ALASKA - State Troopers have released their Annual Drug Report which contains statistics on arrests and seizures of drugs throughout Alaska during 2011.
The report says alcohol is the primary substance of abuse in Alaska and contributes to many suicides and accidental deaths in rural areas.
The amount of cocaine seized by all task forces last year increased by 15 pounds from 2010.
The report also says heroin is not isolated to the metropolitan areas of the state. Troopers found the use of heroin in several smaller communities.
And the number of marijuana plants seized more than doubled. Troopers say their investigations aren't concentrating more on marijuana but last year they were successful in stopping some very large producers.
“Because of our size, one significant seizure can skew the numbers,” said Lieutenant Chris Thompson of the Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics team. “Last year we had several commercial marijuana growers that were quite large, and that affects the numbers, but I wouldn't say there's been any sort of significant push or emphasis on marijuana versus any other drug.”
Troopers say the amount of marijuana being imported versus being grown in the state hasn't changed significantly. Investigators say the most prolific area of growing in the state is the Mat-Su Valley.
