NCJ Number
204709
Date Published
May 2001
Length
44 pages
Annotation
This report describes the status and outlook of the drug threat to Wisconsin.
Abstract
Milwaukee’s geographic location and multifaceted transportation infrastructure make it an ideal drug transportation and distribution center. Among the most significant drug threats to Wisconsin are cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin. Following an executive summary, an overview of the drug threat to Wisconsin, and a discussion of the State’s gang problem, each chapter presents an overview of the five most salient drug threats to the State, offering information on the rate of local abuse; local availability; violence associated with the drug; and the production, transportation, and distribution of the drug. Cocaine poses the primary drug threat to Wisconsin and is available throughout the State, but is concentrated in Milwaukee because of its proximity to Chicago. Cocaine is associated with violent crime in Wisconsin, primarily due to the distribution and abuse of cocaine by street gangs. A record number of deaths were associated with cocaine in 1997 and treatment admissions for cocaine increased from 431 in 1993 to 785 in 1998. Marijuana is the most widely available and frequently abused drug in the State. Violence is generally not associated with the abuse of marijuana, however law enforcement authorities report there is increasing violence associated with the cultivation of cannabis in Wisconsin. Most of the marijuana available in Wisconsin is produced in Mexico, but local cultivation is increasing, mainly in the State’s rural areas. Methamphetamine presents an increasing threat to Wisconsin, particularly because of its low cost and long-lasting effects. Mexican criminal groups transport most of the methamphetamine available in the State, however laboratory seizures are increasing substantially. Finally, heroin poses an increasing threat to Wisconsin, particularly in the Milwaukee area. The number of heroin-related deaths more than doubled in Dane County between 1999 and 2000. Street gangs are the primary distributors of heroin at the street-level and violent criminal activities have been linked with the heroin trade in Wisconsin. Other dangerous drugs posing a threat to Wisconsin include MDMA, GHB, and ketamine. Predictions on the future outlook for the drug threat to Wisconsin are offered. Map, tables, charts, sources