In the West and along the Southwest border, Mexican nationals are sources for large quantities of heroin. In other areas, source dealers include Pakistanis, Lebanese, Nigerians, Dominicans, and Colombians. As is discussed later in this report, law enforcement sources in New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. report an increase in cocaine traffickers and dealers who add heroin to their product line. These sources report that there is more South American heroin in their areas. In addition, sources report that street-level dealers and the neighborhoods where they sell have similar demographic characteristics.
Prices vary according to the type of the heroin.
This may be related to the substantial rise in clients demanding methamphetamine treatment in this region, which is discussed in the section on emerging drugs. The majority of people in treatment for heroin addiction are older, experienced drug users. While several providers said they noticed more women in treatment, males still outnumber females two to one. One provider in a large New York methadone program commented that the increase in female addicts is placing a decided strain on resources, because it adds more complicated service needs related to pregnancy and child care. The proportion of clients injecting versus inhaling increased in this round of interviews.