: Codeine and its prescription compounds remain the most widely abused substances in the “other opiates” category. Increases in abuse have been noted for Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab, or Lorcet), carisoprodal (Soma), and oxycodone (OxyContin). Some patients with legitimate prescriptions for OxyContin fill the prescription and then sell some of the pills. OxyContin typically sells for $1-$1.50/milligram in Detroit, Michigan. The primary route of OxyContin administration in Detroit, Michigan is snorting.

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.