Pulse Check: Trends in Drug Abuse
November 2002
Executive Office of the President
Office of National Drug Control Policy
Washington, DC 20503
NCJ 197242

Entire document in PDF format (2.41 mb)

Acknowledgements

Highlights

Introduction

Special Topic: A Look at Local Drug Markets
Drug Treatment Issues
Heroin
Crack Cocaine
Powder Cocaine
Marijuana
Methamphetamine
Diverted Synthetic Opioids
Ecstasy
Other Drugs of Concern

Appendix 1: Methodology
Appendix 2: Population Demographics in the 20 Pulse Check Sites
Appendix 3: National-Level Data Sources Available in the 20 Pulse Check Sites
Appendix 4: Pulse Check Sources
Appendix 5: Discussion Areas by Source Type

List of Exhibits

Highlights

Exhibit 1. How serious is the perceived drug problem in the 20 Pulse Check communities (spring 2002)?
Exhibit 2. How has the perceived drug problem changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 3. What are the most serious drug problems in the 20 Pulse Check sities, by type of source?
Exhibit 4. What are the most serious drug problems in the 20 Pulse Check sites, by number of sources and sites?
Exhibit 5. How has the preceived drug problem changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 6. What new problems have emerged or intensified during spring 2002?
Exhibit 7. In what crimes, besides drug sales, are illict drug sellers involved across Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 8. How likely are sellers to use their own drugs across Pulse Check cities, by drug?

Special Topic: A Look at Local Drug Markets

Exhibit 1. How difficult is it for undercover police and users to buy drugs? (Averages, 0–10 scale)
Exhibit 2. How difficult is it for undercover police and users to buy specific drugs across the 20 Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 3. How difficult is it to buy heroin?
Exhibit 4. How difficult is it to buy methamphetamine?
Exhibit 5. How do dealers and buyers communicate?
Exhibit 6. What else, besides cash, is exchanged for drugs?

Drug Treatment Issues

Exhibit 1. How has illicit drug abuse impacted the health of users?
Exhibit 2. What are the barriers to drug treatment in different Pulse Check cities?

Heroin

Exhibit 1. How available is heroin across the 20 Pulse Check cities (spring 2002)?
Exhibit 2. How has overall heroin availability changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 3. Which heroin varieties have changed in availability (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 4. What are the prices and purtiy levels of different types of heroin in 19 Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 5. How is heroin referred to, and what types of heroin predominate, in the four regions of the country?
Exhibit 6. How are street-level heroin sellers organized across the 20 Pulse Check cities (spring 2002)?
Exhibit 7. What other drugs do heroin dealers sell?
Exhibit 8. Which non-methadone treatment programs in Pulse Check cities have substantial percentages of clients reporting heroin as their primary drug of abuse? How have those percentages changed
(fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 9. How do users administer heroin?

Crack Cocaine

Exhibit 1. How available is crack cocaine across the 20 Pulse Check cities (spring 2002)?
Exhibit 2. How has crack cocaine availability changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 3. What are crack cocaine price levels in 19 Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 4. How is crack cocaine referred to in the four regions of the country?
Exhibit 5. Which non-methadone treatment programs in Pulse Check cities have substanital percentages of clients reporting crack or powder cocaine as their primary drug of abuse? How have these percentages changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 6. Which genders are the predominant users of specific drugs in the Pulse Check cities?

Powder Cocaine

Exhibit 1. How available is powder cocaine across the 20 Pulse Check cities (spring 2002)?
Exhibit 2. How has powder cocaine availability changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 3. What are the prices and purity levels of powder cocaine in 18 Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 4. How is powder cocaine referred to in the four regions of the country?
Exhibit 5. How has the number of powder cocaine users changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?

Marijuana

Exhibit 1. How available is marijuana across the 20 Pulse Check cities (spring 2002)?
Exhibit 2. How has marijuana availability changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 3. Which marijuana varieties have changed in availability (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 4. How much does marijuana cost in 19 Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 5. How is marijuana referred to in the four regions of the country?
Exhibit 6. Which non-methadone treatment programs in Pulse Check sites have substantial percentages of clients reporting marijuana as their primary drug of abuse? How have those percentages changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 7. How are different drug users referred to treatment?
Exhibit 8. Who is most likely to use marijuana?
Exhibit 9. Where are drug users most likely to reside?
Exhibit 10. What adverse consequences do substantial percentages of Pulse Check sources attribute to the use of marijuana, either alone or in combination with other drugs?

Methamphetamine

Exhibit 1. How available is methamphetamine across the 20 Pulse Check cities (spring 2002)?
Exhibit 2. How has methamphetamine availability changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 3. How much does methamphetamine cost in 13 Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 4. How is methamphetamine referred to in the four regions of the country?
Exhibit 5. Which treatment programs in Pulse Check sites have substantial percentages of clients reporting methamphetamine use? How have those percentages changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?

Diverted Synthetic Opioids

Exhibit 1. Where is OxyContin® diversion and abuse emerging across the 20 Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 2. How available is diverted OxyContin® across the 20 Pulse Check cities (spring 2002)?
Exhibit 3. How has diverted OxyContin® availability changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 4. Which treatment programs in Pulse Check sites have substantial percentages of clients reporting OxyContin® as their primary drug of abuse? How have those percentages changed (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?

Ecstasy

Exhibit 1. Where is ecstasy emerging across the 20 Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 2. How available is ecstasy, and how has availability changed, across the 20 Pulse Check cities (fall 2001 vs spring 2002)?
Exhibit 3. How is ecstasy referred to and marketed across the 20 Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 4. How much does a pill (one dose) of ecstasy cost in the 20 Pulse Check cities? Other Drugs of Concern What are some street prices of other drugs of concern?