Pubdate: Tue, 07 Mar 2006
Source: Tufts Daily (MA Edu)
Copyright: 2006 Tufts Daily
Contact:  http://www.tuftsdaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2705
Author: Patrice Taddonio
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

BY THE NUMBERS - METH MADNESS?

The Senate renewed the Patriot Act last week, sparking discussion and 
debate about balancing civil liberties and national security. But the 
same bill that renewed the Patriot Act contained something that has 
garnered less media attention than those involving wiretapping or 
warrants: the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, a provision 
mandating that medicines containing pseudoephedrine - from which meth 
is made - be stored behind drugstore counters and limiting the amount 
of pseudoephedrine-containing medications individuals can purchase 
each month. The act also gives the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency the 
power to seize the sales records of foreign pharmaceutical 
manufacturers. In this installment of "By the Numbers," the Daily 
explores that provision, as well as the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) review that was released only 
hours prior to the provision's being passed.

1970 Year in which meth possession was made illegal (under the U.S. 
Drug Abuse and Regulation Control Act)

4x Amount by which "the number of meth users admitted to substance 
abuse clinics" rose between 1993 and 2003 28,000 Nationwide 
admissions for "treatment of methamphetamine or amphetamine abuse" in 
1993 136,000 Nationwide admissions in 2003

56 per 100,000 people National admission rate for meth treatment 18 
States with rates higher than the national one (Oregon had the 
highest; then Hawaii, Iowa, California, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, 
Washington, Montana, Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Minnesota, South 
Dakota, Colorado, Missouri, Idaho and Kansas) 5 or less per 100,000 
people Rates for all states in the Northeast, including Massachusetts

$25 million Amount of money President Bush allotted to meth treatment 
in his February budget request $100 million Amount of money the 
Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act gives law enforcement agencies to 
use towards "investigating and locking up meth offenders" 120 Cold 
pills people are allowed to purchase in one day under the Act 300 
Cold pills they're allowed to purchase in one month under the Act

55% Meth treatment patients who were male in 2003 83% Meth treatment 
patients who were white in 1993 73% Meth treatment patients who were 
white in 2003 9% Meth treatment patients who were Hispanic in 1993 
16% Meth treatment patients who were Hispanic in 2003

The information cited above comes from SAMHSA and the Associated Press.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman