2017 Drug Trends in Winston

The city of Winston-Salem is known for being one of the best places to retire to, and also one of the most innovative cities in North Carolina. However, for all its fanfare, the city isn’t immune to the drug scourge that has ravaged the country for decades now. Winston-Salem has its own set of drug challenges and problems that are giving local health officials and law enforcement agents a run for their money.

Drug-Related Crime Rates

Violent crimes are often linked to drug abuse, and in Winston-Salem, it is no different. The chance of a person getting attacked is one in 16. The crime rate currently stands at 63 per 1,000 residents.  The majority of violent crime that takes place in the city is often property crime e.g. burglaries and vandalism. The FBI says that Winston-Salem has one of the highest motor vehicle theft rates in the country. The rate of having your car stolen in the city is 1 in 330. The majority of these crimes are committed in a bid to fund an addict’s drug lifestyle.

Commonly Abused Drugs in Winston-Salem

The leading drugs abused in the city include heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and crack cocaine. Cocaine and marijuana are the two biggest threats, because they are readily made in California or imported illegally from Mexico and distributed through North Carolina, ending up in cities like Winston-Salem.

Drug enforcement agents have busted several meth labs, which have been discovered recently. What makes meth one of Winston-Salem’s biggest problems is it’s relatively low cost and ease of availability. Meth is the chief drug linked to violent crimes, which include rape, burglaries, murder and robberies.