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National Drug Intelligence Center |
Marijuana is widely available and abused in the Milwaukee HIDTA region; however, cocaine and heroin pose greater concerns to public health and law enforcement officials because of the drugs' highly addictive nature and potential for overdose. Commercial-grade and high-potency marijuana are available and abused in the region; state and local law enforcement officials report an increase in the availability of high-potency marijuana in the counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine.
Cocaine is available and abused throughout the HIDTA region; powder cocaine is commonly abused by Hispanic and Caucasian users, and crack cocaine is typically abused by African American users. More than half (52.5%) of the cocaine-related treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities in Wisconsin in 2007 (the latest year for which such data are available) occurred in the HIDTA region--most of those (81.0%) occurred in Milwaukee County. The number of cocaine-related treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities in the Milwaukee HIDTA region decreased 37.1 percent from 2006 (2,037) to 2007 (1,282). (See Figure 2.) Additionally, Milwaukee County Medical Examiner reporting indicates that cocaine contributed to approximately 46.4 percent of all drug-related deaths in 2007 (90 of 194), a decline from 54.2 percent in 2006 (103 of 190).2 (See Figure 3.) The decline in the number of cocaine-related treatment admissions and deaths corresponds with the decrease in cocaine availability reported by law enforcement.
Figure 2. Drug-Related Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Facilities in Milwaukee HIDTA Counties, 2005-2007*
Source: State of Wisconsin, Department of Health and Family Services.
*The
latest year for which data are available.
Note: Data represent admissions to government-sponsored programs and exclude Medicaid
and private insurance admissions.
Figure 3. Drug-Related Deaths in Milwaukee County, 2003-2007
Source: Milwaukee County Medical Examiner.
Heroin abuse and associated deaths have increased over the past few years in the Milwaukee HIDTA region. Young Caucasians in suburban areas are increasingly abusing heroin; many of these users initiated opioid abuse through abuse of CPDs and later switched to heroin, which is typically lower in price. According to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner, the number of heroin-related deaths in Milwaukee County increased from 13 in 2004 to 36 in 2007. (See Figure 3.) Law enforcement officials report that a wide range of heroin purity levels (16% to 89%) available in the area most likely contributed to some of the heroin overdoses that occurred in the HIDTA region during that period. Moreover, law enforcement officials report that the number of deaths would have been higher had it not been for successful first-response treatment by experienced emergency medical services personnel, who administered Narcan to overdose victims.
Diverted CPDs are increasingly available and abused in the HIDTA region. Law enforcement officials in all four counties of the HIDTA region (Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, and Waukesha) report that controlled prescription opioids, particularly oxycodone, are widely diverted and abused in their counties. According to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner, the number of controlled prescription opioid-related deaths in Milwaukee County increased 28 percent between 2003 (133) and 2007 (170); most were attributed to methadone, morphine, and oxycodone. (See Figure 3.) Benzodiazepines, including diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax), also are abused commonly in the region; the number of benzodiazepine-related deaths in Milwaukee County increased significantly from 2003 (58) to 2007 (155). (See Figure 3.) Diverted CPDs are obtained by distributors and abusers through various methods, including doctor-shopping, fraudulent prescriptions, theft, and unscrupulous physicians.
A variety of other drugs are available and abused in the Milwaukee HIDTA region. MDMA is abused in the region, most commonly by college-age individuals. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner reports that only one MDMA-related overdose death occurred in Milwaukee County in 2007 and that incidents of homicide victims testing positive for MDMA are more common than MDMA-related overdose deaths. Methamphetamine abuse is considerably low compared with the abuse of other drugs in the area. Law enforcement reporting indicates that, although limited, methamphetamine abuse occurs among Caucasian individuals in particular areas of the region. For example, methamphetamine is available in West Allis bars and nightclubs frequented by members of the region's homosexual community.
Traffickers use a variety of methods, including bulk currency smuggling, money remittance companies, stored value cards, luxury goods purchases, front businesses, and real estate investments, to launder illicit drug proceeds generated in the HIDTA region. Some Hispanic traffickers transport bulk currency derived from drug sales to family and friends in Mexico. They also transfer illicit funds through money remitters and by converting drug proceeds to stored value cards. African American distributors are less likely to transport illicit funds outside the HIDTA region and instead purchase expensive items such as luxury vehicles, apartments, vehicle accessories, and jewelry. Various traffickers use a number of front businesses to launder drug proceeds in the region, including barber shops, beauty salons, car washes, restaurants, retail clothing stores, taverns, and used car dealerships.
Some traffickers purchase residential real estate in an attempt to mask the illicit origins of their proceeds. The state of Wisconsin provides tax credits for housing rehabilitation; these credits entice some local distributors to purchase and refurbish dilapidated properties. Once a property is refurbished, the distributor either rents or sells the property. Distributors who rent the residential property report drug proceeds as rental income in addition to actual rent received from legitimate tenants. Additionally, some local distributors purchase residential properties and immediately sell them at substantially increased prices to indebted associates. The distributor receives profits from the sale, seemingly legitimizing the income, while the indebted associates typically default on the loans, often defrauding banks or mortgage companies.
2. Total drug-related deaths are lower than the sum of the deaths associated with individual drug types because of mixed drug toxicities (more than one drug associated with a single death).
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