Methamphetamine is a highly addictive central nervous system stimulant that can be injected, snorted, smoked, or ingested orally. Methamphetamine users feel a short yet intense "rush" when the drug is initially administered. The immediate effects of methamphetamine include increased activity and decreased appetite. The drug has limited medical uses for the treatment of narcolepsy, attention deficit disorders, and obesity.1
Most amphetamines distributed to the black market are produced in clandestine laboratories. Methamphetamine laboratories are, by far, the most frequently encountered clandestine laboratories in the United States. The ease of clandestine synthesis, combined with tremendous profits, has resulted in significant availability of illicit methamphetamine. Large amounts of methamphetamine are also illicitly smuggled into the United States from Mexico.2
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Extent of Use
According to the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 10.4 million Americans aged 12 or older used methamphetamine at least once in their lifetimes for nonmedical reasons, representing 4.3% of the U.S. population in that age group. The number of past year methamphetamine users in 2005 was approximately 1.3 million (0.5% of the population aged 12 or older) and the number of past month methamphetamine users was 512,000 (0.2%).3
Number* of Persons Reporting Nonmedical Use of Methamphetamine, 2002-2005
| |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
|---|
| Lifetime use |
12,383
|
12,303
|
11,726
|
10,357 |
| Past year use |
1,541
|
1,315
|
1,440
|
1,297 |
| Past month use |
597 |
607 |
583 |
512 |
| * Numbers are in thousands |
Among 12-17 year olds surveyed as part of the 2005 NSDUH, 0.3% reported past month methamphetamine use. Additional NSDUH results indicate that 0.6% of 18-25 year olds and 0.1% of those aged 26 or older reported past month use of methamphetamine.4
The 2005 NSDUH results also indicate that there were 192,000 persons aged 12 or older who had used methamphetamine for the first time within the past 12 months. This is a statistically significant reduction from 2004 when there were 318,000 past year methamphetamine initiates.5
Results of the 2006 Monitoring the Future survey indicate that 2.7% of eighth graders, 3.2% of tenth graders, and 4.4% of twelfth graders reported lifetime use of methamphetamine. In 2005, these percentages were 3.1%, 4.1%, and 4.5%, respectively.6
Percent of Students Reporting Methamphetamine Use, 2005–20067
|
|
8th Grade |
10th Grade |
12th Grade |
| 2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
Past month |
0.7 |
0.6 |
1.1 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
Past year |
1.8 |
1.8 |
2.9 |
1.8 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
Lifetime |
3.1 |
2.7 |
4.1 |
3.2 |
4.5 |
4.4 |
The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveys high school students on several risk factors including drug and alcohol use. Results of the 2005 survey indicate that 6.2% of high school students reported using methamphetamine at some point in their lifetimes. This is down from 7.6% in 2003 and 9.8% in 2001.8
Percent of Students Reporting Lifetime Meth Use, 2001–2005
|
2001
|
2003
|
2005 |
| 9th grade
|
8.1% |
6.7% |
5.7% |
| 10th grade
|
9.7 |
7.5 |
5.9 |
| 11th grade
|
9.2 |
8.0 |
6.7 |
| 12th grade
|
12.8 |
8.0 |
6.4 |
| Total
|
9.8 |
7.6 |
6.2 |
Approximately 4.1% of college students and 8.3% of young adults (ages 19-28) surveyed in 2005 reported lifetime use of methamphetamine.9
Percent of College Students/Young Adults Using Methamphetamine, 2004–2005
|
College Students |
Young Adults |
|
2004 |
2005 |
2004 |
2005 |
|
Past month |
0.2% |
0.1% |
0.6% |
0.7% |
|
Past year |
2.9 |
1.7 |
2.8 |
2.4 |
|
Lifetime |
5.2 |
4.1 |
9.0 |
8.3 |
According to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 23.5% of State prisoners and 17.9% of Federal prisoners surveyed in 2004 indicated that they used methamphetamine at some point in their lives.10
Percent of Prisoners Reporting Methamphetamine Use, 1997 and 2004
|
|
State Prisoners |
Federal Prisoners |
|
1997 |
2004 |
1997 |
2004 |
| At time of offense |
3.5% |
6.1% |
3.7% |
7.2% |
| In month before offense |
6.9 |
10.8 |
6.5 |
10.1 |
| Regularly* |
11.2 |
14.9 |
9.6 |
12.8 |
| Ever in lifetime |
19.4 |
23.5 |
15.1 |
17.9 |
| * Used drugs at least once a week for at least a month. |
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Health Effects
Long-term methamphetamine abuse can cause addiction, anxiety, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behavior. Additionally, psychotic symptoms such as paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions (such as the sensation of bugs crawling under the user's skin) can occur. The psychotic symptoms can last for months or years after methamphetamine use has ceased.11
Of an estimated 106 million emergency department (ED) visits in the U.S. during 2004, the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) estimates that 1,997,993 were drug-related. DAWN data indicate that methamphetamine was involved in 73,400 ED visits.12
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Treatment
From 1995–2005, the number of admissions to treatment in which methamphetamine was the primary drug of abuse increased from 47,695 in 1995 to 152,368 in 2005. The methamphetamine admissions represented 2.8% of the total drug/alcohol admissions to treatment during 1995 and 8.2% of the treatment admissions in 2005. The average age of those admitted to treatment for methamphetamine/amphetamine during 2005 was 31 years.13
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Arrests & Sentencing
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported 6,090 methamphetamine-related arrests during 2005. This is up from 5,893 in 2004 and 6,055 in 2003.14
During FY 2006, there were 5,395 Federal defendants sentenced for methamphetamine-related charges in U.S. Courts. Approximately 98% of the cases involved methamphetamine trafficking.15
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Production & Trafficking
Decreased domestic methamphetamine production is reducing wholesale supplies of domestically produced methamphetamine. The decreased production is a result of law enforcement pressure, public awareness campaigns, and increased regulation of the sale and use of precursor and essential chemicals used in methamphetamine production. However, decreases in domestic methamphetamine production have been offset by increased production in Mexico.16
Methamphetamine is easily produced in clandestine laboratories or meth labs using a variety of ingredients available in stores. The manufacturing of methamphetamine is called "cooking". Cooking a batch of meth can be very dangerous due to the fact that the chemicals used are volatile and the by-products are very toxic. Meth labs present a danger to the meth cook, the community surrounding the lab, and the law enforcement personnel who discover the lab.17
The Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system collects and analyzes data about the public health consequences (e.g., morbidity, mortality, and evacuations) of acute hazardous substance—release events. Of the 40,349 events reported to the HSEES system during January 1, 2000—June 30, 2004, a total of 1,791 (4%) were associated with illicit meth production. Meth events consistently had a higher percentage of persons with injuries than did nonmeth events. Of the 1,791 meth events, 558 (31%) resulted in a total of 947 injured persons.18
As methamphetamine production in small-scale laboratories has decreased nationally since 2004, Mexican criminal groups have expanded direct distribution of methamphetamine, even in many smaller communities. For example, in Midwestern states such as Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio, where methamphetamine laboratory seizures have decreased significantly, Mexican criminal groups have gained control over most distribution of the drug. Law enforcement reports confirm a similar trend throughout much of the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Florida/Caribbean, Southeast, and West Central Regions.19
These groups pose an increased challenge to local law enforcement because they are often Mexico-based, well-organized, and experienced drug distributors that have been successful in blending into somewhat insular Hispanic communities or among Hispanic workers employed in the agricultural, landscaping, construction, and meat packaging industries. The ability of Mexican criminal groups to continue the expansion of methamphetamine distribution into more communities in the eastern United States appears to be limited primarily by their capability to further expand methamphetamine production in Mexico.20
Law enforcement reporting indicates that methamphetamine laboratories have been discovered on federal lands throughout the United States. Methamphetamine laboratories often are discovered in or near caves, cabins, recreational areas, abandoned mines, and private vehicles located on or adjacent to federal lands.21
Increased restrictions on cold preparations and other medicines containing methamphetamine precursor chemicals in many states have contributed to sharp declines in the number of labs in those states. Additionally, restricted importation of bulk pseudoephedrine from Canada since January 2003 has resulted in significant declines in the number of domestic methamphetamine superlabs.22
National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System (NCLSS) data show that the overall number of reported methamphetamine laboratory seizures nationwide has decreased 42% from 10,015 in 2004 to 5,846 in 2005. Preliminary data indicate that this trend has continued in 2006. The number of laboratory seizures will most likely decrease further as more states implement restrictions on products used in the production of the drug.23
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Legislation
Methamphetamine is a Schedule II narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970.24 The chemicals that are used to produce methamphetamine are also controlled under the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996 (MCA). This legislation broadened the controls on listed chemicals used in the production of methamphetamine, increased penalties for the trafficking and manufacturing of methamphetamine and listed chemicals, and expanded the controls of products containing the licit chemicals ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine (PPA).25
Signed in October 2000, the Children's Health Act of 2000 includes provisions dealing with methamphetamine prevention, production, enforcement, treatment and abuse.26
On March 9, 2006, President Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, which includes provisions to strengthen Federal, state, and local efforts to combat the spread of methamphetamine.27
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Street Terms28
| Bikers Coffee |
Methlies Quick |
| Chalk |
Poor Man's Cocaine |
| Chicken Feed |
Shabu |
| Crank |
Speed |
| Crystal Meth |
Stove Top |
| Glass |
Trash |
| Go-Fast |
Yellow Bam |
| Ice |
|
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Other Links
Clandestine Laboratory Investigator's Association
CLIA provides training, technical support, and expert testimony to prosecutors, law enforcement, and emergency services personnel.
The Methamphetamine Menace (PDF)
This fact sheet highlights the problems associated with methamphetamine and discusses how some States are responding.
Methamphetamine Publications
A listing of methamphetamine-related publications from various sources.
Methamphetamine Treatment Project
The Methamphetamine Treatment Project is a multi-site initiative to study the treatment of methamphetamine dependence.
MethResources.gov
MethResources.gov, is a tool for policymakers, law enforcement officials, treatment and prevention professionals, businesses and retailers, and anti-drug activists. The comprehensive site brings together information and resources available to communities on the topic of methamphetamine.
National Clandestine Laboratory Register
This DEA resource contains addresses of locations where law enforcement agencies reported they found chemicals or other items that indicated the presence of either clandestine drug laboratories or dumpsites.
Public Health Legal Preparedness Materials: Methamphetamine Laboratories
This site contains selected State legislation, ordinances, policies, and regulations that relate to methamphetamine laboratories and chemical exposure.
Pushing Back Against Meth: A Progress Report on the Fight Against Methamphetamine in the United States (PDF)
This report surveys the effects of anti-meth action in all 50 States and compares state laws to the Federal standard which was enacted in September 2006 as part of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005.
Synthetic Drug Control Strategy: A Focus on Methamphetamine and Prescription Drug Abuse
This report presents the Administration’s strategy for responding to the illicit use and production of methamphetamine, and the illicit use, or non-medical use, of controlled substance prescription drugs.
Tools for Combating Meth
This Toolkit contains guidebooks addressing issues such as clandestine drug labs, drug dealing in open-air markets and privately owned apartment complexes and identity theft.
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Sources
1 National Institute on Drug Abuse, Research Report: Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction, September 2006
2 Drug Enforcement Administration, Drugs of Abuse, 2005
3 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, September 2006
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 National Institute on Drug Abuse and University of Michigan, 2006 Monitoring the Future Study Drug Data Tables, December 2006
7 Ibid.
8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2005, June 2006
9 National Institute on Drug Abuse and University of Michigan, Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975–2005, Volume II: College Students & Adults Ages 19–45 (PDF), 2006
10 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Drug Use and Dependence, State and Federal Prisoners, 2004, October 2006
11 National Institute on Drug Abuse, Research Report: Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction, September 2006
12 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2004: National Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits, April 2006
13 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) Highlights - 2005, February 2007
14 National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2007, October 2006
15 U.S. Sentencing Commission, 2006 Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics, 2007
16 National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2006, January 2006
17 Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series No. 16, Clandestine Drug Labs (PDF), April 2002
18 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Acute Public Health Consequences of Methamphetamine Laboratories—16 States, January 2000–June 2004, April 2005
19 National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2007, October 2006
20 Ibid.
21 National Drug Intelligence Center, Marijuana and Methamphetamine Trafficking on Federal Lands Threat Assessment, February 2005
22 National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2006, January 2006
23 National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2007, October 2006
24 Drug Enforcement Administration, Methamphetamine: Legislation
25 Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control, Provisions of the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996
26 Government Printing Office, Public Law 106-310, October 2000
27 Government Printing Office, USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-177), March 2006
28 Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse, Street Terms: Drugs and the Drug Trade
Methamphetamine Terms
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