Drugs in the United States: Massachusetts

Cocaine: Cocaine continues to be readily available from gram to kilogram quantities throughout the state. The primary source area is New York with other source areas including Florida and the Southwest Border. Cocaine is transported in multi-kilogram quantities via commercial transit, tractor trailers, and vehicles equipped with hidden compartments. Cocaine is also imported via mail services. Importers continue to be of Colombian and Dominican origin, with retail distribution among all ethnic groups. Cocaine prices continue to be stable, with slight decreases in purity levels noted. Crack Cocaine is obtained from New York, Florida, and Puerto Rico, and is converted locally as well. African-American violators and street gang members continue to dominate the drugs’ distribution. Abuse remains widespread and crack has been reported as the drug of choice within Boston city limits.

Heroin: High-quality heroin is available from gram to kilogram quantities throughout the state. New York is the primary source area, entering by interstate highway via public and privately operated vehicles equipped with hidden compartments. The primary suppliers are of Colombian and Dominican origin, with retail distribution among all ethnic groups. These centers provide high-quality heroin purchased in pure form, then cut and repackaged for resale. Heroin distribution and use continues to be spread throughout the state, with extremely low wholesale/ retail prices and purity levels routinely exceeding 60%. Abuse remains widespread, with continued reports of heroin overdose deaths and incidences occurring throughout the state.

Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine has a limited availability in Massachusetts, although it has been seen in some areas of Cape Cod and western Massachusetts. Methamphetamine is reportedly abused at “rave” parties by young adults between the ages of 18 to 25; however, individuals in their late 30s to early 40s also abuse the drug.

Club Drugs: MDMA (Ecstasy) and Ketamine are readily available. MDMA is found at rave parties, legitimate nightclubs, and on college campuses across the state. The majority of the MDMA originated from couriers traveling by commercial airlines and express mail deliveries from sources in Western Europe and New York. A small number of seizures have involved MDMA originating from Canada. Ketamine has been diverted from legitimate sources such as veterinary clinics and abused at legitimate nightclubs across the state, particularly in the greater Boston area. Ketamine seems to be one of several drugs, along with MDMA and GHB that are popular in the “rave” scene. GHB is widely available, particularly in western Massachusetts.

Marijuana: Marijuana remains readily available in all areas of the state with the majority of product originating in Mexico or the southwestern United States; however, marijuana of both Colombian and Jamaican origin has been encountered. Personal use quantities of hashish continue to arrive in Boston on flights from the Netherlands and other source countries. The majority of the marijuana is predominantly imported from the Southwest Border via aircraft, land vehicles, and delivery services. Domestically grown marijuana is found in all areas of Massachusetts, from the extreme western part of the state all the way out to Nantucket Island. In the past few years, the state has seen an increase in the marijuana cultivated indoors as well as an increase in the size of the plants.

Other Drugs: Oxycodone products continue to be diverted in the state. Percocet, Roxicet, and OxyContin are readily available in Massachusetts. Oxycontin, diverted from legitimate distributors, is frequently imported into Massachusetts from Mexico. Traffickers are also diverting OxyContin express mail shipments into the greater Boston area. Well-organized doctor shopping rings forged and/or altered prescriptions and diversion from individuals’ prescriptions are the most commonly found diversion methods in the state. An increasing number of pharmacy burglaries and armed robberies have been attributed to the increase in OxyContin abuse.

DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams: This cooperative program with state and local law enforcement counterparts was conceived in 1995 in response to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation. There have been 348 deployments completed resulting in 14,794 arrests of violent drug criminals as of June 2002. There have been 14 MET deployments in Massachusetts since the inception of the program: Lynn, Revere, Webster, Springfield, Lawrence, Everett, Fitchburg, Southbridge, Greenfield, Holyoke, two in Worcester, and two in Boston. These deployments resulted in 335 arrests and the seizure of 6 pounds of cocaine; 15.9 pounds of crack cocaine; 7.5 ounces of heroin; 52 pounds of marijuana; and 352 pills of Ecstasy. Also seized were 16 weapons, 19 vehicles, and over $732,000 in U.S. currency and property.

Special Topics: Based on information from the 2000 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, there are 356 substance abuse treatment centers in Massachusetts. There are twenty drug treatment courts across the state.