Arizona Drug Abuse, Addiction and Treatment and Rehabilitation Situation
Being directly North of Mexico has meant that Arizona has become a major port
of drug entry into the United States. Despite aggressive policing and an inhospitable
terrain, steep mountain ranges, sparse population the Mexican border remains
ideal for the drug smugglers. Because of its location, Arizona serves as a route
for most drug smuggling and interstate shipment. The drug smuggling is carried
out by well organized Cartels runs by the Mexican and Columbians. These hierarchical
groups are ruthless, organized and have an abundance of money to finance their
illegal trade.
Cocaine Addiction
Both Phoenix and Tucson are fast becoming major transshipment points for cocaine
distribution from Arizona throughout the United States. Cocaine is shipped in
from Colombia by air, land and sea to controlled regions in Mexico. From there
it is then transported to mobile staging areas across the long Arizona/Mexico
border.
From the border, rapid transportation groups align with the Mexican smugglers
and bring cocaine into Arizona typically utilizing commercial trucks, private
vehicles, animal caravans and backpackers. Because of the long border and lack
of law enforcement, large quantities of cocaine are smuggled across the border
on a regular basis. Once inside the State, the cocaine is repackaged in to smaller
loads and rapidly distributed via the interstates
Heroin Addiction
Mexican black tar heroin is commonly found in Arizona. Heroin is smuggled
into Arizona primarily through Arizona’s multiple Ports of Entry by backpackers,
pedestrians or within hidden compartments in automobiles. Because of the read
availability and decreased price, there is an abundance of available heroin
in the State. A major concern over the years has been the increasing presence
of heroin available among school children and public schools.
Methamphetamine
Both local and Mexican produced methamphetamine is easily available in Arizona.
The majority of methamphetamine is smuggled fro Mexico via courier services.
Methamphetamine is also locally developed in numerous clandestine laboratories
throughout the state. Both the local and imported amphetamine present great
challenges to law enforcement. Arizona serves as a major distribution center
for Mexican methamphetamine smuggled across border and serves as a distribution
point for most Midwest cities. The large terrain, rural and mountainous area
makes policing difficult.
Marijuana Addiction
Like all States, marijuana is easily available and widely used in Arizona.
Seizures of large quantities of marijuana by custom officials is not unusual.
The majority of seizures occur at border crossing. Large quantities are smuggled
in via “mules” across the remote and rugged Arizona terrain. Large
scale marijuana is also smuggled using tractor-trailers as well as refrigerated
utility trucks and transported across the State.
Pharmaceutical Diversion
Data from methadone registered clinics indicate that more than 50% of new
admissions for treatment are related to use of pharmaceutical drugs. Over the
past few years, Arizona has been witnessing a steady increase in the abuse of
OxyContin. Oxycodone products, Vicodin, Percodan and soma. These commonly prescribed
pain medications are heavily abused by all groups and ages. Illegal methods
of obtaining these prescription drugs include doctor shopping, forged prescription,
pharmacy break-ins and via the internet.
In addition, these prescription controlled drugs are also smuggled in from
Mexico and via internet shipments of controlled substances from foreign source
websites. Lately, the DEA has clamped down on most internet drug sites but the
abuse of these drugs is still rampant.
Drug Seizures
Drugs and cash seizures are common along the Arizona highways. The bulk of
the drugs and money are smuggled in passenger cars with hidden compartments.
Despite the heighten security at airports, drug smugglers still use this method
to transport drug and seizures are very common. The couriers use novel and ingenious
methods of concealments. Because of the associated money laundering associated
with drug crime, the drug enforcement agency regularly monitors both In and
out of state money transfers
Drug Monitoring and Control
DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams have been established within the state in response
to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities
across the State. Law enforcement agencies continue to receive and monitor information
on the use of subterranean tunnels to transfer both narcotics and undocumented
migrants across the border. Many tunnels have been detected over the last decade
but because of the wide spread unguarded border, limited law enforcement personnel
it has been difficult to monitor the development of new tunnels, making this
a primary transit point for narcotics/immigrants being smuggled from Mexico
into the United States.
Legislation
Arizona established a law in l996 that allows physicians to prescribe any
Schedule I drug (including marijuana). The patient must be seriously ill and
have a recommendation for that drug from a second physician on file. Because
the Food and Drug Administration regulates such prescriptions, physicians cannot
prescribe Schedule I drugs unless they have prior approval from the federal
government.
A decade ago, Arizona became the first state to employ comprehensive drug
policies. That proposal, also known as the Drug Medicalization, Prevention and
Control Act of 1996, mandates that non-violent drug offenders arrested for simple
possession or use of an illegal drug must receive drug treatment instead of
jail time for their first and second offenses. It also allows doctors to prescribe
marijuana for medicinal use when it becomes legal to do so under federal law.
This new law has managed to save Arizona taxpayers millions of dollars both
in terms of treatment and imprisonment costs. The majority of the offenders
tested drug-free after completing the program. The Supreme Court concluded,
“The Drug Medicalization, Prevention and Control Act of 1996 has allowed
the judicial branch to build an effective probation model to treat and supervise
substance abusing offenders. . . . All of these factors are resulting in safer
communities and more substance abusing probationers in recovery.”
Arizona Appellate Court Judge Rudy Gerber reports, “[Proposition 200]
is doing more to reduce drug use and crime than any other state program and
saving taxpayer dollars at the same time.”