Police Role in the Community Chapter 11 James J. Drylie, Ph.D.
Drugs in Society Accurately pinpointing the extent of the current drug problem today is difficult. One estimate reports that almost 20 million Americans 12 and older currently use drugs. Approximately 8 percent have used some kind of drug in the past 30 days. The National Drug Survey reports some 35 million using drugs and abusing prescription medications.
The national Survey on Drug Use and Health (2007) reports that illicit drug use among 12-17 year olds has remained stable. Baby boomers, 50-54 have seen a 3.4 percent increase in 2002 and a 5.7 increase five years later. The Monitoring the Future survey is a national instrument with a 34 year history. It is viewed as one of the most reliable sources of information on drug problems.
The MTF Survey Nationally representative samples of 50K 8 th, 10 th and 12 th graders. The MTF has shown a continued gradual decline in the use of certain drugs Amphetamine Methamphetamine Crystal Meth Cocaine Crack Marijuana is cited as the most widely used illicit drug and there is a slight increase in use in 2008. The gateway theory asserts that milder drugs lead to experimentation with harder, more illicit drugs.
Why the concern? What are some problems associated with drugs/? Drug use Health Family
Understanding Methamphetamine Methamphetamine is a synthetic drug with highly addictive properties. Meth can be manufactured in a campsite by tweekers who can purchase the precursors to manufacture the drug at local hardware stores. The manufacture of Meth is a highly volitle process and includes distilling precursor chemicals with flammable liquids. Concentrated in parts of the country Hawaii, California, Arizona and Montana
Underage Drinking Unlike illicit drugs, alcohol is legal for consumption. The MTF survey has found that alcohol use has fallen 40 percent in the last decade. Alcohol kills 4 times as many kids compared to illicit drugs. The trends in alcohol use tend to parallel trends in illicit drug use.
A National Strategy The Harrison Act (1914) made the buying, selling and use of certain drugs illegal. It was not until 1973 that President Nixon declared a war on drugs. $420 million was spent in 1973 Over 12 billion today. Each president has a strategy to deal with drugs.
Examining the strategy The strategy is intended to reduce drug use through a balanced approach that focuses on stopping use before it starts, healing drug users and disrupting the market. Three core components: Prevention Treatment Law enforcement efforts
Prevention Stop it before it starts DARE Reality-based education Life skills training
Treatment What is the actual cost? Health Work Loss of productivity Loss of wages Legal Prosecution Incarceration
Federal Military Law enforcement Borders Transportation State Law enforcement Local Law enforcement Disruption
Strategies Drug raids to seize people and product. Broad assumptions Drugs Guns Money Surveillance to gather information. Visual Electronic Computerized Sweeps interrupt street level operations.
Public Housing Problems Large amounts of people in limited areas. Broken Windows Poor environmental design, conducive to limiting line of sight and public efficacy. These areas often create open drug markets. These markets pose a greater threat than closed markets where dealers sell only to people they know.
Methamphetamine There are three main dangers associated with this drug and the potential for individual and small scale manufacturing and use: Injuries associated with the explosive nature of the clan lab; Environmental hazards to the tweekers, 1 st responders and others; and Child endangerment
Prescription drug diversion As teens turn their attention form street drugs they are finding a cheaper alternative to getting high prescription drugs. These drugs are kept in medicine cabinets in homes across the Nation. Deaths from these drugs may eclipse that associated with illicit drug use.
Underage Drinking Alcohol is legal. Opinions and attitudes about drinking in the general public can be problematic in combating underage drinking. Cases involving parents allowing underage drinking parties is not uncommon in many communities.