Report on Drug Abuse in Newark, New Jersey

Newark, New Jersey is located about five miles west of Manhattan, two miles north of Staten Island and near the Atlantic Ocean on Newark Bay. It has a population of 273,546.

In the twentieth century, Newark saw a major urban decline just like many of the surrounding cities in New Jersey. The crime rate went sky-high and the middle class largely left the area in the 70s and 80s. 

During the 90s, Newark began to experience a regrowth. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center opened in 1997 at a cost of $180 million. This new development brought more than a million visitors to the area and encouraged more growth. Then the City of Newark built a couple of sports stadiums for their minor league teams and started to refurbish the waterfront. This brought more growth for the City of Newark. 

Despite these improvements, the City of Newark still has a drug problem. Cocaine is a powerful drug that’s easy to find in Newark. It is a rich man’s drug and Newark has its share of commuters that affluent workers with jobs in New York City.  

Newark also has heroin in many parts of the city. The State of New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Addiction Services disclosed that heroin is frequently used by 18 to 25-year-olds in Newark.

Methamphetamine is also found in quantity in New Jersey. Distribution seems to be associated Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, independent meth cooks making small quantities, and traditional organized crime groups. Trafficking from the Philippines and Mexico is common.

On top of that, New Jersey has the highest concentration of pharmaceutical and chemical firms in the country. Some employees are stealing drugs from the manufacturers and selling them. There are organized scrip rings that divert medications from their legitimates uses and traffic them into New York. Morris County has had a rise in arrests for prescription fraud and unlawful possession of prescription medication.

Brian R. Crowell, the Special Agent in Charge of the New Jersey Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, announced that Vincent Hsia, a pharmacist and the former proprietor of Lincoln Pharmacy Network was sentenced Feb. 23, 2012 to 25 years in prison for conspiring to distribute Oxycodone. He distributed hundreds of thousands of doses of the Schedule II controlled substance for no legitimate medical purpose.

The drug scene is rampant in Newark, New Jersey. Something can be done about it. If you know someone who is having a problem with drugs, help them find a thorough drug rehab center when they can learn new, sober habits. 

New Jersey drug abuse rehabs are often filled to capacity as they try to help the addicted learn how to live sober. If you need help with drug addiction or with finding drug rehabs in Newark, New Jersey, we can help. Call our hotline now at 1-877-862-4326.