The market for marijuana appears to be thriving in the areas surveyed
in this Pulse Check. Marijuana users are a diverse group, and the
drug is highly popular in a variety of social settings. Most sources report
that many types of marijuana, both foreign and domestic, can be purchased in
their areas, and many users combine marijuana with other drugs such as
alcohol, cocaine, or methamphetamine. Sellers are also a diverse group,
reflecting the diversity of users. Treatment providers report that clients
who cite marijuana as their primary illicit drug of abuse typically also
have problems with alcohol.
Ethnographers and Epidemiologic Sources
Marijuana appears to be plentiful in all areas -- eight of the eleven
areas contacted report that use is up, and the remaining three report that
the market is stable. Marijuana attracts a wide variety of users, of all
ages and ethnicities, and its popularity is growing among young (i.e.,
under 25) users. It is described as a "background drug" by several
sources.
Marijuana is usually combined with alcohol, hallucinogens, cocaine,
or methamphetamine. In Miami, users roll marijuana and cocaine into a cigarette
called "lace" and in Texas and San Diego, it is combined with
crack and called a "primo." In Chicago, marijuana is blended
with PCP and crack cocaine into cigarettes called "ozones" that
are sold for $15. Sources in San Antonio report that along with marijuana,
there has been an increase in white, middle class high school kids using
club drugs, including Rohypnol.
Sources of marijuana are both foreign and domestic. Mexico is the most
commonly named foreign source, but in areas such as New York, marijuana
and hashish from all over the world can be purchased. One New York ethnographer
notes that marijuana often has a distinct brand name or place of origin
that identifies its type and purported quality. Some marijuana dealers
also sell hallucinogens, including LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine,
and a variety of pills such as tranquilizers, sedatives, and hypnotics.
Marijuana prices vary widely, and this indicates that there are many
different types available. In most areas, Mexican marijuana or poor quality
domestic marijuana sells for $10-$15 a bag, which yields 2-4 cigarettes.
Exotic varieties or sinsemilia can sell for as high as $200-$1,000/ounce.
Similarly, the potency (THC content) and purity (amount of unusable herbage
mixed in) varies considerably by type.
Large cigar-like marijuana cigarettes, often called "blunts,"
remain a staple in most areas. In addition, smoking paraphernalia such
as pipes and large water cooled "bongs" continue to appear in
many areas, indicating a renewed interest in the drug. While such paraphernalia
is illegal in many states, it can be marketed as tobacco supplies or simply
sold discretely in small bodegas or convenience stores.
Many sources report that there are a wide variety of sellers, while
others report that particular groups dominate the market. In Bridgeport,
Jamaicans sell larger quantities of the drug, while in San Antonio, Mexicans
and African Americans dominate the trade. In New York, dealers are frequently
young people who sell in public parks, near schools and in or around clubs frequented
by teens and young adults. One New York ethnographer notes an increase
in marijuana sales around schools or school activities such as sports events,
where students or former students who are currently dealing blend into
the atmosphere easily.
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Law Enforcement Sources
All police sources contacted report that marijuana use is stable or
rising in their areas. As with the ethnographers’ reports, police describe
the user population as diverse, reflecting all ages and ethnicities, though
marijuana is particularly popular with the young. Sellers match the demographics
of their customers; thus, they too are a diverse group. Miami police report
more hydroponically grown domestic marijuana in their area, though the
bulk of the marijuana in the area is grown in Mexico or South America.
Street level sales are primarily in one gram bags costing $5 to $10
for ordinary varieties of marijuana, but more exotic varieties (e.g., sinsemilia,
Thai, Middle Eastern, Jamaican) can cost up to $500/ounce. The purity of
the marijuana is generally related to the price it commands. A police source
in New York, however, commented that by labeling it with a foreign name,
dealers in the area are able to obtain higher prices for fairly low-quality,
domestic marijuana.
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Treatment Providers
The percentage of clients entering treatment with marijuana as their
primary drug of abuse rose slightly in this round of calls, though most
programs report that this represents no visible change in the overall client
mix of reported drug problems. About one-quarter to one-third of marijuana
treatment clients are under 20 years old, and they are predominantly white.
The majority also has problems with alcohol abuse, but has no prior treatment
experience.
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