Methamphetamine abuse on the rise

Science Daily

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. hospital emergency rooms are reporting a strong increase in cases resulting from methamphetamine abuse, the National Association of Countries says.

The association, in a survey of some 200 hospitals in 39 states and the District of Columbia, found that 47 percent of the facilities' emergency rooms reported that methamphetamine led the list of illicit drugs causing emergency room visits, USA Today reported Wednesday. The report said 16 percent of the hospitals listed marijuana first and 15 percent cocaine.

In additional, 56 percent of the hospitals said their costs had risen because of treatments for methamphetamine use.

Methamphetamine is a highly additive stimulant. While much of the methamphetamine abused in the United States is smuggled in from Mexico, it is also concocted in homes using ingredients in cold medicines, USA Today said.

The newspaper said methamphetamine abuse appears worse in the Midwest and rural areas. The NAC survey reported that in Nebraska about 10 percent of all emergency room visits were related to methamphetamine.
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