The fact that less than 2% of the American population uses cocaine is not cause to minimize its scope and severity. These three million or so Americans consume about 50% of the world's cocaine production. According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) for 2000, cocaine was the second most frequently mentioned drug that caused people to be admitted to hospital emergency rooms. Also, of the 32,288 suspects referred to federal prosecutors for drug charges during 1999, 43% were charged with offenses relating to powder cocaine or crack. The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) reports in the November 2001 Pulse Check, that over half the Pulse Check communities listed crack as the drug with the most severe or second-most severe consequences, whether medically, legally, or otherwise. The same report listed powder cocaine as widely available in 85% of the 21 Pulse Check cities. Crack was listed as widely available by 75% of the Pulse Check sources. As of 2002, about 14 million people worldwide use cocaine. According to the ONDCP, the United States leads the world in cocaine abuse. While U.S. cocaine use has remained relatively stable over the last decade, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs reported in March 2000 that 34 countries out of 112 reported an increase in cocaine use from 1997 to 1998. In the European Union, the increase in cocaine use was mainly in the group of people aged 16 to 29 years.

Alcohol is involved in 50% of all driving fatalities.

From fiscal year 1996 through fiscal year 2002, DEA initiated 313 investigations involving OxyContin, resulting in 401 arrests. Most of the investigations and arrests occurred after the initiation of the action plan. Since the plan was enacted, DEA initiated 257 investigations and made 302 arrests in fiscal years 2001 and 2002. Among those arrested were several physicians and pharmacists. Fifteen health care professionals either voluntarily surrendered their controlled substance registrations or were immediately suspended from registration by DEA. In addition, DEA reported that $1,077,500 in fines was assessed and $742,678 in cash was seized by law enforcement agencies in OxyContin-related cases in 2001 and 2002.

Teenage drug abuse has declined over the past three years, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Drug use among teens has declined by approximately 7 percent from 2003 to 2004 and 4 percent from 2004 to 2005. However, the latest report from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) shows a recent increase in the abuse of inhalants among eighth graders and Oxycontin abuse among all of the students that were surveyed. Monitoring the Future has been studying drug use among teenagers since 1975 and includes surveys of 8th-10th graders and 12th graders in their studies.

Methamphetamine has grown from a problem limited to the Southwest and Pacific areas of the United States to Arkansas’ primary drug of concern.

What little tar heroin is encountered in central Arkansas appears to be imported into the state by the Mexican trafficking organizations.

The DEA Regional Enforcement Team was designed to augment existing DEA division resources by targeting drug organizations operating in the United States where there is a lack of sufficient local drug law enforcement. This Program was conceived in 1999 in response to the threat posed by drug trafficking organizations that have established networks of cells to conduct drug trafficking operations in smaller, non-traditional trafficking locations in the United States. As of January 31, 2005, there have been 27 deployments nationwide, and one deployment in the U.S. Virgin Islands, resulting in 671 arrests.

Outdoor sites of marijuana plots in Arkansas have become scarce due to intensified air surveillance by law enforcement.

There were 240 Methamphetamine lab incidents in Arkansas in 2007.

The rural nature of the land, the warm climate, and long growing season in Arkansas give cultivators the perfect opportunity to produce domestic marijuana.