2014 Drug Trends in Kentucky

There are a few different drugs of concern in the state of Kentucky. These drugs include meth, marijuana, cocaine, and a variety of different pharmaceutical drugs. Most of these drugs enter Kentucky via the eastern part of the state, most often the Daniel Boone National Forest. The Daniel Boone National Forest is favored as a site for marijuana cultivators because it is remote, has a very small population, is easy to get to, and is very easy to hide in. In addition, the climate and soil in the Daniel Boone National Forest is nearly perfect for the cultivation of marijuana.

The best places to grow marijuana in the Daniel Boone National Forest are in areas where the sunlight can get past the trees. The Daniel Boone National Forest in particular has become a safe haven for the cultivation of marijuana, but the authorities have found tens of thousands of these marijuana plants and closed them. Nonetheless, the Daniel Boone National Forest remains an excellent hideout for marijuana cultivators, and there are still tens of thousands of marijuana sites that have yet to be discovered. Simply put, there is not enough law enforcement to cover all of the Daniel Boone National Forest without abandoning other duties in the urban part of the state. Believe it or not, but most of this marijuana that is cultivated in Kentucky is actually sent to other states. Many eastern and Midwestern states receive marijuana that is cultivated in Kentucky. These states include Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, New York, and Texas. Kentucky has some of the greatest marijuana production the United States out of any state, which makes it perfectly ideal for transporting to other states. Kentucky is particularly prized since often times there is more marijuana cultivated in Kentucky than the demand.

Something also notable about the cultivation of marijuana in Kentucky is that much of it is done on public land. A lot of the best areas for cultivating marijuana in Kentucky are on public land due to the sun breaking through the trees. This leads to much damage to the natural resources, wildlife, and historical sites of Kentucky, in order for marijuana growers to drive their vehicles into the marijuana growth areas. Hundreds of acres of the Daniel Boone National Forest were found to be greatly impacted and disturbed just by the cultivation of marijuana. So not only does the cultivation of marijuana pose a problem to the citizens of Kentucky and provide a hassle for law enforcement, it also in a way damages the historical significance, the economy, and the flora and fauna of the state. Many endangered species have become only more endangered just because of the marijuana cultivation sites in the state. Unfortunately, since the Daniel Boone National Forest remains very sparse and large, it’s unlikely that this damaging of natural habitat lands will cease.

Another drug that is a threat in Kentucky is meth, and the use of it in the state is on the rise. Meth is actually produced in small operations rather than on a large scale in Kentucky, but there are several of these small operations resulting in the gradual increase of use of meth in the state. Most of the meth that is available in Kentucky is available primarily in the rural areas. However, much of the same methods and strategies that drug dealers are using for cocaine and marijuana are also being used for meth, resulting in it seeping into the more urban areas and large cities of Kentucky.

Perhaps the biggest drug threat in Kentucky is cocaine, and it is available throughout both the urban and rural areas of the state. Most of the traffickers of cocaine are African American or Hispanic with ties to drug dealers in Mexico and Central America. A lot of the cocaine that enters into Kentucky also comes from the southeastern United States, such as Florida. Cocaine continues to be a big drug problem in Kentucky, and until more effective action is taken, the problem of cocaine is only likely to continue to rise.

Pharmaceutical drugs are another drug of concern in Kentucky, but yet it doesn’t receive near the same amount of attention as cocaine or marijuana does. Like other types of drugs, most of the pharmaceutical drugs that are used illegally are in the eastern part of the state. As a result, counties in eastern Kentucky distribute numerous pain medications at some of the highest rates of any county in the entire country.