Heroin

Heroin has recently emerged as the most significant drug threat to New Hampshire, according to federal, state, and local law enforcement sources. The number of heroin-related treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities increased steadily from 107 in 1996 to 173 in 1999, according to the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). (See Table 1.) In fiscal year (FY) 2000, the State of New Hampshire Office of Chief Medical Examiner reported that heroin was a factor in over 50 percent of the 30 drug-related deaths reported in the state. Law enforcement sources report that the level of heroin abuse is high and increasing, and heroin abuse among young people is a particular concern. High purity, low cost heroin is attracting a new abuser population, especially among young adults who snort or smoke the drug rather than inject it. The New Hampshire State Police reports that the number of young people using heroin is increasing. The Somersworth Police Department reports that in the past only a few "career heroin" abusers resided in the city, but now heroin abusers as young as 16 years of age are common.

Table 1. Drug-Related Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Facilities New Hampshire, 1994-1999

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set.

Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials report that heroin is available throughout New Hampshire, and the availability of high purity, low cost South American heroin is a particular concern. The New Hampshire State Police and the New Hampshire Drug Task Force report that heroin is increasingly available throughout the state. The Northern New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force reports a sharp increase in the availability of heroin in Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports an increase in the availability of heroin in the seacoast and southeast regions and in the city of Keene. According to DEA, in the first quarter of FY2002, heroin sold for $7 to $20 per bag; purity levels were not available.

Local independent Caucasian dealers and abusers obtain South American heroin from Dominican criminal groups based in Massachusetts and New York and transport the drug back to the state for retail distribution. The Cross Borders Task Force reports that most of the heroin in New Hampshire is transported into the state by New Hampshire-based independent Caucasian dealers and abusers who travel to Lowell or Lawrence, Massachusetts, from the New Hampshire seacoast region. They generally travel in private vehicles via Interstate 95.

Most heroin distribution in New Hampshire occurs at the retail level and primarily is conducted by local independent Caucasian dealers and abusers. However, the New Hampshire State Police reports that some Dominican criminal groups have established residences in Manchester and are supplying increasingly larger quantities of heroin to local independent Caucasian dealers and occasionally are distributing heroin at the retail level. Retail distribution typically occurs in private residences, vehicles, and public areas such as parking lots.

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