Article: White House Report Chronicles "Street" Trends in U.S. Drug Use

21 March 2001

Article: White House Report Chronicles "Street" Trends in U.S. Drug Use

Report says cocaine use remains most serious drug problem

Washington -- The abuse of "crack" and powder cocaine remains the most serious drug problem facing the United States, says a new report issued March 21 by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

The 74-page report, entitled "Pulse Check: Trends in Drug Abuse Mid-Year 2000," chronicles the "street" trends in U.S. drug abuse between 1999 and 2000. "Pulse Check," which is issued biannually, places crack cocaine and powder cocaine in a single category. If those two cocaine forms were separated, "it is possible that heroin would equal or even surpass crack" as the country's most serious drug problem, ONDCP said.

The report says availability of so-called "club drugs" such as Ecstasy has increased dramatically across the nation. A special focus on the spread of Ecstasy is offered in the report.

The ONDCP also reports that marijuana remains by far the most widely available illicit drug, with adolescents outnumbering other age groups entering treatment for marijuana use. Cocaine is the second most available drug, followed by heroin.

ONDCP Acting Director Edward Jurith said in a March 21 statement that "Pulse Check" gives policymakers an update on the latest trends. "We never again want another 'crack epidemic' to blindside this nation," he declared. "By monitoring what is happening on the streets, we can often see a problem before it becomes an epidemic. We are hoping that the information about Ecstasy's expanding use will provide the information to make informed policy decisions."

The report is available on the Internet at: http://www.whitehousedrug policy.gov/drugfact/index.html.