STUDY FINDS BALTIMORE DRUG PROBLEM

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A federal study has found that Baltimore has one of the
most serious drug problems in the nation, and city officials say they hope
to use the information to seek more federal aid to combat drug use and
crime.

The Drug Enforcement Administration's three-month study found that Baltimore
is a major market for South American heroin that is "significantly" purer
than the national average.

The DEA assessment was requested by Police Commissioner Edward Norris this
spring and delivered to department managers last week.

Based on DEA intelligence and statistics, as well as independent research,
the assessment said Baltimore leads the nation in heroin use and has one of
the most severe crack cocaine epidemics in the nation. The use of the
designer club drug ecstasy has rapidly increased, particularly among
suburban users.

"It confirms a lot of the suspicions we had," Norris said. "The drug problem
is more serious than most major cities in America."

Norris said requests for aid might include asking for more DEA agents in
Baltimore, more money for drug-enforcement police and more money for
drug-treatment facilities for addicts.

Baltimore is estimated to have at least 60,000 drug addicts, or about 10
percent of the population. Police say drugs are a factor in eight of every
10 city homicides.

With federal help and an aggressive anti-drug strategy, Norris and Mayor
Martin O'Malley said, they believe the drug epidemic will be under control
in two to three years.

Baltimore also continues to lead the country in both heroin- and
cocaine-related hospital emergency room admissions, according to the DEA.