Epidemiologic Trends in Drug Abuse, Highlights and Executive Summary, Proceedings of the Community Epidemiology Work Group  (CEWG), National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, January 2007

For the past 30 years the CEWG as served as a national drug abuse surveillance system. Epidemiologists and researchers from 22 geographically disperse areas of the U.S. meet twice a year to share qualitative and quantitative information on current and emerging drug abuse patterns and trends. This report presents the highlights of their 61st meeting.

• Methamphetamine abuse indicators decreased or remained stable in most CEWG areas, however there is growing concern about the increased trafficking, availability, and abuse of higher purity methamphetamine from Mexico in most CEWG areas and the changing demographics in methamphetamine-abusing populations.
• Cocaine/crack abuse indicators remained stable at high levels in 16 CEWG areas, stable at lower levels in 3 CEWG areas, and increased in 3 CEWG areas.
• Heroin abuse indicators were stable or mixed in 15 CEWG areas, lower in 5 and higher in 2.  Increasingly, prescription opiate drugs were being used in combination with heroin in 5 CEWG areas.
• Marijuana continues to be the most widely available and abused drug across the CEWG areas, especially among adolescents and young adults.
• Hydrocodone and oxycodone continue to be the most widely abused other opiates in many of the CEWG areas.

The full report can be found at http://www.drugabuse.gov/PDF/CEWG/Vol1_107.pdf