Drug dealers' shift to suburbs reported
They pursue buyers outside cities to boost sales, researchers say

Associated Press

AUSTIN Drug dealers are moving to the suburbs, targeting sales to more
affluent buyers with more purchasing power, according to a report
released Tuesday.

James Hall, executive director of Miami's Up Front Drug Information
Center, and Jane Maxwell of the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
Abuse released the report on drug trafficking and use at a
commissionsponsored conference.

The report considered drug treatment, drugrelated arrests and other
information from the first quarter of 1983 to the first quarter of 1997.

Both researchers said dealers have learned from the crack cocaine
epidemic that marketing to an innercity, lowerincome population leaves
little room for sales growth.

They said dealers now are targeting sales of heroin and cocaine to
younger, more affluent "yuppies."

The idea is to hook people with more money and a better chance of
maintaining their ability to make money, Mr. Hall said.

Ms. Maxwell said younger generations must be taught the dangers of
cocaine and other drugs that are regaining popularity.

She said older generations were taught about dangers of the drugs in
school, by public service announcements and other sources, including
experience. She said such information has decreased.

Mr. Hall said, "Drug prevention and education is not a onetime fix."

The researchers said use of GHB, GammaHydroxy Butyrate, is growing. The
depressant, used in combination with alcohol, gives a strong high and
sedative effect. It is relatively inexpensive and easy to produce and
equally easy to botch, Mr. Hall said.

Few statistics are available about the drug because of its recent
appearance. Federal drug officials say the sale of ingredients to make
GHB continues to rise, according to the report.

The drug goes by the street names of "Grievous Bodily Harm," "Georgia
Homeboy," "Liquid XTC" and "Fantasy." It is similar to Rohypnol, which
is known as the daterape drug.

The researchers said cocaine remains the No. 1 illegal drug used in
Texas. The use of heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines also is rising.

The report cites cocainerelated admissions to publicly funded treatment
centers at 35 percent for 1996 and the first quarter of 1997.

Heroin admissions to publicly funded treatment centers accounted for 14
percent of all admissions in the first three months this year. Marijuana
use represented 8 percent of adult admissions in 1996 and 70 percent for
juveniles in 1997.