Deaths involving meth use on the rise

According to an article in U.S. News and World Report, deaths involving methamphetamine are “skyrocketing.”

The article states that deaths from methamphetamine among Americans increased “50-fold” between 1999 and 2021. Most of the deaths also involved fentanyl and heroin. Data reviewed from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 1999, 608 deaths were attributed to meth. By 2021, the number had skyrocketed to nearly 52,400, with 61% of fatal meth overdoses involving heroin or fentanyl. Additional statistics that are staggering by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2021 stated that nearly 2 million people ages 21 and older reported using methamphetamine in the past month. SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services) reported that, “About 2 million people aged 12 years or older use meth in any given year, while about 500 people each day try meth for the first time.”

Rachel Hoopsick, a leading researcher and assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Campaign stated, “The staggering increase in methamphetamine-related deaths in the United States is largely now driven by the co-involvement of street opioids.” She later went on to state, “Although there has been an increase in the popularity of using these types of substances together, what has truly changed is the toxicity of the unregulated street drug supply, predominantly of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. I believe that this is the primary driver of the increase in deaths.”

One of the points Ms. Hoopsick discussed was the difficulty in identifying a meth overdose. She stated that it can be hard to recognize.

According to the Mayo Clinic, signs of a meth overdose include anger, aggressiveness and restlessness, confusion, dark colored urine, dizziness and fainting, fast breathing, irregular heartbeat, muscle cramps, pain or stiffness, seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there, seizures, sweating, tremors, unusual tiredness or weakness, stomach cramps and vomiting.

So, what are the risks of using meth besides, of course, death? Meth use can cause considerable health difficulties. Even taking small amounts of meth can cause short-term harmful health effects such as, increased blood pressure and body temperature, faster breathing, rapid/irregular heartbeat, loss of appetite, disturbed sleep patterns, nausea, and erratic, aggressive, and irritable behavior.

Chronic meth use can lead to damaging long-term health effects, even when individuals stop using, that include permanent damage to the heart and brain, high blood pressure leading to heart attack, strokes, and death, liver, kidney, and lung damage, anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, hallucinations, mood disturbances, psychotic symptoms that can last for months and even years, intense itching—causing skin sores from scratching, premature osteoporosis, and severe dental problems.

Recovery for meth addiction requires a comprehensive treatment plan that consists of counseling and therapy. Counseling will address the psychological damage done by substance abuse, as well as educate recovering users on how to resist temptation, maintain long-term sobriety, and live a life of recovery.

In the event that an individual is suffering from a chronic, severe addiction to meth, that person may require admission into a residential treatment program. Meth is one of the hardest drugs to overcome, and it’s essential that anyone that engages in meth abuse find professional treatment.