1 - National Criminal Justice Reference Service

I
County Reports: San Diego, California
3. Heroin
In 1991, heroin treatment admissions accounted for 31 percent of all admissions. This
percentage represents a 2 percent decrease from the 1990 percent. However, over the five-year
period, heroin admissions increased, in absolute numbers and percent of total admissions.
Data for heroin admissions are presented in Exhibit 4. Of 1991 's 1,064 heroin admissions, 78
percent were over 30. The median age for the heroin population increased from 32 in 1987 to
34 in 1991, making heroin users the oldest population in the drug treatment system. For the
past four years, slightly over half of all heroin admissions were male. Since 1987, however,
the percent of women in treatment for heroin increased, partially as a result of targeting pregnant
and parenting opiate users. The racial composition of the heroin treatment population showed
slight variations over the reporting period. In 1991, Caucasians accounted for 51 percent,
African Americans for 8 percent, Hispanics for 37 percent, and Asians and others for 3 percent.
The percent of heroin clients who reported prior treatment steadily increased over the five-year
period, from 68 percent in 1987 to 88 pm'cent in 1991. There was a corresponding decrease in
the percent of clients who reported entering treatment within the first three years of use, from
18 percent in 1987 to 9 percent in 1991. The increased involvement in treatment and small
percent entering treatment within the first three years may indicate. that hard-core heroin users
now constitute the primary treatment population. Route of administration for heroin users in
treatment remains unchanged over time. Virtually all of these clients (99%) inject the drug.
In 1991, heroin clients were asked about their secondary drug use. Slightly over 39 percent
reported that they used cocaine and 12 percent reported using alcohol. Almo,st a third (31.5%)
reported no secondary' drug use.
4. Stimulants
Methamphetamine's representation in treatment has declined sharply, from 51 percent of 1987
admissions to 34 percent of 1991 admissions. However, numbers in treatment rose steadily from
1987 to 1990, followed by a slight decrease in 1991. I.:J spite of the decreases,
methamphetamine still accounts for most treatment admissions at this time.
Exhibit 5 presents data for methamphetamine admissions. Although methamphetamine users are
younger than cocaine or heroin users, with 60 percent of all admissions younger than 30, the
median age of methamphetamine admissions increased from 25 to 28 over the report period.
From 1987 to 1990, there were more women in treatment than men. In 1991, however, men
were sligtly in the majority. While methamphetamine continues to be a drug used primarily by
Caucasians, the percentage has declined slightly, from 87 percent of all 1987 admissions to 78
percent in 1991. In contrast, both African Americans and Hispanics have shown slight increases
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