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Methamphetamine Use Is on the Rise

Methamphetamine use appears to be increasing and spreading among various populations. Recent data indicate that 4.7 million Americans--2.2 percent of the population--have tried the drug at least once (SAMHSA, 1996).

According to the Monitoring the Future Study, methamphetamine use among youth also is on the rise (NIDA, 1997). Nearly 5 percent of last year’s high school seniors reported trying methamphetamine, while only 2.7 percent of 1990 graduates had tried it. The number of college students reporting methamphetamine use has increased as well--from 0.1 percent in 1990 to 0.8 percent in 1994.

Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant with effects similar to those of cocaine. "Speed," "crank," "go," "crystal meth," and "poor man’s cocaine" are among the common street names for the drug. The drug can be ingested orally or by inhalation, intranasal snorting, or occasionally by injection. Methamphetamine users experience serious health problems including respiratory damage, increased heart rate and blood pressure, extreme weight loss, paranoia, violence, and addiction. Long-term use of the drug can cause irreversible vascular damage to the brain, which can lead to cardiovascular problems, convulsions, and sometimes fatal hypothermia.

Methamphetamine use varies by region. The West Coast in particular is experiencing a methamphetamine epidemic. Recent data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) reveal that San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles are among the top five cities for methamphetamine-related emergency room admissions. Hawaii, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington also are experiencing similar trends. The data further suggest that in these and other Western and Southwestern areas, methamphetamine use is overtaking heroin and cocaine use among people entering drug treatment programs.

Although rates remain highest in the West, there is growing evidence to suggest a spread eastward--in the Midwest and South in particular. Hispanic migrant workers in the Southwest, Asian laborers in Hawaii, suburban teens, college students, and men who have sex with men are among the populations in which use is increasing.

Reasons for using methamphetamine vary widely. Workers and college students may use methamphetamine to work long hours or perform repetitive tasks. Young women report using the drug for appetite suppression and weight loss. Many suburban youth consider the drug less dangerous and more socially acceptable than cocaine. As more studies are conducted, additional reasons for using methamphetamines will surface, as well as potential strategies for prevention.

Sources:
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). 1997. NIDA Capsules: Statistical Series. Cap 46. Monitoring the Future Study, 1975-1997. Rev. December 1997. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health.
Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President. 1997. Recent DAWN Data on Methamphetamine/Speed. Rockville, MD: author.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Office of Applied Studies. 1996. Preliminary Estimates from the 1995 National Survey on Drug Abuse. Advance Report Number 18. Rockville, MD: author.

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