Cocaine: Cocaine continues to be readily available throughout Iowa. The cocaine is transported from the West Coast by motor vehicles, and mail services. Suppliers from Chicago, Illinois, also supply cocaine to eastern Iowa. Mexican polydrug traffickers bring some of the cocaine into the state with shipments of marijuana and methamphetamine. Much of the cocaine HCl is converted into crack cocaine for sale at the retail level. Street gangs control distribution in many of the urban areas of Iowa. An increase in violence accompanies this gang presence.

Heroin: Heroin is sporadically available in retail-level quantities throughout the urban areas of Iowa. Most of the heroin seizures are of the black-tar type, while treatment clinics in Des Moines report the presence of Mexican brown powder heroin.

Methamphetamine:Methamphetamine is the primary drug of concern in Iowa. Caucasian males and females are equally the primary users. Most of the methamphetamine in the state is brought in by Hispanic organizations via motor vehicles, commercial airlines, and mail delivery services. The large Mexican communities in Iowa provide an infrastructure to import and distribute the methamphetamine. The purity of imported methamphetamine is declining from earlier years and is cited to be as low as three percent with the average of 20-25 percent. Local small toxic laboratories continue to be a significant problem throughout Iowa. Most of the laboratories produce only ounce quantities at a time. Eastern Iowa reports an increasing problem with the laboratories, causing law enforcement agencies to expend a large number of man-hours on the problem.

Predatory Drugs: The state of Iowa is seeing an increase in the abuse of "club drugs," such as MDMA and GHB. MDMA (Ecstasy) is found at rave parties in eastern and central Iowa with the state crime lab reporting an increase in the number of MDMA exhibits being processed. The amount of MDMA seized in Iowa increased from 36 dosage units in year 2000 to 252 dosage units in 2001. GHB is another drug of concern throughout the state. The amount of GHB seized in Iowa increased from 0 dosage units in year 2000 to 34 dosage units in 2001.

Marijuana:Marijuana is readily available throughout eastern and northwestern Iowa, usually in combination with cocaine and/or methamphetamine. The majority of the marijuana is imported from the southwest border by motor vehicles, and mail delivery services. Domestically produced marijuana is also available in Iowa. Small indoor and outdoor grow operations have been found in eastern and central Iowa. "Ditchweed" marijuana is a continuing problem. The ditchweed is used as filler for higher purity imported marijuana. Marijuana Legislation: For the past several years, there have been attempts to introduce legislation regarding the medicinal use of marijuana and the production of hemp. The legislation has always failed to make it out of committee. This legislation was not introduced during the past session.

Other Drugs: The most popular pharmaceutical substances abused in eastern and central Iowa are Vicodin, Lortab, propoxyphene, alprazolam, hydrocodone, Ultram, diazepam, Hycodan, Demerol, Dilaudid, and Percodan. Much of the diversion is through fraudulent prescriptions, doctor shopping, pharmacy break-ins, and hospital thefts. OxyContin is also noted to be a pharmaceutical drug of abuse in Iowa.