CEWG January 09 Full Report - National Institute on Drug Abuse

Section III. <strong>CEWG</strong> Area Update Briefs and International Presentations
the illicit drug most often reported by these admissions.
Cocaine constituted 9 percent of treatment
admissions reporting a primary drug. The
number of cocaine treatment admissions decreased
from 227 in the first half of 2007 to 183
in the first half of 2008. After rising steadily during
2005 and 2006, cocaine-related hospital admissions
began declining in the first half of 2007,
and continued declining through the first half of
2008. Cocaine seizures were lower in the second
quarter of 2008 compared with the first quarter.
Thirty-six MDMA items were reported by NFLIS
during the first half of 2008, a small number when
compared with that for methamphetamine items
(n=763). Marijuana was the primary drug reported
by 15 percent of the treatment admissions
reporting a primary drug. Marijuana treatment
admissions increased slightly, from 292 in the first
half of 2007 to 3<strong>09</strong> in the first half of 2008. Marijuana
seizures dropped slightly in the first quarter
of 2008 and increased slightly in the second quarter
of 2008. Much of the marijuana smuggled into
Arizona comes through a remote “transportation
corridor” west of Nogales, Mexico. This corridor
runs through the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation,
which lies along the United States–Mexico
border. It is estimated that traffckers transport as
much as 20 tons of marijuana per week through
this corridor. Heroin was the primary drug reported
by 13 percent of the treatment admissions
reporting a primary drug. Heroin admissions increased
from 231 in the first half of 2007 to 257 in
the first half of 2008. Hospital admissions related
to heroin/opioids have been rising fairly steadily
since 2000. Consistent with this, heroin/opioidrelated
admissions rose in the first half of 2008.
Although Arizona has been almost exclusively a
black tar heroin area for decades, recent seizures
indicate that Phoenix may now serve as a feeder
city for white heroin arriving from Mexico. The
white heroin is being transported to midwestern
and northeastern wholesale distribution markets;
to date, white heroin has not been encountered by
local wholesale or street level distributors based
in the Phoenix area. According to the Automation
of <strong>Report</strong>s and Consolidated Orders System
(ARCOS) operated by the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA), Arizona’s per capita retail
sales of oxycodone, morphine, and methadone
are substantially greater than those of the Nation
as a whole. Hydrocodone per capita sales in Arizona
and the Nation were roughly comparable.
HIV/AIDS Update: New data were unavailable
to update rates reported at the June 2008 meeting.
Emerging Patterns Regarding Use: Agwa de
Bolivia Coca Leaf Liqueur reportedly had become
popular in bars and clubs in the Phoenix area in
2008. It is also sold at a limited number of liquor
stores. Advertisements indicate that it provides
a “cocaine buzz” and is made from the leaves of
the coca plant as well as ginseng, green tea, and
a natural source of caffeine called guarana. The
drink is 60-percent alcohol; however, many users
state they get more of a “drug high” than a “liquor
buzz.” The coca leaves used to manufacture it
are the leaves from which cocaine alkaloids have
been removed. The substance is made in Amsterdam
and legally imported into the United States
Emerging Patterns Regarding Smuggling: There
are reports of smugglers: (1) ramming U.S. Border
Patrol vehicles and driving directly toward agents
at high rates of speed in attempts to hit them;
(2) intentionally causing accidents and incidents
to distract law enforcement offcers; (3) faking
distress calls in order to lure agents into attack;
and (4) now being more likely to shoot at offcers
in order to avoid apprehension.
Data Sources: Treatment data were provided
by the Arizona Department of Health Services
(ADHS), Division of Behavioral Health Services.
Hospital admissions (inpatient) data were
derived from analyses conducted by the University
of Arizona, Department of Family and Community
Medicine using hospital discharge records from the
Arizona Hospital Discharge Data System operated
by the ADHS. Law enforcement data, including
clandestine lab seizure data, were from the DEA
and the <strong>National</strong> Drug Intelligence Center. Forensic
drug analysis data came from NFLIS, DEA. Data
on the retail distribution of selected prescription
opioid medications were obtained from ARCOS.
Proceedings of the Community Epidemiology Work Group, <strong>January</strong> 20<strong>09</strong> 61