Did illegal drug supply seizures increase or decrease during the pandemic? How did the pandemic affect illegal drug supplies nationwide? Given the novel nature of the COVID-19 restrictions, it is hard for experts to answer these questions. Thus, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) researches illegal drug supply seizures during the pandemic. NIDA is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the study reveals that COVID-19 illegal drug supply seizures did not increase or decrease across the board. Indeed, when it comes to illegal drug supply seizures, it depends on the drug. Hence, the seizure of some drugs like marijuana and methamphetamine increase during the pandemic. However, other drugs take a downward dip or remain the same.

Dr. Nora Volkow on Illegal Drug Supply Seizures

Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA director, explains the challenges, “At the beginning of the pandemic, it was unclear how social distancing, travel restrictions and economic hardship in communities would impact drug supply and demand. Drug seizure data like these give us additional insight into the changing drug use landscape during COVID-19 and may inform our understanding of rising rates of methamphetamine- and opioid-involved overdose deaths during the pandemic.”

Surprisingly, illegal drug supply seizures did not necessarily correspond to the rising overdose deaths. While methamphetamine seizures rose, fentanyl and heroin seizures decreased. These opioid seizure rates, however, do not imply a definitive drop in imports or availability. It very well could be that the Mexican cartels had an easier time importing drugs during the pandemic. Thus, changes in search policies to protect law enforcement officers gave the drug smugglers opportunities to avoid the authorities.

Therefore, data about illegal drug supply seizures from March 2019 through September 2020 from five key U.S. regions reveal that marijuana and methamphetamine seizures’ incidences decreased at the beginning of the pandemic. However, those rates soon rose above previous heights. At their peak in August 2020, confiscations exceedpre-COVID-19 seizure rates.

Illegal Drug Supply Seizures Depend on the Drug

In comparison to methamphetamine and marijuana, researchers found no significant changes in seizures of fentanyl, heroin, or even cocaine.Since the onset of the pandemic, they remain steady. Once again, early decreases in seizures do not always indicate a lack of drug availability in communities. Indeed, decreases may indicate reduced law enforcement efforts during the first months of the pandemic.

The data was collected through the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program. The HIDTAprogram is a brainchild of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy that aimsto reduce drug trafficking and misuse. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention support the investigative process.

Understanding the Pandemic Stress and Drug Seizure Rates Connection

Given the dangers, Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc. (TTC) wants to note that the pandemic rates of illegal drug supply seizures do not imply a positive shift. The stress and difficulties brought about by COVID-19 are bad for both mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) outcomes. Such a realization needs to be a priority for treatment providers.

Therefore, the head researcher of the study underscores this message. Joseph J. Palamar, Ph.D., M.P.H., co-investigator on the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS), explains the importance of connecting mental health issues to national SUD rates:

“Our understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic affects drug use is evolving, but we do know that social isolation, even for short periods, can cause psychological distress that may drive some people to seek out psychoactive substances. It is critical for us to obtain a clearer picture of how the pandemic has influenced drug supply and demand, so that we may better mitigate potential harmful effects of changing drug use patterns.”