Rhode Island\s need for addiction treatment:  The distribution and abuse of illicit drugs pose a serious threat to Rhode Island and the need for addiction treatment is on the rise. Providence has emerged as a regional transshipment city from which criminal groups ship heroin and, to a much lesser extent, cocaine to areas throughout the state and the New England region. Illicit drugs primarily are transported into and through the state in private, commercial, and rental vehicles, typically via Interstates 95, 195, and 295.

Rhode Island\'s need for heroin drug rehab:  Heroin is a significant drug threat to Rhode Island and the need for heroin drug rehab is on the rise. South American heroin is readily available throughout the state. Southeast Asian heroin also is available, although to a lesser extent. Heroin abuse levels are high, and the availability of low cost, high purity South American heroin continues to attract a new, younger abuser population that snorts or smokes the drug, rather than injects it. Dominican criminal groups are the primary transporters of heroin into Rhode Island. They transport the drug from New York City using private vehicles, often equipped with false compartments, as well as rental vehicles. Dominican criminal groups also are the primary wholesale and retail distributors of heroin in Rhode Island. Colombian criminal groups, among others, distribute wholesale quantities of heroin as well. Other retail distributors include African American and Hispanic criminal groups and gangs and various local independent dealers. Heroin primarily is distributed in parking lots from private vehicles, although it also is frequently distributed from residences, at local housing projects, at local malls and shopping plazas, and on street corners.

Rhode Island\'s need for cocaine addiction treatment:  Cocaine, particularly crack, poses a serious drug threat to Rhode Island making the need for cocaine addiction treatment a top priority in the state. Cocaine is readily available, commonly abused, and more frequently associated with violent crime than any other illicit drug in the state. Dominican criminal groups using private vehicles, often equipped with false compartments, as well as rental vehicles transport most of the powdered cocaine available in the state from New York City via Interstate 95. Dominican criminal groups are the primary wholesale and retail distributors of powdered cocaine in the state. Colombian criminal groups, among others, distribute wholesale quantities of powdered cocaine as well. Other retail distributors of powdered cocaine include Caucasian criminal groups and local independent dealers who typically distribute the drug in smaller cities, towns, and rural areas. African American criminal groups and gangs and, to a lesser extent, Hispanic gangs, Caucasian criminal groups, and various local independent dealers distribute retail quantities of crack cocaine in the state. Powdered and crack cocaine distribution typically occurs in public areas such as parking lots, malls, and shopping plazas and from private residences.

Rhode Island\'s need for marijuana drug rehab:  Marijuana is the most widely available and commonly abused illicit drug in Rhode Island making the need for marijuana drug rehab an important issue in the state. However, the drug is generally regarded as a lower threat than heroin and cocaine because it is less often associated with violent crime. Most of the marijuana available in the state is produced in Mexico. Marijuana produced locally as well as marijuana produced in Canada and Jamaica also is available. Mexican criminal groups are the primary transporters of marijuana into Rhode Island. These groups transport the drug into the state primarily using commercial and private vehicles. No specific group controls the distribution of marijuana in Rhode Island. Caucasian criminal groups, as well as Dominican, Jamaican, Mexican and other Hispanic criminal groups and various local independent dealers, among others, distribute marijuana at the wholesale level in the state. African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic criminal groups, local independent dealers, outlaw motorcycle gangs, and street gangs, among others, distribute marijuana at the retail level in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island\'s need for club drug rehab:  Other dangerous drugs pose an increasing threat to Rhode Island and the need for club drug rehab is an ever increasing issue. This category of drugs includes the club drugs MDMA, GHB and its analogs, LSD, and ketamine as well as diverted pharmaceuticals such as Dilaudid, OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, Ritalin, and Vicodin. Caucasian local independent dealers are the primary wholesale and retail distributors of these drugs in Rhode Island. The club drugs MDMA, GHB and its analogs, ketamine, and LSD often are sold at nightclubs, raves or techno parties, or openly in hand-to-hand exchanges on the streets as well as at bars, private parties, gyms, or student hangouts near high school and college campuses. Often the individuals who distribute these drugs--typically teenagers and young adults--also abuse these substances.

Rhode Island\'s need for methamphetamine addiction treatment:  Methamphetamine is infrequently available and abused in Rhode Island and is not considered a significant drug threat to the state but this does not mean that the need for methamphetamine addiction treatment is not still an important issue. Although methamphetamine-related treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities increased from 1997 to 2001, the number of admissions remains low. Further, federal law enforcement officials in Rhode Island did not seize any methamphetamine throughout 2001, and there was only one methamphetamine laboratory seizure from 1998 through 2002.