In addition to being a famed summer destination and the setting of profane limericks, the Massachusetts island of Nantucket is developing a reputation for the presence of a certain white powder.
Data reviewed by the Nantucket Current shows that area’s wastewater contained levels of cocaine nearly three-times the national average.
Interestingly, the levels of BZE, the substance that cocaine is converted to when metabolized by the body, in Nantucket’s sewage is much more in line with national averages.
“Because Nantucket’s cocaine levels are above national and regional averages while BZE is often at or below average, the most likely explanations include dumping events, repeated small-scale disposal, or concurrent use with alcohol, which changes how cocaine is metabolized,” the report reads.
In the past year and a half, authorities have seized 6 pounds of cocaine on Nantucket and have charged six residents.