As previously mentioned, meth is considered a highly addictive substance, and consumption can easily result in drug dependence.1 TEDS data demonstrate that the percent of treatment admissions in which meth was indicated as the primary drug has been statistically signifi cantly lower in Indiana than the rest of the nation (P < 0.001) (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive, 2008).
Between 2000 and 2007, the percentage of treatment admissions in Indiana in which meth was reported as the primary substance increased signifi cantly from 1.5% to 4.8%, with its peak of 5.9% in 2005 (see Figure 8.8).
Reported methamphetamine dependence in Indiana’s treatment population differed signifi cantly by gender, race, and age group:
• More women (6.7%) than men (3.8%) listed meth as their primary drug at treatment admission (P < 0.001) (see Figure 8.9).
• The highest rate was found among the white treatment population (5.7%) and the lowest rate among the black treatment population (0.3%) (P <
0.001) (see Figure 8.10).
• Younger adults (18 to 44 years old) reported higher rates of meth dependence than older individuals;
Hoosiers under the age of 18 had the lowest rates, at 0.6% (P < 0.001) (see Figure 8.11).
For county-level treatment data, see Appendix 8A, page 138.
1We defi ned methamphetamine dependence as “individuals in substance abuse treatment listing methamphetamine as their primary substance at admission.”
Figure 8.8 Percentage of Treatment Episodes with Meth Dependence Reported at Treatment Admission in Indiana and the United States (Treatment Episode Data Set, 2000–2007)
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive, 2008
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Black 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.2% 0.1% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3%
White 2.0% 3.0% 4.4% 5.3% 6.2% 7.1% 6.7% 5.7%
Other 0.4% 1.2% 1.1% 1.3% 1.3% 3.9% 4.6% 4.6%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Male 1.2% 1.8% 2.7% 3.5% 4.1% 4.5% 4.2% 3.8%
Female 2.2% 3.7% 5.4% 5.8% 6.7% 8.6% 8.3% 6.7%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
Figure 8.9 Percentage of Treatment Episodes with Meth Dependence Reported at Treatment Admission in Indiana, by Gender (Treatment Episode Data Set, 2000–2007)
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive, 2008
Figure 8.10 Percentage of Treatment Episodes with Meth Dependence Reported at Treatment Admission in Indiana, by Race (Treatment Episode Data Set, 2000–2007)
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive, 2008
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Under 18 0.5% 1.0% 1.5% 1.7% 1.4% 2.1% 1.3% 0.6%
18 to 24 1.9% 3.0% 3.9% 4.2% 5.0% 6.1% 5.3% 4.1%
25 to 34 1.9% 3.4% 4.9% 6.0% 7.2% 8.3% 7.7% 6.8%
35 to 44 1.4% 2.2% 3.4% 4.2% 5.0% 5.6% 6.0% 5.4%
45 to 54 0.8% 0.5% 1.4% 1.7% 2.1% 2.9% 2.4% 2.7%
55 and over 0.4% 0.4% 0.1% 0.3% 0.4% 0.6% 1.8% 1.2%
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
Figure 8.11 Percentage of Treatment Episodes with Meth Dependence Reported at Treatment Admission in Indiana, by Age (Treatment Episode Data Set, 2000–2007)
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive, 2008
Criminal Consequences
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Indiana has become an area of high drug traffi cking and distribution. Methamphetamine manufactured in Mexico and the southwestern states is increasingly being transported into Indiana. In 2008, 9.7 kg (21.4 pounds) of meth were seized in the state (in 2007, roughly 13 kg, or almost 29 pounds, of methamphetamine were seized). Meth labs in Indiana are typically “small, toxic laboratories, usually constructed in barns or residential homes,” that produce higher purity (30% to 80%) meth, but do not generate
large quantities for distribution, (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, 2009).
From January 1 to July 31, 2009, the Indiana State Police (ISP) seized 794 clandestine methamphetamine labs and made 558 meth lab arrests in the state. So far, the highest number of lab seizures and resulting arrests occurred in 2004, with 1,115 labs seized and 885 arrests made by ISP. Figures 8.12 and 8.13 show the trend in meth lab seizures and arrests from 1995 through 2008 (Indiana State Police, 2009). Map 8.1 (page 142) shows the number of meth labs seized by ISP in each county in 2008.
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Number of Arrests 6 13 25 39 117 248 395 587 860 885 674 530 534 739
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200
Number of Arrests
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Lab Seizures in Indiana 6 13 28 43 129 314 542 732 1,011 1,115 992 766 820 1,059
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200
Number of Labs Seized
Figure 8.12 Number of Clandestine Methamphetamine Labs Seized in Indiana by the Indiana State Police (Indiana Meth Lab Statistics, 1995–2008)
Source: Indiana State Police, 2009
Figure 8.13 Number of Arrests Made at Methamphetamine Labs in Indiana by the Indiana State Police (Indiana Meth Lab Statistics, 1995–2008)
Source: Indiana State Police, 2009
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Possession 337 658 901 859 1,328 1,795 2,034 1,683 1,511 Sale 62 248 590 361 675 740 581 529 649
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200
Meth is classifi ed as a synthetic stimulant. The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program describes crimes associated with synthetic drug possession and sale (i.e., Part II offense data from the UCR). Substances defi ned as “synthetic” include a number of drugs in addition to methamphetamine, such as Demerol and methadone (National Archive of Criminal Justice Data, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of Michigan, n.d.). According to 2007 results, over 1,500 Hoosiers were arrested for possession of synthetic drugs.
This represents an arrest rate of 0.24 (95% CI: 0.22–0.26) per 1,000 population, which is statistically higher than the nation’s, at 0.18 (95% CI: 0.18–0.18). Additionally, 649 arrests were made in Indiana for the sale and manufacture of synthetic drugs; Indiana’s arrest rate of 0.10 (95% CI:
0.08–0.12) per 1,000 population was statistically signifi cantly higher than the U.S. rate of 0.07 (95% CI: 0.07–0.07) per 1,000 population (see Figures 8.14 and 8.15).
Maps 8.2 and 8.3 (pages 143 and 144), and Appendix 8C (pages 140–141) show arrest data for synthetic drug possession and sale/manufacture by county. Caution should be exercised when interpreting these data due to variations in reporting procedures and a lack of data
to identify meth-specifi c arrests. In Indiana, reporting by county and local law enforcement jurisdictions is sometimes incomplete; therefore, a portion of these data are based on estimates.
Social Consequences
In addition to the consequences discussed above, meth use and abuse can have serious social impacts.
Students who use meth are more likely to exhibit lower academic performance, higher rates of absenteeism, and are less likely to graduate from high school. Individuals who use meth are more likely to have problems at work.
Meth use also impacts children and families in ways similar to other forms of substance abuse, by contributing to increased interpersonal confl icts, fi nancial problems, poor parenting, incarceration (of parents), and placement of children in protective custody (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2008). According to data from the Indiana State Police (ISP), the number of children who were located at meth labs in Indiana rose from 125 in 2003 to 172 in 2004, and fell again to 148 in 2008 (see Figure 8.16) (Indiana State Police, 2009).
Figure 8.14 Number of Arrests for Synthetic Drug Possession and Sale/Manufacture in Indiana (Uniform Crime Reporting Program, 1999–2007)
Source: National Archive of Criminal Justice Data, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of Michigan, n.d.
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Number of Children 125 172 171 150 124 148
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 IN Possession 0.06 0.11 0 .15 0.14 0.21 0.29 0.32 0.27 0.24 U.S. Possession 0.09 0.11 0 .12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.18 IN Sale 0.01 0.04 0.10 0 .06 0.11 0 .12 0.09 0.08 0.10 U.S. Sale 0.05 0.06 0.06 0 .06 0.07 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.07
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35
Figure 8.15 Arrest Rates for Synthetic Drug Possession and Sale/Manufacture per 1,000 Population, Indiana and United States (Uniform Crime Reporting Program, 1999–2007)
Source: National Archive of Criminal Justice Data, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of Michigan, n.d.
Figure 8.16 Number of Indiana Children Located at Methamphetamine Labs by the Indiana State Police (Indiana Meth Lab Statistics, 2003–2008)
Source: Indiana State Police, 2009