Pulse Check: Trends in Drug Abuse, Mid–Year 2000

Executive Office of the President
Office of National Drug Control Policy
Washington, DC 20503, NCJ 186747
March 2001

Entire document in PDF format (478 kb)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Highlights
Introduction
Heroin
Marijuana
Crack and Powder Cocaine
Methamphetamine
Special Topic: "Ecstasy" and Other Club Drugs
Appendix 1: Methodology
Appendix 2: Population Demographics in the 20 Pulse Check Sites
Appendix 3: National-Level Data Sources Available in the 20 Pulse Check Sites
Appendix 4: Pulse Check Sources

Exhibits

Highlights
Exhibit 1. How serious is the perceived drug problem?
Exhibit 2. How has the perceived drug problem changed between 1999 and 2000?
Exhibit 3. What are the most serious drug problems in the 20 Pulse Check communities?
Exhibit 4. In which sites has the"most serious" drug problem changed?
Exhibit 5. What new problems have emerged or intensified during 2000?
Exhibit 6. How available are illegal drugs in Pulse Check communities?

Heroin
Exhibit 1. How has heroin availability changed (1999 vs 2000)?.
Exhibit 2. How available are the different forms of heroin?
Exhibit 3. How is heroin referred to, and what types of heroin predominate, in different regions of the country?
Exhibit 4. Heroin gram prices and purity, by heroin type and city
Exhibit 5. What age group is most likely to use heroin?
Exhibit 6. How do users administer heroin?
Exhibit 7. Where and with whom is heroin used?
Exhibit 8. How has heroin use impacted the health of users?
Exhibit 9. Where is street-level heroin sold?
Exhibit 10. What other drugs do heroin dealers sell?
Exhibit 11. Heroin brand names in selected Pulse Check sites

Cocaine
Exhibit 1. How available is cocaine?
Exhibit 2. How has crack cocaine availability changed (1999 vs 2000)?
Exhibit 3: Crack cocaine gram prices and purity by city
Exhibit 4. How has powder cocaine availability changed (1999 vs 2000)?
Exhibit 5. Powder cocaine gram prices and purity by city
Exhibit 6. How is crack cocaine referred to across different regions of the country?
Exhibit 7. How is powder cocaine referred to across different regions of the country?
Exhibit 8. How has the number of novice crack users in Pulse Check sources' treatment programs changed (1999 vs 2000)?
Exhibit 9. What age group is most likely to use crack?
Exhibit 10. Where and with whom is crack used?
Exhibit 11. Where and with whom is powder cocaine used?
Exhibit 12. Where is street-level crack sold?
Exhibit 13. What other drugs do crack dealers sell?
Exhibit 14. Where is street-level powder cocaine sold?
Exhibit 15. What other drugs do powder cocaine dealers sell?

Marijuana
Exhibit 1. How available are the different forms of marijuana?
Exhibit 2. How has marijuana availability changed (1999 vs 2000)?
Exhibit 3. Marijuana prices by ounce, by type and city
Exhibit 4. How is marijuana referred to in different regions of the country?
Exhibit 5. How are different drug users referred to treatment?
Exhibit 6. How are marijuana sellers organized?
Exhibit 7. Where is street-level marijuana sold?
Exhibit 8. What other drugs do marijuana dealers sell?

Methamphetamine
Exhibit 1. How available is methamphetamine by U.S. region?
Exhibit 2. How has methamphetamine availability changed by region?
Exhibit 3. Methamphetamine gram prices and purity by region and city
Exhibit 4. How is methamphetamine referred to in different regions of the country?
Exhibit 5. Where is street-level methamphetamine sold?

Special Topic: "Ecstasy" and Other Club Drugs
Exhibit 1. How available are club drugs across the United States?
Exhibit 2. How available are the different forms of ecstasy?
Exhibit 3. Has club drug availability changed between 1999 and 2000?
Exhibit 4. Slang terms for club drugs and club drug combinations across the United States
Exhibit 5. Ecstasy prices per pill by region and city
Exhibit 6. Where do ecstasy users tend to live?
Exhibit 7. Where is street-level ecstasy sold?
Exhibit 8. How are ecstasy pills labeled in reporting Pulse Check cities?
Exhibit 9. Club drug user and seller characteristics