Outlook

Crack cocaine is likely to remain the greatest illicit drug threat to North Carolina. It is readily available and frequently abused. Violent crime associated with the distribution and abuse of crack cocaine will continue to be a serious problem in North Carolina, threatening the safety of residents and law enforcement officials. Mexican criminal groups with close ties to Mexican DTOs in Mexico and Mexican criminal groups in southwestern states will remain the principal powdered cocaine transporters and wholesale distributors in North Carolina. Most of the powdered cocaine shipped into the state likely will continue to be converted to crack.

Marijuana will continue to be the most readily available and commonly abused drug in North Carolina. Marijuana abuse among all ages should remain relatively stable because distribution and abuse are already at high levels. Mexican criminal groups with access to well-established distribution networks likely will remain the primary wholesale distributors of marijuana produced in Mexico. Mexican, Caucasian, and African American criminal groups that control cultivation in North Carolina are likely to remain the primary distributors of marijuana produced in North Carolina. Recently enacted marijuana legislation may encourage those who distribute marijuana to distribute smaller quantities to reduce the risk of more stringent criminal sentencing.

The availability and abuse of methamphetamine will continue to increase in North Carolina as methamphetamine spreads from western North Carolina to central/eastern portions of the state. The number of local production laboratories and shipments of the drug from Mexico, California, and southwestern states have steadily increased since the mid-1990s. The increased demand for methamphetamine in North Carolina may prompt Mexican criminal groups, who distribute cocaine and marijuana, to distribute larger quantities of methamphetamine produced in Mexico, California, and southwestern states. Caucasian criminal groups who transport and distribute methamphetamine produced in Mexico, California, and southwestern states are likely to continue these activities in North Carolina. Methamphetamine producers in the state likely will continue selling some of the drug they produce to fund further production.

Heroin will continue to appeal to young abusers because the drug's high purity allows it to be effectively snorted or smoked. Heroin is likely to remain available in a few urban areas in North Carolina, but the drug's availability and abuse are not likely to spread to rural areas where crack cocaine and methamphetamine are popular drugs of abuse. With increasing heroin abuse by teenagers and young adults, the drug may become more available in social venues, such as raves, frequented by young people.

The availability and abuse of other dangerous drugs, particularly MDMA and OxyContin, will continue to increase in North Carolina. The continual influx of young individuals on military bases and college campuses will ensure a steady customer base for MDMA. The drug will likely remain popular in urban areas with large concentrations of young adults and may become more popular in rural areas, particularly in locations near college campuses. The diversion, distribution, and abuse of pharmaceutical drugs, already serious problems in some areas, will strain the resources of law enforcement officials who face large numbers of distributors of other drugs including crack, marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin in their jurisdictions. OxyContin, in particular, will continue to pose an increasing threat.

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