From 1999 to 2000, the use of MDMA increased among all three grade levels measured in this study - 8th, 10th, and 12th. For 10th and 12th graders, this is the second consecutive year MDMA use has increased. Past year use of MDMA increased among 8th graders from 1.7 percent in 1999 to 3.1 percent in 2000; from 4.4 percent to 5.4 percent among 10th graders; and from 5.6 percent to 8.2 percent among 12th graders. Also among 12th graders, the perceived availability of MDMA rose from 40.1 percent in 1999 to 51.4 percent in 2000. In the 17th century, many people in Europe were treated for a variety of health problems with opium. In 1729, opium smoking was made illegal in China and soon the importation of opium was banned. This ban upset the British who were in charge of trading this valuable product. Opium was still smuggled into China and this caused the "Opium Wars" (1839-1842 and 1856-1860) between the British and the Chinese. When posed the question, “Who’s using heroin?” the answer may not be what one would expect. An epidemic of heroin use over the past five years crosses generational, socioeconomic and geographic boundaries to plague all areas of American culture. Heroin, once a drug primarily associated with aging inner-city addicts, has become popular among suburban and rural populations, and is used by adults and adolescents. During 2001, wholesale prices for South American heroin ranged from $50,000 to $250,000 per kilogram. Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin wholesale prices ranged from $35,000 to $120,000 per kilogram, and Mexican heroin ranged from $15,000 to $65,000 per kilogram. Street-level heroin usually sells for $10 per dose, although prices vary throughout the country. |
