According to state and local authorities within Iowa and Ames, the overall illicit use of methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin and marijuana is on the rise.

John Hosgetler, executive director of nonprofit organization Community and Family Resources, said that while looking at the big picture, marijuana usage is still a huge problem in the state of Iowa.

“It’s interesting if you look at the statewide data. Marijuana exceeds methamphetamines,” he said. “It is a very significant problem. It is much more potent than what it was in the ’70s.”

Sean McCullough, special agent-in-charge with the Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, said since the ’70s, marijuana has become “more addictive, more harmful and more dangerous than ever before.”

“[In the ’70s], the THC content, the substance that gives you a high, was at about 7 to 8 percent,” he said. “Now we are seeing it as high as 27 percent. Over time, people find effective and efficient ways to make it more potent.”

Although he believes marijuana is a big problem in Iowa, Hosgetler said other substances have become more prevalent in the central Iowa area. Hosgetler’s data includes eight central Iowa counties, including Boone and Story counties.

“Our data breaks down alcohol as the number one [substance abuse drug],” he said. “The second one is methamphetamines. Third is marijuana.”

McCullough said although marijuana is still the most used drug in Iowa, methamphetamines and cocaine are front-runners.

“From our standpoint, marijuana is the most used, followed by meth and cocaine,” he said. “We are seeing an influx in cocaine seizures in Iowa. In most of our cases involving meth, we see them decreasing and a rise in cocaine.”

A member of the Central Iowa Drug Task Force and the Ames Police Department, who wished to remain anonymous, said marijuana is now a bigger problem than meth in Iowa.

“We seem to see a lot of the meth [leveling] off a little bit,” he said. “I would say that marijuana has always been prevalent. Marijuana has always been here and always will be here.”

The task force member said harder drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, are now finding their way into Ames.

“It just goes in trends,” he said. “There’s no logic to it.”

The crackdown in methamphetamines usage could have sparked the interest in other drugs, said the task force member.

“Once you crack down on something, it slows it down and they find another drug to utilize,” he said.

Overall, the member said drug usage around Ames is mostly increasing.

“I think it’s starting to show more of a presence,” he said. “I don’t think that it has leveled off any. I think you would even see more drug arrests if you had more dedicated officers to the drug aspect of our job.”

Hosgetler noted that some drugs are more addictive than others.

“Alcoholism can take a number of years to develop a problem. Meth is really rapid,” he said. “There is a difference in how addictions develop and the consequences people see from those addictions.”

Because alcoholism and addiction to marijuana can take a long time to develop, they are much harder to recognize than methamphetamine addiction.

“Meth is pretty easy to spot when people are having problems,” Hosgetler said.

Although most people might realize they have a problem, Hosgetler said the majority of the people they treat do not come because they want to.

“A larger percent are involved with the criminal justice system,” he said. “They may have had an OWI or a public intoxication or another offense that has drawn the attention of the law. They get a wake-up call when the law is involved.”

Hosgetler said at times, many people are referred by family members who are concerned.

“It’s a variety. Some folks just get sick and tired of being sick and tired,” he said.

At the Community and Family Resource Center, 125 S. Third St. #100, people are given the opportunity to overcome their addiction through many different options.

“We provide assessment to determine what level and intensity of service they might need,” Hosgetler said. “Some can be assisted by simple referrals to AA, some need formal treatment, some will need detox and/or residential treatment and some will need outpatient treatment.”

Hosgetler advises anybody who has a substance abuse problem or knows of someone who was an addiction to contact the Community and Family Resources Center or any local substance abuse center.

“The center in Ames offers education where family members can learn more about the addiction,” he said. “In some cases the family members can assist in pointing out the facts of a problem and help the person wake up and get some help.”