More teens, women, minorities abusing meth
New NACo survey show changing demographic
of methamphetamine abusers in America

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Methamphetamine abuse remains a national epidemic, and more teens, women and minorities are abusing the highly-addictive and deadly drug in communities across America, according to a national survey released today by the National Association of Counties (NACo).    

NACo’s survey of 500 county law enforcement officials in 44 states found that 61 percent of counties have seen an increase during the last three years in the number of women abusing meth.  In addition, 49 percent reported an increase in meth abuse among teenagers and 36 percent reported an increase of meth abuse among minorities during the same period.

Overall, 80 percent of counties said that meth abuse has not decreased in the last year and 47 percent of counties said that meth remains their number one illegal drug problem.  That is more than cocaine (21 percent) and marijuana (22 percent) combined.

The survey,“The Methamphetamine Epidemic: The Changing Demographics of Methamphetamine,” was completed in July by NACo to assess the effectiveness of new precursor laws and whether or not increased public awareness of the dangers of the highly-addictive synthetic drug have changed patterns of meth manufacture, acquisition and usage.

Fifty percent of counties said that meth use has stayed the same and 30 percent said it has increased. However, 81 percent of counties said that new precursor laws enacted since 2003 have helped to reduce the ability of abusers to manufacture or “cook” meth in crude and dangerous meth labs.   Sixty-two percent of those responding counties report that out-of-state importation of meth has increased, while 56 percent report that Mexican drug importation has increased.

“Despite the effectiveness of precursor laws, the appetite for this dangerous, family-shattering and costly drug continues to grow,” said NACo President Eric Coleman, commissioner, Oakland County, Mich.  “Methamphetamine abuse remains a national epidemic and a modern day American tragedy for many families and communities.  The impact on counties remains very costly.”

Other survey findings:

• Fifty five percent of counties report increases in robberies and burglaries during the past year;
  
• Sixty percent of counties report an increased workload because of meth abuse and 43 percent report that they are paying more overtime;
  
• Forty two of counties report that up to 10 percent of their jail inmates are incarcerated because of meth-related crimes.  However, four of the eight responding counties in New Mexico said that between 75 and 100 percent of incarcerations are meth-related.
  
• Only 24 percent of counties report that their county facilitates or sponsors a meth rehab center or program.  Of those 363 that do not have a facility, 45 percent cite lack of funding as the primary reason. 
• Coleman said that the nation’s counties are renewing their call for all states and the federal government to work collaboratively to address the meth epidemic in America. 

“The federal government must do more to help prevent the importation of ‘ready to abuse’ meth from international superlabs,” he said.  “In addition, county law enforcement agencies, health care facilities and drug treatment centers need additional resources to fight the meth epidemic at the local level.” 

The new meth survey is the sixth released by NACo in two years.  In July 2005, NACo released two surveys which indicated that meth was the top drug threat to counties and that meth was responsible for an increase in out-of-home placements for children.  In January 2006, NACo released two additional surveys that found that meth was the most prevalent drug that drove people to county public hospital emergency rooms and that the need for meth treatment was growing.   Last July, NACo’s fifth survey reaffirmed that meth was the number one illegal drug problem facing counties.

NACo President-elect Don Stapley, supervisor, Maricopa County, Ariz., said NACo will continue its leadership role to raise national awareness of the meth epidemic.  He said NACo conducts the surveys because counties are on the front lines in responding to meth abuse through sheriff and police departments, jails, hospitals, social services departments and drug treatment centers.

“Meth abuse causes remarkable financial, legal, medical, environmental, and social problems for counties,” Stapely said.  “Counties are the first to respond to the effects of the drug and as a result bear the brunt of the costs.”

According the NACo Executive Director Larry E. Naake, NACo will continue to promote action by the administration and Congress to control and reduce the production, distribution and abuse of meth, including assistance to counties in responding to the problem in their communities.

NACo is calling on Congress to:

• Pass the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act which would set up a research program for remediation of closed meth production laboratories. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Feb. 7.  Companion legislation is awaiting action in the Senate.
  
• Pass the Methamphetamine Production Prevention Act, which would establish a grant program to facilitate the creation of meth precursor electronic logbook systems.  The bill aims to set up systems to alert local authorities when individuals are exploiting a loophole in the Combat Meth Act by acquiring pseudoephedrine from a large number of pharmacies.  The bill was introduced in the Senate on May 3 by Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa).  Companion legislation has been introduced in the House by Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.).
  
• Pass the CLEAN-UP of Methamphetamine Act, introduced on June 5 by Rep. Dennis Rehberg (R-Mont.), which would authorize federal agency response to environmental hazards associated with illegal manufacture of meth on public lands and would create grant programs to assist state and local governments in cleaning up toxic meth labs.

NACo retained the services of Research, Inc. of Washington, D.C. to conduct the telephone survey.  All survey responses were collected in May and June.  The full survey is available at www.naco.org. 

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The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States.  Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s 3,066 counties.  NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public's understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money.  For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org

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