Information on Drugs, Alcohol & Interventions in Washington D.C.

When thinking about an alcohol or drug intervention in Washington D.C., it is helpful to understand the predominance of the various drugs and their activities within the state. The nation's capital has long been plagued by a variety of drug problems, most notably the violence associated with crack cocaine distribution. Street "crews" operating in open-air markets or on neighborhood corners continue to thrive in Washington, DC. The city's large international population provides insulation for ethnic drug trafficking groups from almost every major supply country in the world and the suburbs surrounding the city provide a steady supply of customers. Cocaine and crack are the most significant drug problems in Washington, DC. Despite several consecutive years of decline in violent, drug-related crime, the violence associated with the crack trade in the city remains high. Open-air markets situated along commuting corridors and within public housing projects provide dealers with a consistent stream of customers, either from the neighboring Virginia and Maryland suburbs or from within the neighborhoods they service. Although Washington, DC does not house anywhere near the number of addicts of its metropolitan neighbor Baltimore, the city is home to a large number of long-term heroin abusers who frequent various open-air drug markets within the city.

The city's heroin suppliers set up heroin shops specifically catering to a specific user population. The markets located along commuter routes into the city peddle high purity heroin to suburban abusers, while the shops situated near methadone clinics and those co-existing with open-air markets tend to service long-term addicts with lower purity heroin. In the District of Columbia, heroin is sold under various street/brand names and is packaged primarily in small, usually colored or marked, ziploc baggies. Most of the heroin encountered in Washington, DC is of South American origin, but it is not unusual to discover heroin from other source areas as well, most recently Southwest Asian.

There is a very limited market for methamphetamine in the District of Columbia. What demand exists is centered on the city's thriving rave and nightclub scene and among the city's gay population. Most of the methamphetamine available in Washington, DC comes from sources of supply in California via overnight or regular mail delivery services. Washington, DC's rave scene has thrived for many years. MDMA, Ketamine, GHB, crystal methamphetamine and various other hallucinogenic and stimulant drugs have been in demand and readily available in the District for almost a decade. MDMA abuse and distribution is at high levels.

Marijuana is the most widely abused of all drugs in the District, crossing socioeconomic, age and ethnic lines. It is readily available in qualities and quantities ranging from "nickel bags" of loose, commercial-grade product to hundred-pound quantities of high grade marijuana. The use of marijuana in "blunts" has not diminished and is often observed taking place openly. Marijuana is often sold alongside cocaine, crack and heroin in open-air markets.

Current investigations indicate that diversion of oxycodone products such as OxyContin® continues to be a problem in Washington D.C. Primary methods of diversion being reported are illegal sale and distribution by health care professionals and workers, “doctor shopping” (going to a number of doctors to obtain prescriptions for a controlled pharmaceutical), and forged prescriptions. Hydrocodone products, benzodiazepines, methadone and Percodan®/Percocet® were also identified as being among the most commonly abused and diverted pharmaceuticals in Washington D.C.

2006 Federal Drug Seizures

• Cocaine: 64.0 kgs.
• Heroin: 12.1 kgs.
• Methamphetamine: 0.4 kgs./108 du
• Marijuana: 29.0 kgs.
• Hashish: 0.0 kgs.
• MDMA: 0.0 kgs./31,758 du
• Meth Lab Incidents: 0 (DEA, state, and local)

Drug and Alcohol Rehabs in Washington D.C.

Despite being our nations capitol with the high rate of drug abuse, treatment options in Washington D.C. are few and far-between. Many residents are forced to seek treatment out of the area.

Let our intervention specialists help to guide you in choosing the best treatment solution for your loved one..

Drug or Alcohol Interventions in Washington D.C.

It is not uncommon for someone seeking an interventionist to want to limit their choices to an interventionist in Washington D.C.. Granted, a Washington D.C. interventionist might be "right around the corner", and you could possibly save on the cost of a flight. But consider that Intervention Services & Technologies, Inc. is the largest intervention service provide in North America, delivering over 10 successful interventions per week. A therapist in Washington D.C. who has provided counseling to addicts and alcoholics is not necessarily an expert in the field of drug and alcohol interventions. Call now to speak to one of our qualified substance abuse counselors and interventionist specialists and understand the difference.