Trends in Drug Use: Spring-Fall 1996
Part IV: Emerging Drugs
Sources contacted for this Pulse Check report that methamphetamine is increasingly popular in many areas. In addition, they cite that cafeteria use, that is, simultaneous use of a variety of sedatives, tranquilizers, and traditional and non-traditional drugs of abuse, is prevalent in their areas, particularly among young people.
Methamphetamine is a continuing presence in the West, the Southwest border, and parts of the Midwest, while little or no methamphetamine is reported in the Northeast. It has a large following among young white blue collar workers and laborers as well as among college students. In areas of the West, it is also becoming more popular among the Hispanic population. In Denver, where availability is high, methamphetamine is popular with a wide variety of users, particularly young runaways in Denver and Boulder. The Denver source also notes that there is less "bathtub crank" or poor quality methamphetamine made by individual entrepreneurs in the local market, while there is more high quality crystalline methamphetamine.
The special report on methamphetamine in this issue of the Pulse Check describes the problems associated with methamphetamine use in greater detail.
Club drugs. "Cafeteria use" -- the use of a number of hallucinogenic and sedative/hypnotic "club drugs" -- is reported by sources all over the country (i.e., Bridgeport, San Diego, Miami, New York, Austin, and Newark) The club drug mix varies slightly from area to area, but generally includes such drugs as marijuana, Ketamine, LSD, MDMA, Nexus and GHB. In some areas it includes steroids or herbal mixtures such as "power drinks" found in health food stores. In the West and South it typically also includes methamphetamine and prescription drugs (e.g., Clonapin, Ritalin, Lexotan, Rohypnol, Prozac) that come across the Mexican border illegally. Three sources (San Antonio, Miami and Austin) report that Rohypnol is an emerging drug in their areas. Rohypnol has only been reported in areas that are close to the Southwest border.
As the name implies, club drugs are popular with young adults and teenagers who are part of a club scene, and want to take the drugs to gain increased stamina for late night dancing or partying. Many of these young users experiment with a variety of club drugs in different combinations. Club drugs are increasingly mentioned as problematic for treatment programs. Many treatment providers report that teens and young adults enter treatment with a number of these drugs and alcohol, rather than a single drug, as their primary problem.
Previous Pulse Checks have reported that middle class high school kids are searching for naturally occurring hallucinogens that are supposed to produce a dream-like state, and this finding is supported by the increased use of some specific club drugs. In Delaware, sources report a wide range of hallucinogens as part of the array of drugs used by young adults, with mushrooms (psilocybin) as particularly popular. In addition, sources in Bridgeport cite mescaline as an emerging drug in that area.
