Last week, the National Drug Intelligence Center released a report on drug availabilities in Native American Communities.  From the findings of the report: The illicit drug threat to Indian Country varies geographically across Native American communities. Overall, marijuana is the most widely available illicit drug on reservations. Ice methamphetamine, powder and crack cocaine, diverted pharmaceuticals, heroin, and MDMA [...]

Time Magazine has more on America’s love affair with pot. From Time: Why the high numbers? Jim Anthony, chair of the department of epidemiology at Michigan State University and an author of the study, says U.S. drug habits have to do, in part, with the country’s affluence — many Americans can afford to spend their income on [...]

The United States leads the world with the highest levels of use in cocaine and marijuana. From Web MD (Via CBS News): Despite tough anti-drug laws, a new survey shows the U.S. has the highest level of illegal drug use in the world. The World Health Organization’s survey of legal and illegal drug use in 17 countries, including [...]

In an example of how large the drug trade is in Afghanistan, NATO forces recently found 260 tons of hashish. From the AP (via IHT): Afghan counternarcotics officials said Wednesday that they uncovered 260 tons of hashish hidden in 6-foot-deep trenches in southern Afghanistan in what one DEA official said appears to be the world’s biggest drug bust. The [...]

Marijuana growers are using California’s Medical Marijuana program as a cover to grow the drug. From the New York Times: Medical marijuana was legalized under state law by California voters in 1996, and since then 11 other states have followed, even though federal law still bans the sale of any marijuana. But some frustrated residents and law [...]

A new study reports that long-term use of marijuana may shrink portions of the brain. From WebMD: Long-term marijuana use may actually shrink certain parts of the brain and have lasting effects on mental health. A new study shows heavy marijuana use over several years was associated with structural differences in at least two different regions of the [...]

Japanese Customs Officials are asking the public to return a box of marijuana that was placed in a passenger’s bag for a routine security test that went wrong. From the BBC News: A customs officer hid a package of the banned substance in a side pocket of a randomly chosen suitcase in order to test airport security. Sniffer [...]

According to the 2005 United Nations World Drug Report, the total value of world’s marijuana market is $141.80 Million. 158.8 million people use marijuana around the world. Source: United Nations, “2005 World Drug Report,” Office on Drugs and Crime, June 2005, pg. 134.

29.6 percent of the population has smoked marijuana at least once in their lifetime, and 6.5 percent of the population has used cocaine at least once in their lifetime. Source: EMCDDA, “United Kingdom Data Sheet.”

28.6 percent of the population smoked marijuana at least once in their lifetime, and 7.0 percent of the population used cocaine at least once in their lifetime. Source: EMCDDA,“Spain Data Sheet.”