Methamphetamine addiction was a major concern for law enforcement and health officials several years ago, before the opioid crisis reached epidemic proportions. States in the Western United States were hit especially hard by the abundance of methamphetamine being manufactured, and as a result thousands of people suffered from debilitating addictions to the powerful drug. But, after major attempts to curb methamphetamine production and use, the United States saw a decline in the number of meth users.
Restrictions on purchasing some of the main ingredients for manufacturing the drug and powerful ad campaigns like, Faces of Meth, were attributed to the de-escalation of methamphetamine use. However, recent reports find that while the country experienced a reprieve from the meth problem, more people are using the drug again, and massive quantities of the drug are being smuggled across the border.
“We’re seeing it pour across the border in bigger quantities. It used to be that loads of 20, 30, 40 pounds were big for us. Now we have 200-pound loads,” cautioned[1] Mark Conover, the deputy U.S. Attorney in Southern California.
Methamphetamine originally soared in popularity because addicts could manufacture the drug themselves, using relatively common household ingredients. But, now that many of these ingredients require an ID to purchase and are only available in limited quantities, drug cartels in South America have taken over. As a result, methamphetamine is not being made in small at-home labs, but instead is being produced in giant warehouses where they make it in bulk and then smuggle it into the United States.
This massive influx of methamphetamine has led to some of the biggest numbers that officials have ever seen. States like Ohio, Texas, Montana, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Iowa, South Dakota and Wisconsin have all seen massive spikes in methamphetamine in the last year. Some reports[2] show that methamphetamine use has jumped by 250% since 2011.
Meth has somewhat silently crept back on the radar. Despite having a different set of problems associated with its use where overdose deaths are less likely compared to opioids, methamphetamine addiction is still a very serious threat to the public health in America.
If you have a loved one who is abusing or addicted to methamphetamine, contact us today to find out how our treatment program can help.
Sources:
[1] http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/meth-surges-opioid-epidemic/2017/07/06/id/800042/
[2] http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/twin-plagues-meth-rises-shadow-opioids-n776871
