Mitch McConnell - - - It's to bad he kept his job.
Allow me to show you some facts about Meth. I will leave out quite a few states because every state has a meth problem. These are meth users seeking treatment, not meth labs found.
I believe some states direct funds for treatment programs better than others, no doubt.
Does Oregon have better treatment funding than Kentucky? Or is it just more meth?
KENTUCKYMeth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 17
Methamphetamine is a dramatically increasing threat in Kentucky, particularly in the rural areas of the state where local production of the drug is rampant. In 2004 a record 571 labs were seized by DEA, state and local authorities, compared to 371 in 2002 and just 104 in 2000. Similarly, in 2003, 696 residents sought treatment for meth addiction, or about 2.2 percent of all persons seeking substance abuse treatment. This is an increase from 2002, when 455 individuals sought treatment for meth abuse, and from 2000 when only 250 did.
HAWAII
Meth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 204
Methamphetamine, specifically crystal meth, is the drug of choice in Hawaii, and the state has the second highest number of meth users per capita in the nation, a factor that experts pinpoint as a major cause of the state's high rate of property crime. In 2004, 2,380 residents sought treatment for meth addiction, or about 41.0 percent of all persons seeking substance abuse treatment. Although this is a slight decrease from 2003, when 2,561 individuals sought treatment for meth abuse, the number has remained fairly steady for the past five years. Currently, the majority of meth in circulation in Hawaii is smuggled onto the islands from the U.S. mainland or from east Asian superlabs, however, there have been a handful of local seizures as well: from 5 in 2000 to 10 in 2002 and now 20 in 2004.
COLORADOMeth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 72
Methamphetamine use has grown in Colorado in recent years, although marijuana is still the most commonly abused drug in the state. In 2004, 4,778 residents sought treatment for meth addiction, or about 7.0 percent of all persons seeking substance abuse treatment. This is a steady increase from 2002, when 2,582 individuals sought treatment for meth abuse, and from 2000, when 1,782 did. Most meth circulating in the state now comes from superlabs in California or Mexico, and local production is on the decline: In 2004, some 228 labs were seized by DEA, state and local authorities, compared to 345 in 2003 and 453 in 2002.
CALIFORNIAMeth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 175
Methamphetamine has surpassed cocaine as the biggest drug threat in California, and the Drug Enforcement Administration describes northern part of the state as "awash" in the drug. For more than a decade, meth has been manufactured locally as well as smuggled into the state from Mexico, although recent years have seen a decrease in local lab seizures. In 2004, only 764 labs were seized by DEA, state and local authorities, compared to 1,239 in 2003 and 2,204 in 2000. On the other hand, the number of individuals seeking treatment for meth addiction has risen dramatically from 32,970 in 2000 to 59,714 in 2004, or about 33.1 percent of all persons seeking substance abuse treatment and a population as large as the entire city of Palo Alto, Calif.
IOWAMeth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 181
Iowa is one of the states most ravaged by the meth epidemic, and it has the third highest rate of per capita meth treatment admissions in the nation. In 2004, 5,560 Iowans sought treatment for meth addiction, or about 19.7 percent of all persons seeking substance treatment. This is a steady increase from 2002, when 4,840 individuals sought treatment for meth abuse and from 2000 when only 3,383 did. Although the majority of meth in circulation in Iowa is provided by Mexican traffickers, local production is on the rise: In 2004 a record 1,335 labs were seized by DEA, state and local authorities, compared to 867 in 2002 and just 283 in 2000.
MONTANAMeth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 113
Methamphetamine production and use remains the biggest drug threat in Montana, and the state has one of the highest rates of meth treatment admissions per capita in the nation. In 2004, some 1,146 residents sought treatment for meth addiction, or about 15.5 percent of all persons seeking substance abuse treatment. This is a steady increase from 2002, when 896 individuals sought treatment for meth abuse and from 2000 when 762 did. Although Mexican traffickers provide the majority of meth in circulation in Montana Mexican, local production of the drug remains a problem. In 2004, 65 clandestine labs were seized by DEA, state and local authorities, compared to a high of 88 in 2002 and a low of 28 in 2000.
NEVADAMeth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 145
Methamphetamine is currently the primary drug concern in Nevada, and the state has one of the highest rates of meth treatment admissions per capita in the nation. In 2004, 3,332 residents sought treatment for meth addiction, or about 28.8 percent of all persons seeking substance abuse treatment. There has been a steady increase of admittances in recent years, from 2002 when 2,831 sought treatment and from 2000 when 2,409 did, and Nevada's meth treatment admissions have remained among the highest in the nation for more than a decade. Although, Mexican traffickers provide the majority of meth in circulation in the state, local production has decreased and now occurs on a limited basis. In 2004, DEA, state and local officials seized only 79 clandestine labs, compared to 125 in 2003 and a high of 284 in 2000.
Number 1 - - - OREGONMeth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 212
Methamphetamine is currently one of the most widely abused drugs in Oregon, where there are more individuals seeking treatment for a meth addiction per capita than in any other state in the nation. In 2004, 8,561 residents sought treatment for meth addiction, or about 19.0 percent of all persons seeking substance abuse treatment -- more than the number of people seeking treatment for cocaine and marijuana abuse combined. Although this number has decreased from a high of 9,463 individuals in 2002, it has increased from 2000 when 7,665 did. Although Mexican traffickers provide most of the meth in circulation in Oregon, the state is also home to a large number of local clandestine labs. In 2004, DEA, state and local officials seized 472 labs. Similarly, "crystal" meth, the purer, more addictive form of the drug, is becoming increasingly available throughout the state and is the exclusive variety now available in Central Oregon. This type of meth is often taken intravenously and is thought to be the cause of a recent rise in syphilis cases, and state health officials fear it might cause a boom in cases of HIV.
UTAHMeth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 146
Methamphetamine is the primary drug threat in Utah, and more residents seek treatment for meth abuse than any other drug, including alcohol. In 2004, 2,889 individuals sought treatment for meth addiction, or about 26.3 percent of all persons seeking substance abuse drug treatment. Although this is a slight decrease from 2003, when 3,436 individuals sought treatment, admissions for meth addiction have remained in the thousands for the past five years. Although Mexican traffickers provide most of the meth supply in the state (and that supply has increased in purity in recent years), local production appears to be sharply declining: The number of clandestine lab seizures has fallen from a high of 209 in 2000 to only 72 in 2004, and drug enforcement officials report that the labs that have been seized are smaller and more rudimentary than the super labs seized in previous years.
WYOMINGMeth treatment admissions per 100,000 residents (2003): 178
In recent years, methamphetamine has become the illegal drug of choice in Wyoming, and it is now the state's biggest drug threat. Meth arrests now exceed all other drug arrests combined, and more residents seek treatment for meth addiction than for any other drug except alcohol. In 2004, 878 residents sought treatment for meth addiction, or about 17.6 percent of all persons seeking substance abuse treatment. This is a steady increase from 2002, when 691 residents sought treatment for meth abuse, and from 2000 when only 437 did. On the other hand, local lab seizures are declining: In 2004 only 21 labs were seized by DEA, state and local authorities, compared to 26 in 2003 and 61 in 2002.
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