Methamphetamine is the top illicit drug used and trafficked in Oregon, according to an annual report from the OregonHigh-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA). Heroin, marijuana, controlled prescription drugs, cocaine and designer drugs are also trafficked in Oregon.
"Our report actually looks at what is the most trafficked drug, most used drugs in the state," said Chris Gibson, executive director of Oregon High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, in an interview with Think Out Loud. "We assess those different factors and put a ranking on what the biggest drug threat is in the state right now."
The HITDA program was designated in 1999 and focuses on addressing drug trafficking issues in the region.
"We've currently got nine counties that are designates in the state, plus the Warm Springs Indian reservation," Gibson says. "We've also recently added two counties in Idaho to our program. are all connected, all showing they have a problem that has an adverse effect on other parts of the country."
According to the HIDTA report, there is a possible link between the legalization of recreational marijuana in some states and an increase in opium production in Mexico, which shows as a rise in meth and heroin use in this country.
Heroin has been found in high schools and middle schools, in this state, says Gibson, showing that the typical user is slowly changing.
"There was a time when heroin in this state was really limited to the Portland metropolitan area and downtown Portland," Gibson says. "The users of that drug were typically older people. There has been a big shift."
Gibson says this new HIDTA report shows what the threats are and the drug task-force can now propose strategies to address the issues in different areas.
April Baer
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Copyright 2015 Oregon Public Broadcasting
