Proximity to the US-Mexico border: a key to explaining geographic variation in US methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin purity

摘要: Aims  Although illicit drug purity is a widely discussed health risk, research explaining its geographic variation within country rare. This study examines whether proximity to the US–Mexico border, United States' primary import portal, associated with in US methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine purity. Design  Distances (proximity) between border locations of seizures/acquisitions (n = 239 070) recorded STRIDE (System Retrieve Information from Drug Evidence) were calculated for period 1990–2004. The association these distances other variables, including time seizure/acquisition size, was examined using hierarchical multivariate linear modeling (HMLM). Setting  Coterminous States. Findings  Methamphetamine, generally decreased distance border. Heroin purity, however, after initially declining distance, turned upwards—a U-shaped association. During 2000–04, methamphetamine also had distance. For each three drugs, temporal changes small acquisitions (<10 g) typically more dynamic areas closer border. Conclusions  Geographic variance throughout coterminous States proximity. associations border-distance may be due imports those drugs via eastern southeast Canada, respectively. That said, relatively high as well change (‘retail level’) amounts.