2015 Drug Trends in Delaware

In Delaware, the four most illegal drugs bought and sold are marijuana, crack and powder cocaine, and heroin. In addition, like the rest of the country, prescription drug abuse is also a problem in the state. Drugs like Oxycontin are still readily available to those abusing prescription drugs. Club drugs like ecstasy and others are also widely available in the state.

More Cocaine Entering the State

Both forms of cocaine are readily available in most of the state. Both state and local law enforcement agencies have reported that the amount of cocaine, especially crack cocaine, has increased in the state. Some cocaine distribution networks are moving their operations to Wilmington from New York or Boston because they perceive there are fewer police.

Wilmington has easy access to New York, Philadelphia and Boston, with most of the drugs coming into the state through that corridor. Most of the crack cocaine coming into the state is being distributed from Philadelphia. Crack is widely available in the state, not only in big cities like Wilmington, but in rural and suburban areas as well. Crack users come from all areas of the state and they are from all socio-economic backgrounds.

Heroin Still Widely Available

Heroin use remains steady in the state as it is readily available, although it is more prevalent in the northern part of Delaware. Distribution networks are relocating to Wilmington, as they are with cocaine, because of its easy access to New York, Boston and Philadelphia. Just as with crack cocaine, people of all ages, races and economic backgrounds are using heroin.

The price of heroin in the area has gone done, but the purity of it has gone up, which is a growing concern among state officials. Heroin has become popular with teenagers and young adults, who often use it in combination with alcohol or cocaine. This has led to more overdose deaths in the state.

Club Drugs More of a Summertime Problem

Although club drugs like ecstasy, Ketamine and GHB are widely available at raves and nightclubs, especially in the Wilmington area, they are more widely available in places like Rehoboth Beach during the summertime. As more young adults hit the beach during the summer, the demand for these drugs increase in nightclubs and other places were teenagers and young adults congregate.

Most recently, another designer drug called FOXY has been found in the state. The pills are purple or red and its effect is similar to both ecstasy and GHB. These designer drugs are also in demand on college campuses throughout the year. The primary sources for ecstasy, and other similar drugs, in Delaware is New York City and Philadelphia.

Marijuana Demand is Steady

Although adults remain the primary users of recreational marijuana, use among teenagers and young adults is high. This drug is readily available and its users come from all backgrounds, races and ages. There has been more “high quality” marijuana found in the state, particularly in the Newark area. High quality marijuana is more potent, so the high is better according to users.

Young people often use marijuana in combination with alcohol. Marijuana is often brought into the state through FEDEX and UPS shipments from the West and Southwestern parts of the country. There are also some smaller growing operations in the state distributing marijuana to fill the demand.

Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse

The abuse of prescription drugs has been called an epidemic in Delaware by the state’s Attorney General. Prescription drug abuse has also been linked to the use of heroin . More than half of all teens and young adults who have injected heroin say they were addicted to prescription drugs. Prescription drugs like Oxycontin are still high in demand, but as they are expensive on the street, other drugs like oxycodone, Percocet, Tylox, and Roxicet are heavily used in the state.

Most prescription drugs are easily obtained from the medicine cabinets of friends or family and they are also obtained through fraud, such as forging a doctor’s drug id number and signature. They may also be obtained legitimately from a doctor who will prescribe them even though their patient may no longer have a medical need for them. The expensive of Oxycontin on the street leads people to try and get addicted to heroin.

The state keeps trying to come up with solutions for combating the spread of illicit drugs in the state. Last year, they enacted a law that allows people with prescription drugs like Oxycontin to drop them in a box for proper disposal so no one can steal and take them.