New Jersey Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation
Treatment Situation
The state of New Jersey is located at the cross roads of two major states-
New York and Pennsylvania, and has been referred to as the “crossroads
of the east.” It is also a gateway state linked with major interstate
highways, airports, seaports, and other financial banking corporations. The
ideal location of New Jersey is capable of accepting ample amounts of national
and international passenger and cargo traffic. New Jersey is a perfect strategic
passageway as well as a vulnerable passage for transportation of illicit drugs
and money.
In 2006, the high increase in fatal and non fatal overdoes linked to Fentanyl
helped establish an Intelligence Gathering Initiative, “OPERATION UNDERTAKER.”
Operation UNDERTAKER was established to identify areas of drug abuse. This program
brought in more awareness of the drug situation in the State.
Cocaine/Crack
Addiction and Abuse
Cocaine remains the most popular drug abused in New Jersey. Crack remains
readily available throughout the state and is the drug of choice for the lower
income and socially deprived individuals. New Jersey is a major pipeline for
international cocaine trafficking organizations. Cocaine is easily smuggled
into NJ ports from South America and Mexico. Other routes of smuggling are the
complex and multitude of interstates from all over the North East.
Colombian and Dominican trafficking organizations dominate the cocaine drug
trade at the wholesale level. At the street level, these drug traffickers have
integrated with various gangs who help distribute
the drug. Because of the less scrutiny by NJ law enforcement officials, many
New York-based drug cartels routinely store their illicit drugs in NJ. From
NJ, the drug is smuggled into most major cities in America.
Heroin
Addiction and Abuse
Heroin is mainly smuggled in from Colombia and represents the most significant
narcotic problem in New Jersey. The problem is highlighted by the numerous medical
emergency admissions that these addicts require. Because of the high quality
of heroin and low price, it is one of the most abused drugs in the State. Despite
the presence of contaminants and the lack of a pure product, it continues to
be a major drug of abuse.
Over the years, heroin from both South America and Asia has become easily
available in NJ. Recent seizures indicate that the bulk of heroin is from the
Caribbean and surrounding islands. The majority of heroin from South America
is smuggled in via the sea and the air. The large busy airport and the use of
private planes has made it easy for smugglers to bring in heroin. Once the heroin
is brought in to the State, it is readily repackaged and shipped both across
and out of state using couriers.
Methamphetamine
Addiction
Methamphetamine is the most available and widely used drug in New Jersey.
Methamphetamine is either smuggled in from the Southern USA or made locally.
The majority of methamphetamine is smuggled in via automobiles, trucks and campers
from the South.
Locally manufactured methamphetamine is only on a small scale because of the
lack of availability of precursor chemicals. However, clandestine laboratories
are located across the state and are hard to detect. In addition, these laboratories
present hazards such as toxic waste, environmental pollution and there is always
the risk of fire. Once the drug is brought into the state, the control of spread
is by various ethnic groups including motorcycle and street gangs
who are extremely territorial and also not shy about using violence and extortion.
Despite aggressive law enforcement polices, methamphetamine use continues
to be a problem in all urban cities in NJ.
Pharmaceutical
Drugs
The majority of pharmaceutical companies are located in NJ and abuse of pharmaceutical
drugs is widely prevalent in the state. The majority obtain their drugs via
doctor shopping, prescription forgery, pharmacy break-INS, and via the internet.
The most commonly abused pharmaceuticals are Percocet, OxyContin, Xanax, Vicodin,
and Hydrocodone. Because of the lucrative trade, many drugs are also smuggled
in from Canada and México. However, recently fake pills from México
have also entered this market.
Marijuana Addiction
Marijuana is the most readily available illicit drug in New Jersey. Marijuana
is transported to New Jersey via automobiles, tractor- trailers, cargo vessels,
US Postal Service and commercial air from Southwest and Mexico. The majority
of the marijuana encountered in the State is of Mexican origin. Marijuana from
Canada and Jamaica has also been encountered, on a lesser scale. Additionally,
marijuana is also produced locally at indoor and outdoor grows.
Various smuggling techniques have been utilized by organizations in an attempt
to prevent law enforcement detection. Most of the marijuana seizures in the
state have occurred at the Newark Airport. Other seizures have occurred at the
post services. No single ethnic group controls the wholesale distribution of
marijuana within the State. Retail dealers on the street either belong to some
gangs or are of the same ethnic origin as the whole sale dealers.
Indoor marijuana cultivation is usually encountered in the southern, rural
areas of the state, where the opportunity of detection is low. However, over
the past year, several indoor marijuana grows have been discovered and traffickers
arrested.
Substance
Abuse Prevention
DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams were established in response to the overwhelming
problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation.
In addition, DEA Regional Enforcement Teams have been developed to augment existing
DEA division resources by targeting drug organizations operating in the United
States where there is a lack of sufficient local drug law enforcement. This
program was conceived in 1999 in response to the threat posed by drug trafficking
organizations that have established networks of cells to conduct drug trafficking
operations in smaller, non-traditional trafficking locations in the United States.
Drug Policy Alliance
Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey has been dedicated to making New Jersey a
leader in drug policy reform. New Jersey’s rigid, ineffective and counterproductive
drug policies have caused more harm and wasted taxpayer money when it comes
to drug addicts. Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey advocates for useful drug policies
based on facts, science, compassion, health and human rights.
Sterile Syringe Access and Harm Reduction
Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey’s has successfully enabled a law which
allows municipalities to establish syringe access programs! The passage of this
law is a major victory in the fight against HIV and hepatitis C. Drug Policy
Alliance New Jersey continues working for expanded municipal access and access
through non-prescription sale of syringes in pharmacies.
Medical Marijuana
Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey has launched the Compassionate Use Campaign
in 2006 to advocate for legislation that would allow seriously ill patients
in New Jersey to have access to medical marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.
Sentencing Reform
New Jersey has the highest proportion of drug offenders as part of the overall
prison population. Disproportionate rates of incarceration for African Americans
and Latinos for drug offenses have broken up communities and families. While
other states have successfully implemented sentencing alternatives, such as
Proposition 36 in California, New Jersey has yet to act to seriously address
these inhuman disparities and injustices.
Collateral Consequences of Drug Convictions
One of the most severe penalties of drug conviction in NJ was the loss of a
driver’s license, no matter how trivial the drug offense. Drug Policy
Alliance New Jersey has recently enabled legislation that would give judges
discretion not to revoke driver's licenses in compelling circumstances, such
as needing a license to get to work or drug treatment. Last year, the New Jersey
Senate and Assembly passed this important legislation.
New Jersey Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Rehabilitation Categories
