NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE EPIDEMIOLOGIC ...

According to NDIC, California and Mexico appear to
supply most of the marijuana available throughout
the United States. In addition, cultivation of marijuana
on U.S. public lands is widespread, especially
in California. This is evidenced by the fact that more
than two-thirds of all cannabis plants eradicated from
National Forest System lands were located in California
(NDIC 2004). Caucasian, Mexican, and Jamaican
trafficking groups are responsible for the wholesale
distribution of marijuana to Los Angeles. Street
gangs and independent dealers distribute domestic-
and Mexican-grown marijuana in both Los Angeles
and San Diego (NDIC 2004). The wholesale price of
Mexican-grade marijuana ranges from $300 to $400
per pound (exhibit 13). The midlevel and retail prices
of commercial grade marijuana are $60–$80 per
ounce and $10 per gram. All prices have been stable
since early 2003. The wholesale price of domestic
mid-grade marijuana ranges from $1,000 to $1,200
per pound. Midlevel and retail prices are $200–$250
per ounce and $25 per gram. The wholesale price of
high-grade sinsemilla is $2,500–$6,000 per pound.
An ounce of sinsemilla sells for $300–$600 per
ounce, and one-eighth ounce sells for $60–$80.
Indications regarding the local availability of “BC
Bud,” a hybrid type of cannabis bud grown in Canadian
British Columbia, continue to circulate. A pound
of BC Bud, which would cost approximately $1,500
in Vancouver, has a wholesale per pound value of
$6,000 in Los Angeles. Supposedly, a pound of BC
Bud can be swapped straight across for a pound of
cocaine. Demand for hashish, the compressed form of
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-rich resinous cannabis
material, remained limited throughout the Los Angeles
HIDTA. When it is available, it has a wholesale
price of $8,000 per pound.
Stimulants
The proportion of primary methamphetamine admissions
to Los Angeles County treatment and recovery
programs increased further from the second half of
2003 to the first half of 2004, breaking the 20 percent
mark for the first time ever (exhibit 3). The 5,840
primary methamphetamine admissions reported in
January–June 2004 accounted for 20.6 percent of all
admissions. Methamphetamine is the one illicit drug
that has continually increased among treatment admissions
over the past 4 years (exhibit 4). Compared
with other major illicit drug admissions, primary
methamphetamine admissions had the largest proportion
of females (39.9 percent), White Non-Hispanics
(41.4 percent), Asian/Pacific Islanders (3.4 percent),
18–25-year-olds (30.4 percent), and 26–35-year-olds
(33.8 percent) (exhibit 5).
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EPIDEMIOLOGIC TRENDS IN DRUG ABUSE—Los Angeles County
The closing of the racial/ethnic gap between White
non-Hispanic and Hispanic methamphetamine treatment
admissions continued in the first half of 2004.
The proportion of White non-Hispanics decreased
further to 41.4 percent, whereas the proportion of
Hispanics increased to 41.9 percent.
At one time, females accounted for 49 percent of
both primary methamphetamine and other amphetamine
admissions. This practically equal distribution
of males and females was unique to methamphetamine
and other amphetamines. The shifting
gender distribution with methamphetamine treatment
admissions has been discussed in detail in recent reports.
In the second half of 2003, the percentage of
females among primary other amphetamine admissions
plummeted to 36.8 percent. In early 2004, however,
the proportion of females climbed back up a bit
to 40 percent of all admissions. It is important to
monitor this drug category to see if the gender distribution
will return to equitable proportions, or if this
is a one-time reporting issue.
In the second half of 2003, primary amphetamine
admissions were most likely to fall within the 31–35
age group (23.6 percent), which was the modal age
group in the second half of 2002. Between January
and June 2004, however, primary amphetamine admissions
were most likely to fall within the 26–30
age group (20.6 percent). Primary amphetamine admissions
were more likely to be Hispanic (40.7 percent)
than White non-Hispanic (31.0 percent). Primary
methamphetamine and other amphetamine admissions
tended to most frequently report secondary
abuse of alcohol or marijuana.
As shown in exhibit 5, smoking continued as the
most frequently mentioned way for primary methamphetamine
admissions to administer the drug. In
1999, one-half of all primary methamphetamine admissions
smoked the drug. By the first half of 2004,
67.9 percent reported this mode of administration.
Conversely, the proportions of injectors and inhalers
continued to decline, from 15.2 and 29.5 percent,
respectively, in 1999, to 7.1 and 20.4 percent, respectively,
in the first half of 2004.
Like primary methamphetamine admissions, the mode
of other amphetamine administration has shifted in
recent years, as well. Nearly three out of five of all
other amphetamine admissions in the first half of 2004
smoked amphetamines (59.3 percent), followed by
22.8 percent who inhaled, 11.7 percent who ingested
orally, and 2.8 percent who injected. In 1999, a lower
percentage smoked, and higher percentages injected,
inhaled, and used other amphetamines orally.
Proceedings of the Community Epidemiology Work Group, Vol. II, January 2005