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National Drug
Intelligence Center
National Drug Threat Assessment 2006
January 2006
Figure 1. Average percentage of THC in samples of seized marijuana, 1985-2005
Chart showing average percentage of THC in samples of seized marijuana for the years 1985-2005.
The average THC percentages in seized marijuana samples were 3.48 in 1985, 2.80 in 1986, 3.20 in 1987, 3.70 in 1988, 3.78 in 1989, 3.82 in 1990, 3.26 in 1991, 3.16 in 1992, 3.65 in 1993, 3.75 in 1994, 3.96 in 1995, 4.50 in 1996, 5.00 in 1997, 4.89 in 1998, 4.59 in 1999, 5.34 in 2000, 6.11 in 2001, 7.19 in 2002, 7.16 in 2003, 8.14 in 2004, and 7.79 in 2005.
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Figure 2. Top 10 National Forests for eradication of cannabis on Forest Service lands in 2004.
U.S. map showing the top 10 national forests for eradication of cannabis on Forest Service lands in 2004.
1. Sequoia National Forest, California, 178,922 plants eradicated.
2. San Bernardino National Forest, California, 135,319 plants eradicated.
3. Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky, 120,914 plants eradicated.
4. Sierra National Forest, California, 53,521 plants eradicated.
5. Los Padres National Forest, California, 47,610 plants eradicated.
6. Mendocino National Forest, California, 35,653 plants eradicated.
7. Plumas National Forest, California, 26,040 plants eradicated.
8. Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California, 25,597 plants eradicated.
9. Angeles National Forest, California, 20,757 plants eradicated.
10. Cleveland National Forest, California, 15,500 plants eradicated.
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Figure 3. Commercial disbursements of commonly abused pharmaceuticals,* United States, 2000-2004.
Chart showing the yearly commercial disbursements of commonly abuse pharmaceuticals:
56,711,299 disbursements in 2000.
89,707,996 disbursements in 2001.
95,850,725 disbursements in 2002.
111,436,795 disbursements in 2003.
118,431,530 disbursements in 2004.
*Commonly abused pharmaceuticals include codeine,
methylphenidate, oxycodone, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, meperidine,
methadone, morphine, fentanyl, cocaine, d-methamphetamine, d-amphetamine, and
dl-amphetamine.
Source: Drug
Enforcement Administration.
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Map 1. Seven Regions
U.S. map showing the country divided into seven regions.
The Pacific region consists of Alaska, Hawaii, Northern and Central California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and the territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The West Central region consists of Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Southern Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
The Southwest region consists of Arizona, Southern California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The Great Lakes region consists of Northern Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
The Northeast consists of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The Southeast region consists of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee.
The Florida/Caribbean region consists of Florida and the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Map 2. National Drug Threat Survey 2005 greatest drug threat as reported by state and local agencies.
Graph showing percentage of greatest drug threats reported by state and local agencies superimposed on a U.S. map.
35.3 percent of agencies reported cocaine as the greatest drug threat.
8.7 percent of agencies reported heroin as the greatest drug threat.
39.2 percent of agencies reported methamphetamine as the greatest drug threat.
12.2 percent of agencies reported marijuana as the greatest drug threat.
3.9 percent of agencies reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
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Map 3. Areas of influence of drug trafficking organizations in the United States.
Six U.S. maps showing the areas of influence of Mexican, Colombian, Dominican, Jamaican, Asian, and Russian-Israeli drug trafficking organizations.
The map shows the influence of Mexican drug trafficking organizations throughout the country with the exception of Alaska, Maine, and Puerto Rico.
The map shows the influence of Colombian drug trafficking organizations in parts of southern California, Colorado, and Texas; in the Southeast in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico; and in the Northeast in an area from northern Illinois to Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.
The map shows the influence of Dominican drug trafficking organizations in parts of Alaska, Washington, southern California, Colorado, and Florida and in the Northeast in an area from Chicago, Illinois to southern Maine and South Carolina.
The map shows the influence of Jamaican drug trafficking organizations in parts of southern California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico and in the Northeast from southern Minnesota to Massachusetts and northern Alabama.
The map shows the influence of Asian drug trafficking organizations in parts of Hawaii, Washington, California, eastern Colorado, and western South Dakota and throughout the country east of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Minnesota.
The map shows the influence of Russian-Israeli drug trafficking organizations in parts of Washington, California, Nevada, and Arizona; in the Southeast in an area from eastern Texas to southern North Carolina and southern Florida; and in the Northeast in an area from eastern Nebraska and Minnesota to Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.
Source: Drug Enforcement Administration; Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force.
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Map 4. Methamphetamine threat progression.
Three U.S. maps showing percentage of agencies in each state for the years 2003-2005 reporting methamphetamine as their greatest threat, broken down by year.
States with 0-24.9% of agencies reporting methamphetamine as the greatest threat are shown in blue; 25-49.9% in green; 50-74.9% in orange; and 75-100% in red.
In 2003, blue states were Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Green states were Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Texas.
Orange states were Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, and Tennessee.
Red states were Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North and South Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming reported methamphetamine as their greatest threat.
In 2004, West Virginia changed from blue to green, Georgia changed from green to orange, and Arkansas changed from orange to red.
In 2005, Tennessee changed from orange to green; Louisiana changed from blue to green; Alabama, Alaska, and Indiana changed from green to orange, and New Mexico and Colorado changed from orange to red.
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Map 5. Vectors in the Transit Zone--CCDB-documented cocaine flow departing South America, January-December 2004.
Map of the Southern U.S., Central America, and northern South America showing percentage of cocaine moving along nine corridors.
50% moves along the Eastern Pacific vector, 40% moves along the West Caribbean vector, 2% along the Jamaica vector, 2% along the Haiti/Dominican Republic vector, 1% direct to the continental U.S., 1% along the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands vector, 1% along the ABC/LA vector, 1% along an unknown Caribbean vector, and 1% along an unknown MXCA vector.
Percentages based on confirmed or high confidence cocaine flow events in the consolidated counterdrug database (CCDB).
Arrows represent general movement corridors.
*Note: numbers do not add up to 100% due to rounding.
Source: Interagency Assessment of Cocaine Movement.
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Map 6. Principal drug distribution centers.
U.S. map showing cities and areas serving as principal drug distribution centers, broken down by drug.
Principal Distribution Centers (PDCs) were identified primarily through analysis of domestic drug seizure data; however, law enforcement reporting also was considered. Analysis of EPIC data from 2000 through 2004 revealed the cities that were most often identified as the origin or destination of seized drug shipments. These cities constitute most of the identified PDCs. Other cities, however, were included based on law enforcement reporting that indicates these cities are likely as significant as other PDCs, despite somewhat lower associated drug seizures.
PDCs for cocaine are Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; Denver, Colorado; Miami, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri; New York, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, Houston, and South Texas; and San Juan, Puerto Rico
PDCs for heroin are Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; New York, New York; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
PDCs for methamphetamine are Phoenix, Arizona; the Central Valley, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, California; Denver, Colorado; Atlanta, Georgia; Honolulu, Hawaii; Des Moines, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Yakima Valley, Washington.
PDCs for marijuana are Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; the Central Valley, Los Angeles, and San Diego, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; New York, New York; Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, Houston, and South Texas; and Seattle Washington.
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Chart 1. TEDS Treatment Admissions, 1993-2003
Chart showing TEDS treatment admissions for the years 1993-2003, broken down by drug and year.
In 1993, there were 77,007 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 204,729 for smoked cocaine, 195,865 for heroin, 111,418 for marijuana, and 20,776 for methamphetamine.
In 1994, there were 76,794 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 220,614 for smoked cocaine, 216,452 for heroin, 142,906 for marijuana, and 33,443 for methamphetamine.
In 1995, there were 70,813 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 207,608 for smoked cocaine, 227,989 for heroin, 171,344 for marijuana, and 47,695 for methamphetamine.
In 1996, there were 68,145 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 195,751 for smoked cocaine, 224,366 for heroin, 192,918 for marijuana, and 41,045 for methamphetamine.
In 1997, there were 61,870 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 174,900 for smoked cocaine, 235,143 for heroin, 197,840 for marijuana, and 53,694 for methamphetamine.
In 1998, there were 67,392 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 186,973 for smoked cocaine, 247,069 for heroin, 220,173 for marijuana, and 56,517 for methamphetamine.
In 1999, there were 65,636 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 176,507 for smoked cocaine, 257,508 for heroin, 232,105 for marijuana, and 58,801 for methamphetamine.
In 2000, there were 64,852 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 175,904 for smoked cocaine, 273,952 for heroin, 252,728 for marijuana, and 67,467 for methamphetamine.
In 2001, there were 62,405 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 168,814 for smoked cocaine, 278,693 for heroin, 267,121 for marijuana, and 82,005 for methamphetamine.
In 2002, there were 66,512 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 178,820 for smoked cocaine, 289,056 for heroin, 289,299 for marijuana, and 105,754 for methamphetamine.
In 2003, there were 68,705 treatment admissions for nonsmoked cocaine, 180,851 for smoked cocaine, 272,815 for heroin, 284,532 for marijuana, and 116,604 for methamphetamine.
Source: Treatment Episode Data Set.
Return to Chart 1.
Chart 2. Central States* Methamphetamine Laboratory Seizures, 1999-2004
Chart showing number of methamphetamine laboratory seizures in the central states for the years 2000-2004, broken down by year.
There were 1,601 methamphetamine laboratory seizures in 1999, 1,837 in 2000, 2,550 in 2001, 2,965 in 2002, 3,620 in 2003, and 3,545 in 2004.
Source: National
Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System.
*Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
Return to Chart 2.
End of page.