Seized Drug Dashboard
Check out the newest Dashboard demonstrating illicit drug trends in Virginia!
Every year, tens of thousands of drug samples are submitted to the DFS, where they are tested by the Controlled Substances Section, to determine the presence or absence of controlled substances. Hundreds of unique substances are identified each year, and they include illegal drugs, prescription drugs, and over the counter medications.
The frequency with which individual drugs are identified in DFS drug testing can help in understanding the level of availability of those drugs within Virginia, and how that level of availability has changed over time.
This Dashboard shows selected drug categories of interest, showing how frequently those drugs are submitted to DFS, both statewide and regionally. The drug categories examined here are among the most common submissions and include both illicit substances and prescription drugs with a potential for abuse.
Notes and Helpful Information
For the best experience interacting with the dashboard, we recommend using a desktop/laptop computer, and clicking HERE to open the dashboard in a new tab.
Use the dropdowns at the top to select the desired substances and year. Additional dashboards are available that show trends by Virginia State Police (VSP) Divisions and Court Districts. The “Opioids” dashboard focuses on illicit opioids, such as fentanyl.
Data is updated monthly to add data from cases completed in the month prior. Due to current laws relating to marijuana, case data for identified marijuana samples are not included.
Data Sources
Drug submission data for this report were provided by the Virginia Department of Forensic Science, using information collected for the National Forensic Laboratory Information System. Data analysis was provided by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Criminal Justice Research Center. Dashboard visualization was provided by the Office of Data Governance and Analytics.