Meth in America

Methamphetamine has been a drug that I have known to exist my whole life, but it is interesting to think that it is a rather recent problem. Meth has grown to even rival cocaine in popularity and abundance but surprisingly prior to the 1990s it was a very minor problem ( Rodriguez et. al 16). The drug has exploded across the country which brings not only challenges to law enforcement but challenges for society as a whole. Usage has increased from a reported 1.8 million in 1994 to 8.8 million in 2004 ( Rodriguez et. al 16). In just a ten year span this is a pretty dramatic increase. It is reported that up to 12 million people in the United States have tried meth at least one time in their lifetime (Sommers and Baskin 3). Meth provides a legal battles in the United States and abroad, social problems as well as a high cost of cleaning up the toxic chemicals.

                Being a very recent problem, law enforcement and legislators have had to react to face this challenge. On a federal level, the Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996 was a good first step at identifying the issue on a national level ( Rodriguez et. al 16). Not only does increase the penalty for imply possessing meth, it also includes those who manufacture the substance. Unlike drugs such as cocaine, there is not a single ingredient to meth. It is made of a majority of readily available chemicals. Not only this, it can be manufactured almost anywhere from a mobile lab to a complex super lab. This has provided a unique issue that law enforcement have to face. Of the meth labs producing the product in the United States, one third are small local labs while two thirds are a part of Mexican criminal trafficking organizations (Oetjen 34). Not only do law enforcement have to deal with the trafficking and manufacture across international lines. Along with this, the chemicals that are used to produce the substance are another battle altogether such as pseudoephedrine. As a result, agencies such as the DEA have added regulation on who can receive large quantities of the substance as a way to not only target the manufacture but limit the availability of the ingredients.

                Methamphetamine also impacts a unique population that differs from past drugs such as cocaine. Meth is not bound by being a intercity drug, it actually seems to also prevail in rural and urban areas alike. The cliental is also different, the stereotypical meth user is a white male who holds a blue collar job ( Rodriguez et. al 18). It also has been widely used by a younger crowd as a party drug. Reportedly 14.8% of young Americans have tried meth at some time in their life, a higher percentage than the normal population (Sommers and Baskin 3). The substance all of these people are using is very addictive with some dangerous withdrawal symptoms that include aggressing, cravings and paranoia. There has also been some connections of violence related with meth. A study found that in of 205 people in the study in a three month period 55 of them committed some form of violence while high on meth(Sommers and Baskin 2). So not only is this drug highly addictive, and widespread it also has a relation to violence.

                Another big issue faced with meth is simply the cleanup of the substance. Methamphetamine is the result cooking chemicals together in a lab this does not come without its byproducts. Not only is the process of cooking meth dangerous, the material and labs left behind pose a serious health hazard. As a result  extra training has had to occur to train law enforcement with how to deal with it safely. All of this training and disposal is not without its costs. In 2004, the Drug Enforcement Agency spend 17.8 million dollars in cleaning up 10,000 labs (Oetjen 36). The costs in just cleaning up what is left as a result of meth are just another aspect of meth that provides a unique challenge to law enforcement that was not present with other drugs.

                Overall meth is a very dangerous substance being both highly addictive, readily available and used by many. It provides unique challenges in dealing with the violence, the trafficking and the cleanup of the substance. Law enforcement has been able to address the legal issues involved and continues to adapt to combat the substance as it continues to grow.