Methamphetamine
Substance Abuse

Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug which is easily manufactured in simple laboratories which have been found in settings ranging from small moving trailers to multi-million dollar homes in nearly every state in the nation. In the past few years, the meth epidemic has spread from the southwestern United States to its recent appearance on the east coast. The affects of methamphetamine are similar to those of cocaine, but the drug is much less expensive. Its effects on individuals and families, however, is devastating.

Per 2003 admission data, Utah County sees more meth abusers in treatment than any other county in Utah with the exception of Salt Lake. Utah County’s Division of Substance Abuse reported over 800 treatment admissions compared to Salt Lake County's report of over 2000 meth treatment admissions. However, only about 40 percent of those needing treatment are able to receive it.

Drug abuse is mainly a male oriented problem, but with methamphetamine abuse and addiction the opposite is true. More women’s lives are devastated by meth than men’s. Unfortunately, this means that children are adversely affected as well. Children of meth abusing women often show signs of neglect: poor appetite, poor nutrition, poor grooming and hygiene, fatigue, mood swings, poor academic performance, and behavior problems in the community and the classroom. Utah County’s methamphetamine treatment population is 54% women. The vast majority of women in Utah County’s drug court programs are there for problems with meth.