Florida Drug Rehab

Top 43 Cities in Florida

Florida drug rehab, particularly South Florida drug rehab is of key focus since Florida is a national transportation hub and distribution center for illicit drugs. The state’s well-developed transportation infrastructure and proximity to source countries make it ideally suited for the movement of licit and illicit goods. Drugs transported by private vehicle, commercial truck, aircraft, maritime vessel, railcar, and package delivery services have an excellent chance of reaching their destinations because of the volume of traffic moving to and through the state daily.

Cocaine: Cocaine addiction, both powdered and crack addictions, poses a serious threat to Florida drug rehab concerns. The drug is readily available, commonly abused, and its distribution and abuse are more often associated with violent crime than any other illicit drug in the state. Drug rehab center Florida is of primary need since Florida is the primary destination for cocaine smuggled from South America through the Caribbean and into the United States. South Florida and, to a lesser extent, Jacksonville and Tampa serve as regional transportation hubs and transshipment points for multi-kilogram to multi-hundred-kilogram quantities of cocaine generally destined for distribution in states east of the Mississippi River. Colombian drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups control cocaine transportation to the state; however, they usually rely on Bahamian, Cuban American, Dominican, Haitian, Jamaican, Puerto Rican, and other Caribbean criminal groups to transport cocaine into Florida. Maritime vessels are the primary conveyances used to transport cocaine into Florida. Colombian drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups are the primary wholesale distributors of powdered cocaine in Florida. The primary criminal groups and gangs that distribute wholesale quantities of crack cocaine in Florida vary by area and include Haitian and Jamaican criminal groups, African American and Hispanic gangs, and local independent Caucasian dealers. Various criminal groups, African American and Hispanic gangs, and Caucasian and African American local independent dealers are the dominant retail distributors of powdered and crack cocaine in Florida. Powdered cocaine often is packaged in plastic bags and distributed at open-air drug markets, private residences, some businesses and offices, parties, nightclubs, and raves or techno parties. Crack cocaine usually is packaged in small plastic bags and distributed at open-air drug markets. With this being the unfortunate case, Florida drug rehab programs and addiction treatment facilities must be greatly expanded to start to make a change.

Heroin: Heroin addiction poses a threat to Florida drug rehab efforts. Heroin is readily available, frequently abused, and the distribution of heroin is occasionally associated with violent crimes such as assault, drive-by shooting, and homicide. South American heroin is most prevalent; however, Mexican black tar heroin and brown powdered heroin also are available, although to a limited degree and addiction treatment is needed in an equal volume to combat this supply. Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin are rarely available in Florida. Miami drug rehab and, to a lesser extent, Orlando drug rehab are primary targets since they are among the primary transportation hubs and transshipment points for South American heroin smuggled into the United States. Colombian drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups control the transportation of South American heroin into Florida using Colombian, Dominican, Jamaican, Puerto Rican and, to a lesser extent, Mexican criminal groups. South American heroin generally is transported into Florida by air, although maritime and overland conveyances also are used. Mexican criminal groups are the dominant transporters of Mexican black tar and Mexican brown powdered heroin into Florida. These groups generally transport the drug into the state in private vehicles and via package delivery services. Colombian criminal groups control the wholesale distribution of South American heroin in Florida; Puerto Rican and Dominican criminal groups, African American and Hispanic gangs, and various local independent dealers are the primary retail distributors. Wholesale quantities of Mexican black tar or brown powdered heroin rarely are available in Florida. Mexican and Puerto Rican criminal groups, Hispanic and African American gangs, and local independent dealers are the primary retail distributors of Mexican black tar and brown powdered heroin in Florida. Retail quantities of heroin usually are packaged in bindles (approximately one-tenth gram folded in tinfoil) and sold at open-air drug markets, from residences and parked vehicles, and in nightclubs, bars, and other clubs. Retail distributors also sell heroin to known associates and often use pagers to arrange meetings with customers. Florida drug rehab efforts must be stepped up to curb the huge local demand for the drug and save those caught in its wake.

Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine poses a serious and increasing threat to Florida drug rehab programs and is a major public health problem in some areas of the state. The drug is frequently available and abused in rural areas and is increasingly available and abused in suburban and metropolitan areas. Methamphetamine production, distribution, and abuse often are associated with violent crime. In central Florida drug rehab focus, an area that historically has had a significant methamphetamine problem, the availability and abuse of the drug have spread outward from Polk County. Most of the methamphetamine available in this area is produced in high volume laboratories in California, Mexico, and southwestern states using the hydriodic acid/red phosphorus method. Significant quantities of methamphetamine available in Polk and surrounding counties are produced locally, primarily using the Birch reduction method. In northern Florida drug rehab planning the number of methamphetamine laboratories has increased as users have learned how to produce the drug. Locally produced methamphetamine is increasingly available and abused in this area, although an increasing amount of methamphetamine produced in Mexico, California, and southwestern states also is available in the state. Southern Florida drug rehab concerns include crystal methamphetamine which is frequently seen in clubs and used in combination with other drugs, including MDMA. Mexican drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups, the dominant transporters of methamphetamine, usually smuggle the drug in commercial and private vehicles into Florida from California, Mexico, and southwestern states. Methamphetamine also is transported into the state via couriers on commercial aircraft and via package delivery services from California, Mexico, and southwestern states. Mexican drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups dominate the wholesale distribution of methamphetamine statewide. They typically sell pound quantities of methamphetamine to Caucasian and Mexican criminal groups who then sell ounce quantities to local independent Caucasian and Mexican dealers, the dominant retail distributors in the state. Street gangs such as Latin Kings, Vice Lords, and Sureños 13 also distribute retail quantities of methamphetamine in Florida. Retail quantities (1 gram to one-quarter gram) of methamphetamine usually are packaged in small plastic bags and sold on street corners and at open-air drug markets, private residences, bars, housing projects, mobile home parks, and occasionally at raves or techno parties. Methamphetamine addiction is yet another cause for Florida drug rehab programs to step up their pace to meet the demand.

Marijuana: Marijuana is the most widely available and frequently abused illicit drug in Florida and an additional Florida drug rehab concern. Most of the marijuana available in Florida is produced in Jamaica or Mexico. Significant quantities of marijuana also are produced in Florida and other U.S. states—particularly California and southwestern states—as well as in Canada and Colombia. Marijuana frequently is smuggled to Florida from Jamaica aboard maritime vessels, on private or commercial aircraft, or via package delivery services. Marijuana also is transported from Canada, Mexico, and southwestern states in private vehicles, trucks, via package delivery services, and by couriers or air cargo shipments on commercial airlines. Colombian drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups or groups working on their behalf use the same methods to transport marijuana south from New York into Florida and use couriers or cargo shipments on commercial airlines to smuggle marijuana from South America. Jacksonville drug rehab and Miami drug rehab are key since they are regional distribution centers for wholesale and retail quantities of marijuana. Jamaican and Mexican criminal groups are the most prominent wholesale distributors of marijuana in Florida; however, no specific organization or group controls wholesale marijuana distribution in the state. Jamaican, Mexican, African American, Caucasian, Cuban and other Caribbean criminal groups; local independent African American and Caucasian dealers; and gangs such as Gangster Disciples, Latin Kings, Vice Lords, and Sureños 13 are the most prominent midlevel and retail distributors of marijuana in the state. At the retail level marijuana usually is packaged in plastic bags for $5 and $10—known, respectively, as nickel and dime bags—and distributed at low-income housing areas, open-air drug markets, and in economically depressed rural areas in Florida. Marijuana also is sold to established contacts at bars and nightclubs, from some businesses and private homes, and on college, high school, and middle school campuses. This abundance of available marijuana is yet another cause for Florida drug rehab programs to step up their pace to meet the demand.

Club Drugs: MDMA (also known as ecstasy, Adam, E, X, and XTC) frequently is widely available and abused in Florida requiring more Florida drug rehab centers. The drug is most prevalent in or near large metropolitan areas including Jacksonville drug rehab concerns, Miami drug rehab concerns, Orlando drug rehab concerns, and Tampa drug rehab concerns and in cities with major colleges or universities such as Gainesville drug rehab concerns and Tallahassee drug rehab concerns. MDMA increasingly is available in smaller cities and towns throughout the state. Most MDMA available in Florida is produced in the Netherlands and Belgium; however, MDMA sometimes is produced locally. Israeli and Russian drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups are the dominant transporters of MDMA into Florida. Western European, Caribbean, Colombian, Dominican and, to a lesser extent, U.S.-based Caucasian criminal groups also transport significant quantities of MDMA into Florida. Most of the MDMA transported into Florida is smuggled from source or transit countries by couriers on passenger airlines or via package delivery services. MDMA occasionally is smuggled aboard maritime vessels arriving from foreign countries, by air freight, or is transported in commercial and private vehicles from other states. South Florida is a regional distribution center for wholesale quantities of MDMA. Israeli, Russian, Colombian, and Western European drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups are the primary wholesale distributors of MDMA in Florida. Dominican, other Caribbean and, to a lesser extent, U.S.-based Caucasian criminal groups also distribute wholesale quantities of MDMA in Florida. Wholesale distributors typically supply multi-thousand-tablet quantities of MDMA to midlevel distributors who, in turn, supply up to multi-hundred-tablet quantities to retail distributors. Local independent Caucasian dealers are the primary retail distributors of MDMA in Florida; however, African American criminal groups, gangs, and local independent dealers are increasingly involved in the retail distribution of MDMA. Distributors are usually middle- and upper-class Caucasian teenagers and young adults who often abuse MDMA as well. They typically distribute MDMA tablets at raves or techno parties, private parties, nightclubs, and on high school and college campuses. This abundance of available ecstasy is yet another cause for Florida drug rehab programs to step up their pace to meet the demand. Other dangerous drugs such as GHB, LSD, ketamine, and diverted pharmaceuticals are available and abused in Florida, but to a lesser extent than cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and MDMA. However, most federal, state, and local law enforcement officials report that the rate of abuse of these dangerous drugs, particularly pharmaceuticals, is increasing more rapidly than for any other drug.

Oxycodone, primarily OxyContin, is one of the most commonly diverted pharmaceuticals in Florida. Hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), and benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, and Rohypnol) also are diverted and abused. Diverted pharmaceuticals typically are sold to acquaintances and established customers. Local independent Caucasian dealers, often middle-class suburban teenagers and young adults, generally are the primary distributors and abusers of most other dangerous drugs in Florida. Hallucinogens such as LSD and ketamine and depressants such as GHB and its analogs generally are sold at raves or techno parties, dance clubs, gyms, nightclubs, private parties, high school and college campuses, and over the Internet. This abundance of available these other drugs are yet another cause for Florida drug rehab programs to step up their pace to meet the demand.

With over 16 million residents, Florida is the fourth most populous state in the nation requiring much more Florida drug rehab and addiction treatment programs. Over 10 million individuals, approximately 63 percent of Florida’s population, reside in the counties encompassing Florida’s 12 largest metropolitan areas. Five million individuals reside in and demand assistance from Broward drug rehab, Miami-Dade drug rehab, and Palm Beach drug rehab in southern Florida drug rehab. The largest metropolitan areas are ethnically diverse. This ethnic diversity, coupled with a high population density, allows members of Colombian, Dominican, Mexican, Jamaican, and other foreign drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and criminal groups to blend easily with law-abiding members of the community. Further, large portions of the state are rural and agricultural in nature—ideal sites for the production of methamphetamine and the cultivation of cannabis.

Florida’s proximity to drug-producing and transshipment countries and its well-developed transportation infrastructure make it an ideal gateway for the movement of both licit and illicit goods into and through the United States and Florida drug rehab and addiction treatment must play its part in handling this problem. Drug transporters frequently use maritime vessels, commercial and private aircraft, and package delivery services to smuggle illicit drugs into Florida. They also use commercial trucks and private vehicles and, to a lesser extent, buses and railcars to transport drugs into the state. Many of these conveyances also are used to transport illicit drugs from Florida to other states and cities particularly New York and Atlanta—that serve as major transportation hubs and distribution centers for various illicit drugs. In 2000 illicit drugs frequently were detected among adult male arrestees in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, the two cities in Florida that participate in the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) Program which again means more Florida drug rehab is needed fast. According to 2000 ADAM data, 62.8 percent of adult male arrestees in Miami and 61.8 percent in Fort Lauderdale tested positive for abusing at least one illicit substance. ADAM Program The ADAM program—administered by the National Institute of Justice—tracks trends in the prevalence and types of drug use among booked arrestees in selected urban areas of the United States. The ADAM Program involves two components—a questionnaire administered by a trained interviewer to an arrestee in a booking facility and a urine sample collected from the arrestee within 48 hours of arrest. In 2000 data were collected for 39 metropolitan areas across the United States. ADAM data for Fort Lauderdale were collected from randomly selected arrestees at a facility in Broward County, and Miami data were collected from randomly selected arrestees at a facility in Miami-Dade County. The results prove drug rehab programs and centers must be constructed and run to start making progress.

Drug-related deaths frequently occur in Florida partially preventable by competent drug rehab prgrams. According to the 2001 Report of Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons by Florida Medical Examiners, there were approximately 169,000 deaths in Florida in 2001. Florida medical examiners performed autopsies or toxicology tests on 15,000 of these decedents, and 5,276 tested positive for drugs and/ or alcohol. Of those, 1,304 individuals died as a direct result of drug and/or alcohol abuse, many from multiple drugs. According to Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) mortality data, drug-related deaths in Miami-Dade County increased from 1996 through 2000. Drugs were a factor in 148 deaths in Miami-Dade County in 1996 and 216 deaths in 2000, the most recent year for which DAWN data are available. Of the 216 deaths reported in Miami-Dade County in 2000, 112 were drug-induced (overdoses). These facts especially prove the dire need for drug rehab and addiction treatment centers to be massively stepped up.

Florida has a significant number of drug-related addiction treatment admissions. According to the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), substance abuse-related drug rehab admissions to publicly funded facilities in Florida increased from 52,997 in 1997 to 67,734 in 2001. (See Table 3 on page 7.) The number of drug- and alcohol-related addiction treatment admissions per 100,000 population in Florida (625) was higher than the number per 100,000 nationwide (607) in 1999, the most recent year for which these data are available. Survey data indicate that illicit drugs frequently are abused in Florida drug rehab.

According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), Florida residents abuse drugs at a rate statistically comparable to the rate nationwide. In 1999 and 2000, 5.9 percent of those surveyed in Florida reported having abused an illicit drug at least once in the month prior to the survey, compared with 6.3 percent nationwide. The 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) report indicates that 40.2 percent of high school students in Florida reported having abused marijuana at least once in their lifetime and that 23.1 percent reported current use (use in the last 30 days) of the drug. The survey also indicates that 8.3 percent of the students reported lifetime cocaine use, 4.0 percent reported current cocaine use, 3.7 percent reported lifetime heroin use, and 7.6 reported lifetime methamphetamine use. Clearly Florida drug rehab efforts have to be expanded to meet this need.

The financial impact on Florida’s government from substance abuse-related costs and services is significant. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, in 1998, the most recent year for which these data are available, Florida spent over $3.1 billion on substance abuse-related costs and services. This entailed spending across program areas including justice, education, health, child-family assistance, mental health-developmental disabilities, public safety, and the state workforce. This figure amounted to almost 10 percent of the total expenditures for the state. When the cost of lost productivity and nongovernmental expenses by private social services are factored in, estimates for total substance abuse-related costs are even higher. Still, the Florida drug rehab center requirements far outweigh the current offerings and must be corrected.

Drugs and Drug Addiction Treatment

Drug Situation: Florida is a prime area for international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and a principal thoroughfare for cocaine and heroin transiting to the northeastern United States and Canada. The Florida coastline provides virtually unlimited opportunities for drug trafficking organizations to use maritime conveyances to smuggle cocaine into the United States. Florida leads the nation in MDMA seizures. And Miami International Airport (MIA) is a major entry point for South American heroin into the U.S. For this reason, drug addiction is on the rise and the need for addiction treatment centers continues to grow.

Special Topics: Pharmaceutical drugs remain widely available throughout Florida, especially OxyContin. Throughout CY 2001, the abuse of OxyContin escalated throughout Florida. Medical examiners throughout the state reported significant increases in deaths involving the use of oxycodone and/or hydrocodone. Money Laundering: The use of shell banks and wire transfers continues to be an especially popular method of laundering money and evading tax payments. Drug proceeds are electronically moved from place to place or layered to obscure the origin of the funds, and the currency is then reintroduced as “clean” for trafficker use. Bulk currency shipments remain a common method of laundering narcotics proceeds from the United States back to source countries. Large quantities of U.S. currency are still being concealed in assorted forms of outbound cargo being shipped to Colombia. On average, currency amounts range from $10,000 to $1 million and are often delivered to businesses for shipment in legitimate exported cargo. The amount of cargo processed and exported from South Florida is so voluminous that sporadic inspection of outbound containers remains a difficult and cumbersome task. The illegal use of pharmaceuticals leads an increasing number of addicted individuals to search for addiction treatment centers.

DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams: This cooperative program with state and local law enforcement counterparts was conceived in 1995 in response to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation. In Florida, as of June 30, 2002, there have been 24 deployments completed resulting in 648 arrests of violent drug criminals.

More Drug Rehab Centers are Needed: