Methamphetamine trends in drug abuse, June 1998

Methamphetamine links from the Koch Crime Institute

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METHAMPHETAMINE TRENDS IN DRUG ABUSE
June 1998
Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG)

The 1997 indicator data show increases in methamphetamine abuse in 8 of the 21 CEWG areas. These included Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Diego where the 1996 indicators had earlier suggested methamphetamine abuse was decreasing or stabilizing. Other areas of increased use include Detroit, Honolulu, Minneapolis/ St. Paul, and St. Louis.

Denver There have been steady increases in methamphetamine use from 1991 to 1997. Methamphetamine treatment admissions more than quadrupled….In 1997, 1,651 methamphetamine abusers entered treatment.

Honolulu Methamphetamine treatment admissions increased 48 percent in 1997 and methamphetamine cases reported by police departments were higher.

Minn./St. Paul Methamphetamine treatment admissions more than doubled (to 586) in 1997. Law enforcement agencies report escalating levels of methamphetamine availability and trafficking throughout the State.

San Diego Following decreases in1995 and 1996, methamphetamine treatment admissions rose in 1997 (n = 3,855) and accounted for 37 percent of all admissions. There were 62 overdose deaths associated with methamphetamine in 1997, the highest ever reported by the San Diego coroners.

In three other areas - Dallas, San Francisco, and Seattle - methamphetamine indicators of abuse remained at high levels.

Estimated rates per 100,000 persons for DAWN methamphetamine ED mentions (1996) were highest in San Francisco (66), Phoenix (35), San Diego (26), Los Angeles (15), and Seattle (10).

As in previous years, there is no evidence in the indicator data that methamphetamine use is spreading on a large scale to Chicago or to any CEWG cities along or near the Atlantic coast. The lowest rates for DAWN methamphetamine ED mentions (1996) were in Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, Miami, and Newark—below 0.1. In addition, there were very low rates in New York (0.2), Washington, D.C. (0.3), Chicago (0.4), and Philadelphia (1.3).

In some areas, relatively high pro-portions of women and youth are identified in methamphetamine abuse indicators:

Denver Females 18 years and younger are overrepresented among treatment admissions. In 1997, 48 percent of primary methamphetamine admissions were female; among those age 18 and younger, 82 percent were female. Further, 59 percent of new methamphetamine users were female.

Los Angeles In 1997, 45 percent of methamphetamine admissions were female.

Minn./St. Paul Some female clients are using methamphetamine to lose weight; female adolescents use the drug for its appetite suppressant properties. Also, clients under age 25 accounted for 47 percent of the methamphetamine admissions.

St. Louis Women are heavily involved as methamphetamine chemists and distributors. Methamphetamine has become more widespread among high school and college students who do not consider it as dangerous as crack or cocaine.

San Diego In 1997, 52 percent of the methamphetamine admissions were female.

A different pattern prevailed in San Francisco where 76 percent of the primary methamphetamine admissions in 1997 were male and where 57 percent of the methamphetamine admissions injected the drug.

In Denver, 36 percent of the 1997 methamphetamine admissions injected the drug. However, smoking methamphetamine is, reportedly, becoming increasingly popular among new users. Twenty-one percent of the methamphetamine admissions smoked the drug.

Among the 3,855 methamphetamine admissions in San Diego in 1997, 42 percent reported smoking the drug, 39 percent reported sniffing it, and 18 percent said they injected the drug.

There is, reportedly, a widespread proliferation of the manufacturing of methamphetamine. In some CEWG areas, methamphetamine laboratories have become entrenched. Once the entrepreneurs are established in a particular geographic area, it is difficult to locate them and to close down their operations. Small and mobile clandestine laboratories are often set up in remote areas. After producing a batch of methamphetamine, a laboratory can be easily disassembled and moved to another location. It is not uncommon for one organization to have multiple labs.

In 1996, the numbers of methamphetamine lab seizures were highest in the DEA field divisions in St. Louis (292), Denver (88), San Francisco (87), Phoenix (83), New Orleans (81), Dallas (77), San Diego (53), and Los Angeles (52). Most of the laboratories were capable of producing only small quantities of methamphetamine, ranging from half an ounce to one pound.

In 1997, the DEA Midwest Field Division identified hundreds of these laboratories and the Washington State Patrol responded to more than 100 telephone calls related to methamphetamine laboratories.

Methamphetamine prices vary by area:

Denver $25 per one-quarter gram (injectors usually do not purchase less than one-quarter gram)
Minn./ St. Paul $100 per gram
St. Louis $37 to $100 per gram
San Diego $50 to $80 per gram (purity in 1997 was 20 to 40 percent)
Seattle $80 to $120 per gram (purity was 35 to 90 percent)
San Francisco $60 to $100 per gram

Article provided by Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG)

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