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National Drug Intelligence Center
National Drug Threat Assessment 2008
October 2007
Figure 1. Vectors in the Transit Zone--CCDB-documented cocaine flow departing South America, January-December 2006.
Map showing vectors in the Transit Zone--CCDB-documented cocaine flow departing South America from January to December 2006.
The Mexico-Central America corridor contains three vectors. 66% of cocaine flowing to the United States follows the Eastern Pacific Vector; less than 1% follows the Central America Vector; and 24% follows the Western Caribbean Vector.
The Caribbean Corridor contains four vectors. Less than 1% of cocaine flowing to the United States follows the Jamaica Vector; 8% follows the Haiti/Dominican Republic Vector; less than 1% follows the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands Vector; and less than 1% follows the ABC/LA route.
Less than 1% of cocaine flowing to the United States comes direct to CONUS.
Percentages are based on all confirmed, substantiated, and higher-confidence suspect events in the Consolidated Counterdrug Database (CCDB).
Return to Figure 1.
Chart 1. Rates of National Positive Cocaine Results in Workplace Drug Tests, 2005-2007*
Chart showing the rates of national positive cocaine results in workplace drug tests from 2005 to 2007.
The percentage of workers or work seekers who tested positive for recent cocaine use in occupational drug tests was 21 percent lower during the second quarter of 2007 than during the same period in 2006.
1st quarter 2005 = 0.714%
2nd quarter 2005 = 0.705%
3rd quarter 2005 = 0.692%
4th quarter 2005 = 0.709%
1st quarter 2006 = 0.731%
2nd quarter 2006 = 0.700%
3rd quarter 2006 = 0.702%
4th quarter 2006 = 0.710%
1st quarter 2007 = 0.646%
2nd quarter 2007 = 0.553%
Source: Quest Diagnostics.
*Only 2 quarters are available for 2007.
Return to Chart 1.
Chart 2. South American and Mexican Retail Heroin Purity, by Percentage, 2001-2006
Chart showing South American and Mexican retail heroin purity, by percentage, from 2001 to 2006.
The percentages of retail heroin purity of South American and Mexican heroin have nearly converged and now show only a 6.1 percent difference in purity.
The purity of South American heroin in 2001 was 49.7%; 46.0% in 2002; 41.8% in 2003; 32.5% in 2004; 37.3% in 2005; and 36.1 in 2006.
The purity of Mexican heroin in 2001 was 21.0%; 27.3% in 2002; 26.3% in 2003; 27.9% in 2004; 32.5% in 2005; and 30.0 in 2006.
Source: Heroin Domestic Monitor Program, 2006.
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Chart 3. Average Percentage of THC in Samples of Seized Marijuana, 1985-2006
Chart showing the average percentage of THC in samples of seized marijuana from 1985 to 2006.
The average THC content of marijuana nearly doubled between 1996 and 2006.
1985 = 3.48%
1986 = 2.80%
1987 = 3.20%
1988 = 3.70%
1989 = 3.78%
1990 = 3.82%
1991 = 3.26%
1992 = 3.16%
1993 = 3.65%
1994 = 3.75%
1995 = 3.96%
1996 = 4.50%
1997 = 5.01%
1998 = 4.91%
1999 = 4.59%
2000 = 5.34%
2001 = 6.10%
2002 = 7.20%
2003 = 7.14%
2004 = 8.13%
2005 = 8.02%
2006 = 8.77%
Source: The University of Mississippi Potency Monitoring Project.
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Chart 4. Number of Reported Methamphetamine Laboratory Seizures, 2002-2007
Chart showing the number of reported methamphetamine laboratory seizures from 2002 to 2007.
Methamphetamine laboratory seizures in the United States have decreased dramatically since 2004.
In 2002, the number of reported methamphetamine laboratory seizures was 9,208; 10,094 seizures in 2003; 9,935 seizures in 2004; 5,935 seizures in 2005; 4,002 seizures in 2006; and 1,802 seizures in 2007.*
Source: National Seizure System.
*Data as of October 11, 2007.
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Chart 5. Number of Primary Methamphetamine Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Treatment Facilities, 2000-2005
Chart showing the number of primary methamphetamine treatment admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities from 2000 to 2005.
Treatment admissions for methamphetamine have significantly increased since 2000, more than doubling from 67,568 in 2000 to 152,368 in 2005.
In 2000, the number of primary methamphetamine treatment admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities was 67,568; 82,113 admissions in 2001; 105,981 admissions in 2002; 117,259 admissions in 2003; 129,079 admissions in 2004; and 152,368 admissions in 2005.
Source: Treatment Episode Data Set.
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Figure 2. The Florida/Caribbean Region.
Map of the Florida/Caribbean showing HIDTAs and U.S. Attorney Districts.
The Florida/Caribbean Region encompasses Florida and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). The HIDTAs in the Florida/Caribbean region are Central Florida, North Florida, South Florida and Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands. U.S. Attorney Districts are Florida Northern District, Florida Middle District, and Florida Southern District.
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Figure 3. The Great Lakes Region.
Map of the Great Lakes Region showing HIDTAs and U.S. Attorney Districts.
The Great Lakes Region encompasses Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and the Northern and Central U.S. Attorneys Districts of Illinois. It includes the Chicago, Lake County, Michigan, Milwaukee, and Ohio HIDTAs and parts of the Appalachia HIDTA as well as 13 U.S. Attorneys Districts--the Minnesota, Eastern and Western Wisconsin, Eastern and Western Michigan, Northern and Southern Ohio, Eastern and Western Kentucky, Northern and Southern Indiana, and Northern and Central Illinois.
Return to Figure 3.
Figure 4. The Mid-Atlantic Region.
Map of the Mid-Atlantic Region showing HIDTAs and U.S. Attorney Districts.
The Mid-Atlantic Region is composed of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Within the Mid-Atlantic Region are three HIDTAs--the Philadelphia/Camden HIDTA, the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA, and parts of the Appalachia HIDTA--as well as 10 U.S. Attorneys Districts--Western, Middle, and Eastern Pennsylvania, Northern and Southern West Virginia, Western and Eastern Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, and District of Columbia.
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Figure 5. The New England Region.
Map of the New England Region showing HIDTAs and U.S. Attorney Districts.
The New England Region is composed of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. New England is the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). The U.S. Attorney Districts are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
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Figure 6. The New York/New Jersey Region.
Map of the New York/New Jersey Region showing HIDTAs and U.S. Attorney Districts.
The New York/New Jersey Region is composed of New York and New Jersey. It contains two High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs): New York/New Jersey and portions of the Philadelphia/Camden. The U.S. Attorney Districts are Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern New York, and New Jersey.
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Figure 7. The Pacific Region.
Map of the Pacific Region showing HIDTAs and U.S. Attorney Districts.
The Pacific Region is composed of northern and central California, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington as well as the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It contains six High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs): Central Valley California, Nevada, Northern California, Northwest, Oregon, and Hawaii. The U.S. Attorney Districts are Alaska, Western and Eastern Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Northern and Eastern California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Guam/Northern Mariana.
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Figure 8. The Southeast Region.
Map of the Southeast Region showing HIDTAs and U.S. Attorney Districts.
The Southeast Region encompasses Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. It includes three HIDTAs--Atlanta, Gulf Coast, and part of Appalachia. In addition, there are 20 U.S. Attorneys Districts--Western, Middle, and Eastern Tennessee; Western, Middle, and Eastern North Carolina; South Carolina; Northern, Middle, and Southern Georgia; Northern, Middle, and Southern Alabama; Northern and Southern Mississippi; Western, Middle, and Eastern Louisiana; and Western and Eastern Arkansas.
Return to Figure 8.
Figure 9. The Southwest Region.
Map of the Southwest Region showing HIDTAs and U.S. Attorney Districts.
The Southwest Region encompasses Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas and Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties in Southern California. The HIDTA regions are Houston, Los Angeles, North Texas, Southwest Border-Arizona, Southwest Border-New Mexico, Southwest Border-California Border Alliance Group (CBAG), Southwest Border-South Texas, and Southwest Border-West Texas. The U.S. Attorney Districts are Central and Southern California; Arizona; New Mexico; Northern, Western, Southern, and Eastern Texas; and Western, Northern, and Eastern Oklahoma.
Return to Figure 9.
Figure 10. The West Central Region.
Map of the West Central Region showing HIDTAs and U.S. Attorney Districts.
The West Central region encompasses Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming and the U.S. Attorney District of Southern Illinois. There are two High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas: Midwest HIDTA and Rocky Mountain HIDTA. The U.S. Attorney Districts are Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Northern and Southern Iowa, Western and Eastern Missouri, and Southern Illinois.
Return to Figure 10.
Map 1. Nine OCDETF regions.
U.S. map showing nine OCDETF regions.
The Pacific OCDETF region includes Alaska, Hawaii, American
Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and
Northern and Central California.
The West Central OCDETF region includes Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Southern
Illinois.
The Southwest OCDETF region includes Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and
Southern California.
The Great Lakes OCDETF region includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northern Illinois,
Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky.
The Southeast OCDETF region includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama,
Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
The New England OCDETF region includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
The New York/New Jersey OCDETF region includes New York and New Jersey.
The Mid-Atlantic OCDETF region includes Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West
Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
The Florida/Caribbean OCDETF region includes Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S.
Virgin Islands.
Return to Map 1.
Map 2. National Drug Threat Survey 2007 greatest drug threat as reported by state and local agencies.
U.S. map showing the greatest drug threat as reported by state and local agencies in the National Drug Threat Survey 2007.
Of the state and local agencies that responded to the National Drug Threat Survey 2007, 40.1% reported cocaine, 7.7% reported heroin, 35.0% reported methamphetamine, 11.7% reported marijuana, and 4.6% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
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Map 3. National Drug Threat Survey 2007 greatest drug threat by region as reported by state and local agencies.
U.S. map showing the greatest drug threat by region as reported by state and local agencies in the National Drug Threat Survey 2007.
In the Pacific region, 2.9% reported cocaine, 0.0% reported heroin, 94.3% reported methamphetamine, 2.2% reported marijuana, and 0.7% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
In the Southwest region, 21.3% reported cocaine, 1.4% reported heroin, 66.0% reported methamphetamine, 8.3% reported marijuana, and 2.6% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
In the West Central region, 20.6% reported cocaine, 2.6% reported heroin, 70.4% reported methamphetamine, 5.0% reported marijuana, and 1.5% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
In the Great Lakes region, 44.3% reported cocaine, 6.3% reported heroin, 22.9% reported methamphetamine, 16.6% reported marijuana, and 8.8% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
In the New England region, 35.1% reported cocaine, 29.0% reported heroin, 1.7% reported methamphetamine, 23.5% reported marijuana, and 10.4% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
In the New York/New Jersey region, 48.8% reported cocaine, 21.7% reported heroin, 0.0% reported methamphetamine, 21.9% reported marijuana, and 2.7% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
In the Mid-Atlantic region, 51.3% reported cocaine, 20.5% reported heroin, 6.0% reported methamphetamine, 17.2% reported marijuana, and 4.7% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
In the Southeast region, 60.1% reported cocaine, 0.4% reported heroin, 32.2% reported methamphetamine, 4.1% reported marijuana, and 3.0% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
In the Florida/Caribbean region, 71.5% reported cocaine, 0.0% reported heroin, 15.2% reported methamphetamine, 8.4% reported marijuana, and 3.0% reported pharmaceuticals as the greatest drug threat.
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Map 4. U.S. cities with cocaine shortages reported by law enforcement agencies during the second quarter of 2007.
U.S. map showing cities with cocaine shortages reported by law enforcement agencies during the second quarter of 2007.
The cities affected by a cocaine market change are San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, El Paso, Wichita, Minneapolis, Kansas City, St. Louis, Houston, Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville, Milwaukee, Chicago, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Toledo, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Akron, Columbus, Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Boston, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, Washington, Harrisburg, Allentown, and Scranton.
Source: Multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
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Map 5. Changes in Quest* cocaine positivity results in cities with reported cocaine shortages, second quarter 2006 compared with second quarter 2007.
U.S. map showing changes in Quest cocaine positivity results in cities with reported cocaine shortages comparing second quarter 2006 with second quarter 2007.
The city showing changes in Quest cocaine positivity results with a decrease of 50% or more is Indianapolis.
The cities showing changes in Quest cocaine positivity results with a decrease of 25 to 49.9% are Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Nashville, Atlanta, Buffalo, Rochester, Harrisburg, Baltimore, and Washington.
The cities showing changes in Quest cocaine positivity results with a decrease of 10 to 24.9% are Albany, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Grand Rapids, Chicago, Memphis, Houston, Phoenix, and Oakland.
The cities showing changes in Quest cocaine positivity results with a decrease of 0 to 9.9% are Boston and Los Angeles.
The cities showing changes in Quest cocaine positivity results with a increase of 0 to 9.9% are Denver and San Francisco.
The cities showing changes in Quest cocaine positivity results with a increase of 10% or more are St. Louis and Kansas City.
There was no data available for El Paso, Wichita, Akron, Youngstown, Wilmington, Allentown, Scranton, and New Haven.
*Quest: Changes in Workplace Drug Testing for Cocaine Positivity (Percent change from second quarter 2006 compared with second quarter 2007)
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Map 6. DAWN: Changes in cocaine emergency department visits for second quarters of 2006 and 2007.
U.S. map showing DAWN changes in cocaine emergency department visits for second quarters of 2006 and 2007.
Cities that reported cocaine shortages and saw a 29.9 to 20.0% decrease in cocaine emergency department visits are Minneapolis and Denver.
Cities that reported cocaine shortages and saw a 19.9 to 10.0% decrease in cocaine emergency department visits are Boston, Detroit, and Houston.
Cities that reported cocaine shortages and saw a 9.9 to 0% decrease in cocaine emergency department visits are New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Oakland.
Chicago reported cocaine shortages and saw an increase in cocaine emergency department visits.
New Orleans reported cocaine shortages, and no DAWN data was available.
Cities that have not reported cocaine shortages are Seattle with an increase in cocaine emergency department visits, San Diego with a 9.9 to 0% decrease in cocaine emergency department visits, and Miami with a 19.9 to 10.0% decrease in cocaine emergency department visits.
Return to Map 6.
End of page.