Cocaine is considered by some as the greatest drug threat to the US because it leads in drug-related violence, emergency department mentions of cocaine use, admissions to treatment facilities and arrests. 

HIV infection/ AIDS is still a major threat with needle use!

Since the epidemic began (AIDS) injection drug use has directly and indirectly accounted for more than one-third of AIDS cases in the United States.  This disturbing trend appearns to be continuing.

Wholesale cocaine traffickers purchase cocaine from importers and regional distributors usually in kilogram or multi-kilogram allotments.  The cocaine is pressed into a one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of pure cocaine called "kilo-brick."  This is generally the manner in which the cocaine is shipped from Columbia or other cocaine producing countries to the United States and other consuming countries.

Once the cocaine reaches it's "consuming country," other wholesalers package the powder cocaine into retail quantities (ounces or grams) or convert the powdered cocaine into crack for retail sales.

According to the Federal-wide Drug Seizure System (FDSS), U.S. Federal authorities seized over 111 metric tons of cocaine in year 2001.  This is a moderate increase over the nearly 107 metric tons seized in 2000.  One way drug dealers smuggle drugs intot he United States is by filling balloons or prophylactics with cocaine or other drugs and swallowing them.  Just before boarding a commercial aircraft to the U.S., the smuggler swallows the balloons.  When the smuggler arrives in the U.S., he or she is met by an accomplice who takes them to a hotel (or other place) to consume a laxative and flush the balloons ("poopers") from their body.