CHEAP THRILL

Illegal drugs are cheap and relatively easy to get in the Circle City,
which concerns police who say a direct link exists between drug use
and other crimes.

According to a recently released report from the National Drug
Intelligence Center, in Montgomery marijuana costs about $3 to $8 per
joint, crack cocaine costs about $20 to $40 per rock and
methamphetamine costs about $100 per gram. Dothan Police Lt. Duane
Herring said depending on the drug, prices here are about the same or
a little bit lower than prices in the capital.

Capt. Jim Smith estimated more than two-thirds of all property crimes
are drug-related. In 2002 Dothan police made 641 drug arrests. That
same year police made 370 theft arrests, 58 burglary arrests and 29
robbery arrests.

"Things like burglary, thefts and a few robberies are certainly drug
related," Smith said.

Herring said crack cocaine is the drug most commonly associated as
being a root cause of other crimes. Herring said crack addicts tend to
be at the lower end of the income scale, making them more likely to
turn to crime to get money for drugs. Methamphetamine, which has
increased in popularity among drug users here, is also being blamed
for a growing number of property crimes.

Herring, who worked with the Florida Marine Patrol, policing Florida's
waters to catch drug smugglers before coming to the Circle City, said
Dothan's low prices for illicit drugs can be attributed to the city's
location. He said Dothan lies close to major illegal drug import
centers in Florida and marijuana producing areas, making it easy for
local dealers to get a supply. The city's status as the regional hub
brings in illegal drug buyers and sellers from surrounding communities
looking to make a deal.

The city also sits at the crossroads of several major non-interstate
highways. Herring said this makes Dothan a popular place to travel
through for drug runners hoping to avoid interdiction efforts on the
interstates.

A hike in drug prices may not result in a reduction in property crimes
and may even cause them to increase as drug addicts must come up with
more money to support their habit.

Herring said he has no statistical evidence to support a link between
drug prices and increases or decreases in crime, but common sense
tells him that if supply decreases and demand stays the same, chances
are more addicts will turn to crime to support their habit.

Herring said when Dothan Vice and Intelligence units take down a major
drug dealer, prices in the Circle City jump for a few weeks because
other dealers become more cautious and because of the dent made in
supply.

Herring shrugged off any suggestion that police efforts to choke off
the drug trade may have the unintended consequence of causing a rise
in property and other crimes.

"People are going to do what they're going to do," Herring said. "Drug
addicts don't think logically anyway."