Ohio Laws and Programs

Types of Drugs Used in Ohio

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the state but law enforcement officials identify cocaine and crack cocaine as the primary drug threat in the state. Crack cocaine is highly available in all areas of the state and cocaine injection is reported to be increasing. Heroin distribution is increasing in Ohio with South American and Mexican heroin most available in the northern part of the state and Mexican heroin in the south. Methamphetamine use is decreasing and is most common among whites aged 20–30 years. Mexican-produced crystal meth (“ice”) is replacing locally produced meth: in 2007 there were 128 meth lab incidents in Ohio, down from 331 in 2005. Club drugs (e.g., MDMA or ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, and LSD) use is increasing in Ohio, particularly among young adults and in urban areas of the state. Diversion of prescription drugs remains a problem in Ohio.

In 2005 a survey of Ohio residents age 12 and older found that the most common illicit drug used was marijuana: 10.1 percent reporting using it in the last year and 6.0 percent in the past month. Second most common was nonmedical use of pain relievers (5.0 percent) followed by cocaine use (2.0 percent). Marijuana was most popular among high school students in 2005 with 40.5 percent reporting lifetime use (9.4 percent before age 13) and 20.9 percent use in the past month. Inhalants were the next most common illicit drug reported (11.9 percent lifetime use) followed by cocaine (8.9 percent lifetime use and 2.4 percent use in the past month) and ecstasy (6.7 percent lifetime use).

In 2006, 8,829 offenders were committed to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) for drug offenses. The most common offenses were drug possession (5,175) and drug trafficking (2,933). In 2006, 1.5 percent of inmates tested positive for drugs (random testing is conducted on a monthly basis in the ODRC system) and in 2007 14,585 inmates participated in alcohol and drug abuse programs.

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