Hazelden Report: Indicators Of Methamphetamine Abuse Fall In Metro Area,
Reversing Previous Upward Trends

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Admissions to addiction
treatment programs for methamphetamine declined in 2006, as did hospital
emergency room cases and meth labs, reversing prior upward trends,
according to a report on drug abuse trends released today by the Hazelden
Foundation.
In the first half of 2006, a total of 806 patients at metro area
addiction treatment programs reported meth as the primary substance problem
(representing 8.2 percent of total treatment admissions). This compares
with 2,465 meth patients in 2005 (12 percent of total treatment admissions
that year).
Methamphetamine-related hospital emergency department (ED) episodes in
the Twin Cities also dropped markedly, to 251 in 2006 (first half) compared
with 1,402 in 2005 (full year). The number of deaths remained stable; both
Hennepin County and Ramsey County reported five accidental deaths involving
methamphetamine in 2006 (through September) compared with seven in 2005
(entire year). Statewide the number of meth labs also declined in 2006.
"Collectively, these new findings suggest that the growth in
methamphetamine abuse is slowing down, possibly reversing itself in the
Twin Cities area," said Carol Falkowski, Hazelden's director of research
communications and report author. "Whether this downward trend continues
long- term remains to be seen, but these figures are very encouraging."
Concerning other drugs, in hospital emergency departments,
cocaine-related visits outnumbered those involving any other illicit drug
in 2006 (first half), continuing a long-standing trend. There were 1,311
reports of cocaine, 1,265 reports of marijuana, 936 reports of prescription
opiates, 401 reports of heroin, and 251 reports of meth.
This report prepared as part of an epidemiological drug
abuse-monitoring network comprised of drug abuse researchers in twenty U.S.
cities. Falkowski has written a report on Twin Cities drug abuse trends
twice annually since 1986.
Hazelden Foundation, a national nonprofit organization founded in 1949,
helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. Hazelden's
comprehensive approach to addiction addresses the full range of patient,
family, and professional needs, including treatment and continuing care,
research, higher learning, public education and advocacy, and publishing.
It has facilities in Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, and New York.
Full report is available online at http://www.hazelden.org/research


SOURCE Hazelden Foundation

Related links:
http://www.hazelden.org