S.C. DRUG ARRESTS INCREASING, REPORT SAYS

A new report released by the S.C. Department of Public Safety says
drug arrests are on the rise - a likely indicator that drug use also
is increasing.

The report released Monday says arrests for drugs and drug
paraphernalia increased 47 percent from 1996 to 2006. Drug-related
emergency room visits increased 67 percent over the same period.

Report author Rob McManus says drug arrests are the best available
measure of drug use, but can't be used as the only indicator.

Marijuana and cocaine account for the majority of all illegal drug
use. There was a 233 percent increase in the number of arrests for
powder cocaine, while arrests for crack cocaine dropped 5 percent
from 1996 to 2006.

Minorities had a drug arrest rate 147 percent higher than whites.