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NATIONAL METHAMPHETAMINE TRAINING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
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The situation: The "one pot" meth cooking recipe
has caused a comeback in illegal drug labs. The state
passed legislation in 2006 to limit "smurfing" for the
precursor chemical pseudoephedrine -- found in cold
medications. While the number of meth cooks and
their labs dropped for awhile, the trend has reversed
with lab incidents increasing by more than 45% from
2007-2009.

Meth in Arkansas

-- Among Arkansans seeking drug treatment, slightly
more than 16% said methamphetamine was their
primary drug problem. Nationally, that figure is 6.3%

Year                     2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010
Admissions          3,471  2,943  2,605  4,340   4,037   n/a
Pct. meth.            25.2% 21.5% 17.3% 15.2% 16.4%  n/a
Source: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

-- Federal DEA agentst seized about 22 pounds of meth in 2010, an amount consistent with seizures over the past five years in Arkansas.
Year             2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010
Kg seized     23.4   30.9   33.2   28.2   11.1  10.9   
Source: Drug Enforcement dministration

-- -- Spending for substance-abuse treatment,
prevention and research:
                      Amount    Per capita  Pct. of budget
Arkansas           $38M$13.610.38%
U.S. average     $65M       $10.64        0.37%
(From The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse,
Columbia University) 

-- High school students who say they have used methamphetamine at least once during their life: (Latest results are shown, none are available for 2003)
Year                      2001       2003       2005      2007      2009        
U.S. overall           9.8%       7.6%       6.2%       4.4%     4.1%   
Ark. overall          11.8%       n/a         9.0%      6.8%      6.0%
9th grade             8.0%        n/a         6.9%      4.4%     5.3%
10th grade          12,2%       n/a         8.6%      6.1%      7.2%
11th grade           13.9%       n/a         7.0%      7.4%      6.9%
12th grade           14.0%       n/a        13.2%     9.8%      3.2%
Source: Centers for Disease Control survey

Speaking of meth

-- "Thirty, thirty-five dollars in my pocket I could go in the store pick up everything I need, have a few dollars left and immediately start the process."
- Sequoyah County Investigator Eric Helms
  on new "one pot" meth cooking




Clandestine lab busts
2005  2006   2007   2008   2009
490
333
486
Ark.  U.S.
4.1%
6%
Youth report
Secondary school students who say they have tried meth at least once in their life.
Source: CDC Youth Risk Behavior survey