Oral

Mexico produces the majority of methamphetamine entering the U.S. as well as a third of all heroin sold, and serves as the principal source of foreign-produced marijuana to U.S. markets. It is also a major transit route for cocaine coming into the U.S. from South America. The substantial flow of illicit drugs northward from Mexico to the U.S. adversely affects the health of populations in both countries. The “spillover” effect from these large drug shipments has fueled increased drug use in northern Mexico. Although rates of illicit drug use in most of Mexico remain lower than those in the U.S., in Baja California the prevalence of illicit drug use is three times the Mexican national average, and it's largest city, Tijuana, has the fastest growing population of injection drug users in the country. On the U.S. side, New Mexico has led the nation in overdose mortality, Arizona has seen an increase in drug-related violence, and San Diego has the highest proportion of methamphetamine treatment admissions in the nation. In contrast, cocaine is the major drug problem on the Texas side of the U.S.-Mexico border. Illicit drug use in the U.S.-Mexico border region is a binational public health problem requiring binational solutions. This session will provide a detailed

Session Objectives: Characterize illicit drug use patterns in the U.S.-Mexico border region Evaluate the effects of illicit drug use on health on both sides of the border Identify binational interventions to reduce the impact of illicit drug use on health in the border region