Each state has its own battles with drug abuse, and that’s a fact that law enforcement and concerned citizens cannot escape. We looked to the most recent data available to see what the drug trends were here in Texas. Here are the key findings from the report, “Substance Abuse Trends in Texas: June 2013.” According to the report’s summary, “There was a strong and growing ‘love affair’ and increasing use of amphetamine type substances (ATS) drugs, bases on numbers of calls to poison control centers and forensic laboratory data.” The report outlined drug abuse in Texas between 1987 and May of 2013.
Here are the trends on the 6 most commonly abused drugs between 1987 and May 2013:
1.Marijuana/synthetic cannabinoids: Since Mexican cannabis was poor quality due to a drought, the supply was low. In effect, indoor and hydroponic grows in Texas yielded large amounts of “high quality” cannabis. Meanwhile, synthetic cannabis continued to increase throughout the region.
2.Cocaine: Cocaine supply was actually down. Some street users said that cocaine was so expensive, it just wasn’t worth the cost.
3.Heroin: The demand for heroin increased. Most heroin users were young, and the average age of a person dying with heroin in their system went from 40 down to 36-years of age.
4.Other types of opiates: The demand for opiates, including methadone rose. The two groups who abused prescription narcotics the most were: 1) teens and young adults who sought the euphoric effect, and 2) Baby Boomers who were looking to relieve pain.
5.MDMA: The demand was strong for these amphetamine-type substances and growing.
6.Methamphetamine: The supply was increasing, while the prices were dropping. Additionally, there are records of large seizures in the state. Are you facing drug-related charges in Plano or Dallas? If so, we urge you to contact The Zendeh Del Law Firm, PLLC to schedule a consultation with a hard-hitting drug possession and sales attorney. We practice state and federal defense and are ready to serve you!
