West Virginia

• In 2001, the Metro Drug Enforcement Task Force made a total of 120 drug arrests in Charleston, West Virginia. This number went up in 2002 to 132 drug arrests.
• Kanawha County, West Virginia had the largest number of drug offenders in the State of West Virginia during 2000- 2001 with 237. In 2002, there were 133 drug offenders in Kanawha County, West Virginia.
• In FY 2000-2001, there were a total of 120 drug offenders in Kanawha County, West Virginia where crack was involved. During 2002, there were 91 drug offenders in Kanawha County, West Virginia where crack was involved.
• 37% of the 415 motor vehicle fatalities in Charleston, Kanawha County in 2000 were related to alcohol.

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.