Measuring the Severity of Drug Cases Involving Ice, Dried Marijuana, Methamphetamine, and Heroin and the Relationship Between Drug Cases and Land and Population Densities in Thailand

Abstract

The objectives of the current research were to measure the severity of the 4 drug cases: ice, dried marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin, analyze the 4 drug cases and their relations to the land density (drug cases: square kilometer), and examine the correlations between the population density and a) the density of drug case (drug cases per square kilometer), b) the density of drug offender (drug offenders per square kilometer), and c) the density of drug user (drug users per square kilometer). The findings revealed that measuring the severity of drug cases in Thailand can be done in 2 ways: (1) the quantity/weight of drug per case and (2) the quantity/weight of drug per offender. In terms of the 4 drug cases and their relations to the land density, the current research found that the greatest densities of drug cases related to ice, dried marijuana, and methamphetamine can be found in Bangkok and metropolitan areas, as well as in the central and southern regions. Conversely, heroin cases exhibited the highest density in certain areas, namely South Phuket Province, Pattani, and Narathiwat. When analyzing the data in 2019, the current research found a positive relationship between the population density and 1) the density of drug case, 2) the density of drug offender, and 3) the density of drug user. Ice exhibited the strongest correlation with the population density, followed by dried marijuana, and methamphetamine, respectively. Still, heroin showed the weakest correlation with the population density. Overall, these results underscore the significance of population density, especially in predicting ice, dried marijuana, and methamphetamine-related cases. Plus, all stakeholders may utilize these findings to monitor drug activities, especially in densely populated areas.