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Most of Pennsylvania’s illicit drugs are smuggled in from New York City. Other supplier cities are Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, and Miami. In addition, Mexican and Canadian dealers supply the Keystone State.

Drugs usually arrive in private vehicles and to a lesser extent, on trains, commercial trucks, and airlines. The two major import destination cities are Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. From here, drugs are primarily distributed to the rest of the state and to Ohio and West Virginia.

The most popular and widely abused drugs are cocaine, marijuana, prescription drugs, and heroin. To treat these addicts, Pennsylvania has over 500 treatment centers that see nearly 20,000 people every year.

All addictions are serious. That’s why getting addiction recovery help from professionals is so important. If you or someone you love is addicted, Recoverycorps.org can help. You’ll find a comprehensive list of Pennsylvania drug treatment centers. Below, we’ll tell you a little more about the most commonly abused drugs in the state.

Cocaine Addiction

Powder and crack cocaine are popular throughout the state. In a survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nearly 3% of residents reported using cocaine.

Arrests for the sale of cocaine average over 10,000 people every year; arrests for possession also average over 10,000.

Nearly 18% of admissions to Pennsylvania drug treatment centers are for cocaine. The national average is about 8%.

Club Drugs

Club drugs like MDMA (ecstasy or X) and GHB are readily available in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Club drugs are popular among teenagers and with college students across the state.

MDMA is mainly produced in the Netherlands and Belgium, and is shipped through New York City into the state. In one recent year, federal authorities in Pennsylvania seized 82,410 dosage units of MDMA.

Heroin Addiction

Heroin remains a big problem in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. High-purity heroin from South America is the most readily available across the state.

More Pennsylvanians are arrested for heroin than any other drug except cocaine. And more than 15,000 people are admitted annually to Pennsylvania drug treatment centers for heroin addiction. Addiction recovery from heroin is among the hardest of all drugs.

Methamphetamine Addiction

Methamphetamine is widely available throughout the state. However, it hasn’t taken hold like cocaine, heroin and marijuana. Local independent clandestine labs produce most of the meth.

For example, a man in Stoneboro used a man-made cave to produce over $1 million in product over a four-years period. Several in Erie were recently arrested for manufacturing meth in plastic soda bottles out of their car.

Marijuana Addiction

Marijuana is the most widely available and abused drug in the state. Over 10% of Pennsylvanians over the age of 12 reported past year marijuana use, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. And almost half of high school seniors reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetime.

Cannabis is easily obtained across the state. It’s trafficked by Mexican and Jamaican criminal gangs.

Pharmaceuticals

Prescription drugs like Dilaudid, OxyContin, Vicodin, and Xanax are the most abused in the state. Over 4% of Pennsylvanians over the age of 12 have abused pain relievers for non-medical use, according the National Survey on Drug Use and Health

The drugs are acquired through websites, doctor shopping, prescription fraud, inappropriate prescribing, and theft. For example, a Philadelphia man was arrested for stealing bags of pills after he broke into a pharmacy. The pills included Oxycontin, Percocet, Xanax, Valium, and Fentanyl and had a street value of $400,000.

Drug Laws

Pennsylvania law classifies drugs (generally I-V) and provides specific penalties for manufacturing, delivering and possession with intent to deliver.

For example, the sale, delivery or distribution of heroin carries a 15-year prison term and up to a $250,000 penalty.

Sale, delivery or distribution of PCP, meth, cocaine or marijuanain excess of 1,000 pounds carries up to 10 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine.

In recent years, Pennsylvania has made reforms in their drug laws. For example, a 2004 bill provides for intensive treatment as part of a drug sentence. Treatment would take place in the first seven months behind bars.

Getting Help at Pennsylvania Drug Treatment Centers

If you’re read this far, take the next step: get help. Recoverycorps.org makes getting this help easy. Contact the nearest Pennsylvania drug treatment program from our list. Or enter your address above for a list of the nearest treatment center.

Common Pennsylvania Drug Addiction Recovery Approaches

  • Substance abuse counseling
  • Relapse prevention
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  • 12-step programs
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Anger management
  • Contingency management
  • Trauma-related counseling

Source: The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services

Learn more about all the options available for Pennsylvania rehab by selecting a city to see local treatment centers and addiciton recovery resources.