Allentown

Prior to 1830, Allentown was a small town that served only local markets. The arrival of the Lehigh Canal, however, expanded the city’s commerce and industrial capacity greatly. Since this time, Allentown has been, and continues to be an industrial city. It’s history also has some significance. Allentown was where the Liberty Bell was hid from the British during the American Revolutionary war. Allentown’s central location allows it to easily transport not only throughout the state, but nationally as well. However, this convenience also has it’s downfall. This has allowed drug trafficking to make a sharp increase over the last decade.
Pennsylvania is associated with abuse of heroin, cocaine and marijuana. Smuggling and drug trafficking into the state remains at a high level and is heavily concentrated in Allentown. Locally produced marijuana, secret methamphetamine laboratories and thefts of prescription pain medications continue to plague the state and pose a challenge to law enforcement and the medical profession. The ban of ephedrine has only made a dent in the growth of methamphetamine laboratories in the state. Young women in Allentown are the demographic abusing methamphetamine.

Allentown is the center for drug distribution throughout Pennsylvania. Gangs control much of the drug supply and, as a result, violence and crime has increased. The rise of teenagers overdosing has resulted in law enforcement stepping up their efforts to combat the problem. Pennsylvania has one of the toughest laws in the United States as it relates to drug trafficking.

Cocaine use has not decreased in Pennsylvania, despite the higher price and decreased potency of the product. The cocaine market is big business in Allentown. In the inner cities, the use of crack cocaine often goes hand in hand with alcohol abuse and heroin abuse. Hospital admissions and deaths from overdoses are on the rise in the state.

Heroin is easily available throughout Pennsylvania. Heroin abuse is almost at epidemic proportions in the state, especially in the cities. The drug is stronger and costs less than other drugs. The ban of ephedrine has not made much of a difference to methamphetamine production and abuse in Allentown. Methamphetamine is popular because of its longer lasting high and low price.

The popularity of club drugs are on the rise in Pennsylvania. The most abused club drug is MDMA (ecstasy), but GHB, LSD, PCP and ketamine are also used, especially by teenagers and college students. The club drugs are brought into Pennsylvania by Russian Israelis, Europeans and Chinese immigrants. The drugs are cheap which means that they are accessible to young people. Much of the supply of MDMA (ecstasy) comes into Pennsylvania from Canada.

The abuse of prescription drugs – OxyContin, Vicodin, Fentanyl, valium, soma, Lortab and Percocet – is rapidly increasing throughout the state. Illlegal sales, forced prescriptions and “doctor shopping” is making the control a challenge for law enforcement and the medical profession. Although this has become an epidemic nationwide, Allentown has seen one of the largest increases of overdoses from prescription drugs.

For Immediate Help Call
610-915-8408
24 hours a day

For more information on state-funded treatment programs in Pennsylvania contact,
www.portal.state.pa.us.
The Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Pennsylvania Department of Health
2 Kline Plaza,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17104
1-877-PA-HEALTH

Alcoholics Anonymous

Allentown 610-882-0558
Bethleham 610-882-0558
Erie 814-452-2675
Lancaster 717-394-3238
Philadelphia 215-923-7900
Pittsburgh 412-471-7472
Scranton 570-654-0488
York 717-854-4617

Narcotics Anonymous

Philadelphia 215-629-6757
Pittsburgh 412-391-5247
Regional Help line 888-251-2426
Wilkes Barre 570-654-7755

For Immediate Help Call 24/7/365 - (610) 915-8408

Servicing Lehigh County in Pennyslvania. Payments accepted: Cash, Check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Financing, Insurance, Medicare