Meth myth busted - drug rarely used

imlostinky

Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

www.wlky.com/health/9371718/detail.html

Quote:

Methamphetamine use is rare in most of the United States, not the raging epidemic described by politicians and the news media, says a study by an advocacy group.

Quote:
Meth is a dangerous drug but among the least commonly used, The Sentencing Project policy analyst Ryan King wrote in a report issued Wednesday. Rates of use have been stable since 1999, and among teenagers meth use has dropped, King said.

Oh really? and he has been to the local high schools in my town when?
I can't count how many kids ,friends of my children that are using meth or have used or are addicted to meth.
It would be easier for me to count how many aren't.
and if it is rarely used, why are our numbers here growing?
why are so many of us affected by this drug use?
and more of us come in every day?

They need to step out of the numbers and into the numbers- come live with the real people in the real neighborhoods for awhile.
Hell it is up and down all over this area.
In 1999, I couldn't find meth to get high. Now it is only just a call away any day of the week ,any time of the day.
But the numbers are the same?

Thank God I did get hooked and get over this way back when it really was rare.
I'd never run out if I used today.

blondie

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

Hi
In the town that I live in meth is the drug of choice...Our little newspaper is full, sometimes the whole page is filled up with people getting caught with meth...Actually a drug bust took place this week and guess what drug was all about the place METH....so yes these people are not living in the real world...Also there have been several deaths from meth in the last several years, in a town with a population of 4,000.
My eyes are wide open...maybe they are walking around with rose colored glasses on....lol
God Bless

JDP

Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

The person who wrote this must be on meth. When my addict was in jail, he said almost everyone in there was in on a meth related charge. What the heck, this story doesn't sound accurate at all. See you can't believe everything ya read.

Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

Some of the snippets I agree with - like the inaccuracy in reporting that meth is so highly addictive,the users of meth do not respond well to treatment.
We do too recover.
I do agree that it is ill perceived as once on meth always on meth.
I don't agree that it is rarely used. I don't agree that it is a localized problem.

Quote:

Data from the jail populations of a handful of cities on the West Coast also show what King called a "highly localized" problem.

It is more than just a local problem here. We are proof of that. Look at us, members from just about every state in the nation and more than just the States.

I agree that it is possible more people use pot than meth.
I agree that there may be more coke than meth - but not for long.

It is way more prevalent now than it was 10 years ago. I know ,I was there.
I know more people now that use than I did when I was using.
I know it is way more available and way more known than what it was in 1999.
At least here. In this state.
and I feel quite sure in most states with the exception of California. California was loaded with meth in 1999.
and in 1998.
and in 1997....
that I do know.
In Kentucky it was not. It is now.

Savannah05

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

This is such bullshit I can not even begin to say how mad it makes me. Not a problem???!!! Use has dropped among teens??!!! WTF EVER!!! I went from one side of the US (California) to almost the other (Minnesota) and use is increasing everywhere. More and more teens are using. When I got clean there were I don't know how many young (13-15 yr olds) teens starting to use. Even 11 and 12 yr olds!!!! I totally agree with you stinky....we can and do recover. Though meth related deaths ( not just from OD but the lifestyle it's self) are increasing the numbers are still small. If we would just realize what a huge problem it is and that we do need to get to the younger crowd for prevention and offer more help for the already addicted then maybe the numbers would drop!!!!

Just my two cents...

missybuns

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

Rarely used? Couldn't be further from the truth. I started using meth in the early 90's in Indiana. My dealer supposedly had it brought in from California through Louisville and up to Indianapolis. People started cooking it around here (I live 40 miles south of Indpls)in the mid 90's and today it's EVERYWHERE. There are so many meth related busts going on we need to build a new jail. We just got a new jail within the last ten years and now we are contracting to build a new one. I thank God, my parents, my brother, and my network of recovering NA friends for supporting my recovery. Meth left me spiritually bankrupt and almost stole my physical health too. I'm so grateful to be recovering today. I have a full time job I enjoy and can pay my bills. I've been to the dentist and had full physical and psychiatric evaluations. I couldn't feel better. I've been off meth since may2003. WE DO RECOVER.

TenderheartsKS

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

Interesting. Kansas is one of the top states for meth labs. Now the mobile meth labs are becoming increasingly popular here, and just two weeks ago they ran a story on the news about the dangers of unsuspecting folks picking up the toxic stuff in ditches that they are throwing out while driving down the road.

pisces

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

The ppl responsible for writing that article must not have ever been to Missouri either!! HA! Meth is in every small town and major city here, and I am surprised that they would call it a Localized Problem... yeah, localized wherever it is.....localized in every town and city is has taken over maybe....I agree... we need to do something about it, but trying to minimize this problem to the public is not going to fix it..... I have recently started giving talks at local high schools for ppl of all ages, we even welcome friends and family to join in... my sponsor and I give these talks, in an attempt to help those who need help, and to educate those who know nothing about drugs, or those who have been lied to about drugs... we want to help young ppl understand that they have options to combat peer pressure, and that they do not have to follow the crowd... also, we have been thinking of adding a bit about depression... and that drugs make it worse.....

I have been clean for 15 months, and though it has been rough, I have managed to get thru it ok... I just hope ppl do not start to believe the crap in this article... because we do recover, and it is a world wide problem.....

Sfj

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

In a way, it is rarely used.

It is less common than tobacco, liquor, or marijuana.

So clearly, it is not among the top three.

At any given time, I'm sure that less than five per cent of the population of all people would test positive for meth use if they were given a UA.

"Rare" and "Common" are subjective terms, but like you, I also disagree with many portions of that article.

www.drugwarfacts.org/causes.htm

djmom11

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

hmmmm, maybe 5 years ago, most of the drug problems facing the adults whose children we detain were alcohol and marijuana. Well, now it seems like most of them are meth addicts. Alcohol would still rank as the number one drug problem, but even the alcoholics are using meth. Rare is a subjective term, but I still see meth use as a worldwide problem, and it isn't going away. What I wonder is where they get their statistics. Statistics are funny in that they can be skewed to be used however you want them. Statistics may show one thing, but that doesn't make them the truth. Not all meth addicts are arrested, and not all go into treatment, so how does anyone truly know how many meth (or any drug for that matter) users there are.

mkm

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

The worst thing about the article is that people are going to believe it - here's proof - The Superintendent of the school District I work at and where my children go to school, emailed a copy of the article and said "maybe this meth problem isn't as bad as you think" AARRGGHH - This is after he has assigned me to be our district's "meth rep" only because none of the directors were interested in going to a meth summit. I was chosen because I have been advocating for education in our schools & community since I lost my son last July. His attitude sucks.

on a good note...we have educated about 7000 teens since April 06 and some of the schools have adopted "The High is a Lie" DVD into the health curriculum.

imlostinky

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

It probably is used less than tobacco ,alcohol, pot- but I wouldn't bet on it. and I sure wouldn't bet that it stays that way.
I know I sure have seen an explosion of it in every town I have lived in since 1994 when I first got hooked.
And I know by 1999, it was for sure more available.
and no, from where I sit , it has not declined but increased.
Used to be I could go to the store and I might see one person on the way there that was a user.
Now I have to look extra long and hard to find one person besides me that isn't using.

I agree, more money needs to go for treatment and prevention - for sure. Over prisons and jails.
It'd be nice if in the future there was help before breaking the law any worse than by using.
One of my son's friends from high school is in jail now for a robbery he committed over a year ago when he was dealing and using.He is 19 years old, been clean for 6 months.
Used for 3.
Years that is.
Another one goes to court next month facing 15 years for manufacturing. He is 22 , been using since 17.
He was clean for a little while. Hard to stay clean when you live with mommy and daddy and they hit that foil hot and heavy. And everybody you know with the exception of my son is hitting just as hard and just as heavy.
He was disqualified for drug court- manufacturing has mandatory sentencing.

Sure would be nice to stop it before it starts.
It is most definitely hitting hard here. No doubts.

TnSkye

Re: Meth myth busted -drug rarely used

A couple of months ago, there were a couple of hospital reports around this forum that told that ER visits had risen drastically and they were giving credit to meth for that.

I think they surveyed a convent or something....

People who would never touch a drug have gotten addicted to this because someone told them they could lose weight or get more done.

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