Texas Drug Statistics

It is no surprise that Texas is synonymous with the word big. This massive state has big personality, big names and is big on food, music and economic diversity. Texans eagerly represent their state and are proud of its incredible history, sports teams, progress and traditions. As with most states, Texas has many residents who are afflicted with addiction to narcotics and alcoholism. Palm Partners Recovery Center is here to readily assist those who are motivated to overcome their chemical dependency. Our professionals tailor our effective program to individual needs so ensure long lasting recovery.

Data shows that those 26 and older particularly need – and aren’t receiving – drug detox and rehab in Texas. If you’re using and abusing, call Palm Partners Addiction Detox and Rehab now for immediate help: 214-843-0947. Get into the right facility and transform your life. Our professionals are standing by, 24/7.

What you should know

Poly-drug groups transport an immense amount of drugs through Texas by land, sea and air. Most drugs go to major consumer markets in the Midwest, Southeast and the East. Like legitimate shipping firms, the transportation groups move whatever product the distribution organizations request. The Dallas/Fort Worth area, Houston, the El Paso/Juarez Corridor and the Big Bend Corridor are transshipment points. Mexican trafficking organizations dominate smuggling and transportation of meth, heroin, cocaine and marijuana. West Texas is the gateway for narcotics.

Traffickers obtain warehouses in El Paso for stash locations and recruit local drivers to transport the drugs throughout the U.S. Mexican organizations control traffickers in Midland/Odessa to the north and Presidio and Redford to the south on the border.

Compared to other states

• Illicit drugs overall – low for those 18 and older
• Cocaine – average for those 18 and older
• Pharmaceuticals – moderately low for those 18 and older
• Alcohol – moderately low for those 26 and older, low for those 18-25
• Marijuana – low for those 18 and older

Source: SAMHSA’s most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health, based on 2008-2009 annual averages. SAMHSA is the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

A closer look

Marijuana

Most widely used drug. Easily available in El Paso, marijuana is the traffickers’ drug of choice for transshipment through the El Paso/Juarez corridor into the U.S. and for local consumption. Multi-ton and multi-pound loads are seen at all transportation terminals, U.S. checkpoints and courier service locations.

Cocaine

Crack easily available in larger cities and small towns. Crack is produced in state and trafficked by local organizations in east Texas to western Louisiana. North Texas is a transshipment area for cocaine distributed in passenger vehicles and tractor-trailers to the Midwest, the North and the East. Bulk quantities of Colombian cocaine move through Houston in commercial trucks. Smaller loads are transported in privately owned vehicles and with couriers on buses and airlines.

Pharmaceuticals

OxyContin on the rise. Abuse is also high for hydrocodone products, pseudoephedrine, benzodiazepines, codeine products, fentanyl, ketamine, Buprenex and phentermine. Sources are illegal and indiscriminate prescribing and dispensing, pharmacy theft, employee theft, forged prescriptions and the internet. The source for OxyContin abuse is mostly illegal prescriptions from pain management doctors. Mexican border pharmacies remain a vital source of illegal pharmaceuticals in Houston. Also contributing to the state-wide threat is a severe shortage of qualified medical personnel in Texas, forcing state authorities to grant prescriptive authority to practitioners not licensed in other states.

Heroin

Mexican black tar and brown heroin the primary heroin threats. Small amounts of Asian heroin also are seen in south Texas. Because heroin is socially and culturally accepted in Texas, enforcement actions have been difficult. But law enforcement has greatly reduced the availability of street-level amounts.

Dallas/Fort Worth is a transshipment point for black tar to the East, Southwest and Midwest. Houston is a transshipment for Colombian heroin to the East Coast.

Methamphetamine

High availability. Mostly from Mexico, meth is also produced in small amounts in east Texas, Corpus Christi and Austin. Mexican heroin comes directly from Mexico or via California and Arizona. From Houston, meth is distributed to the Midwest and the East Coast. In addition, Houston reports the availability of ice at local clubs and from Mexican traffickers.

Club drugs

Available in all major cities. MDMA (Ecstasy) is the most abused. Sources are northern Mexico, Belgium and the Netherlands. Mexican and Asian traffickers typically transport the drug through airlines via couriers. Other frequently abused drugs are LSD, ketamine, GHB, Rohypnol and PCP. Raves, clubs and gyms are a particularly popular venue for MDMA, but also for other drugs.

Alcohol

Not a significant problem.

Percentage of Texas population using/abusing drugs

¹ Age group is based on a respondent’s age at the time of the interview, not his or her age at first use.

² Illicit Drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used non-medically. Illicit Drugs Other Than Marijuana include cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used non-medically.

³ When the Perception of Great Risk in using marijuana or alcohol is low, use of marijuana or alcohol is high.

⁴ Binge Alcohol Use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30 days.

⁵ Dependence or abuse is based on definitions found in the 4^th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).

⁶ Needing But Not Receiving Treatment refers to respondents needing treatment for illicit drugs or alcohol, but not receiving treatment at a specialty facility.

⁷ Major Depressive Episode is a period of at least 2 weeks when a person experienced a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities and had a majority of the symptoms for depression as described in the DSM-IV.

Source: Condensed version of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004 and 2005, from SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies.