Meeting of the National Drug Observatories in the Caribbean

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Meeting of the National Drug Observatories in the
Caribbean
DRUG CONSUMPTION SITUATION IN THE CARIBBEAN
Pernell Clarke Coordinator of Information and
Research for the Caribbean OID/CICAD Barbados,
June 14 16, 2005
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Summary

• The Caribbean and Drugs
• Supply Statistics
• Consumption Statistics (School Surveys)
• Emerging Trends
• Discussion

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The Caribbean and Drugs
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Supply Statistics

• The region continues to be an important
  trans-shipment area because of geography
• Highest volume Marijuana
• The supply of cocaine from South American
  producers is declining
• Designer drugs amphetamines, ecstasy etc are
  increasingly being trafficked

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Supply Statistics

• Sources include
• Police Depts.
• Prosecutors
• Customs
• Coast Guard
• National Drug Observatories
• Data may include
• Production of illicit crops (land area under
  cultivation)
• Drug Seizures (quantities in lbs, kgs.)
• Seizures of chemical precursors (types and
  quantities)
• Labs Discovered
• Persons arrested for drug crimes

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The Caribbean Cannabis Seizures
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The Caribbean Cocaine Seizures
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The Caribbean Persons Arrested
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Consumption Statistics

• General Population Surveys
• School Surveys
• Treatment Centres
• Emergency Rooms
• Prisoners
• Street Children
• Key Informants

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Current world situation
Drug Use Estimates. Last year prevalences, 2001-2003 Drug Use Estimates. Last year prevalences, 2001-2003 Drug Use Estimates. Last year prevalences, 2001-2003 Drug Use Estimates. Last year prevalences, 2001-2003 Drug Use Estimates. Last year prevalences, 2001-2003 Drug Use Estimates. Last year prevalences, 2001-2003 Drug Use Estimates. Last year prevalences, 2001-2003
All drugs Cannabis Ampheta-mines Ecstasy Cocaine Opiates
Millions of persons 185 146.2 29.6 8.3 13.3 15.2
of population 3.0 2.3 0.5 0.1 0.2 0.2
of pop. 15-64 yrs. 4.7 3.7 0.7 0.2 0.3 0.4
Source UNODC 2004 Report
OID-CICAD / OAS
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Prevalence - Cigarettes
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Current Prevalence by Gender - Cigarettes
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Prevalence - Alcohol
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Current Prevalence by Gender - Alcohol
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Prevalence - Marijuana
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Current Prevalence By Gender - Marijuana
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Age of First Use - Cigarettes
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Age of First Use - Alcohol
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Age of First Use - Marijuana
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Perception of Harm From Smoking Cigarettes
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Perception of Harm From Frequently Drinking
Alcohol
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Perception of Harm From Frequently Smoking
Marijuana
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Perception of Harm From Sometimes Smoking
Marijuana
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Perception of Harm From Sometimes Taking Cocaine
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Other Variables

• Frequency of use
• Mode of Use
• Demographic
• Family background, living conditions, social
  status
• KAPB
• Deviance (besides drug use), school performance,
  etc

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Trend Data.the next frontier

• Assessing changes in drug use (types of drugs,
  direction of change, rate of change)
• Assessing the changes in Users (age of first use,
  frequency of use, reasons for use,
  characteristics of users)
• Determining risk factors (Are they the same? Are
  there new ones? Is the order of importance
  changing?)
• Evaluation (Impact of interventions, treatment,
  supply reduction etc)
• Must be carefully done. The use of a control
  group will usually present a better scientific
  evaluation, but this is not always feasible.

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USA School SurveyLast year Prevalences of any
drug by grade
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USA-Chile School SurveysLast year Prevalences
of cannabis
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Recap

• Supply Marijuana, cocaine, designer drugs
• Supply statistics are available from many
  sources. Need to screen for quality and
  consistency
• Demand Alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy??
• Consumption surveys (secondary schools) need to
  be done at least every two years if we are to
  scientifically identify trends.

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The End