This paper provides research-backed recommendations for medical, legal, and legislative professionals to work together to deter production of methamphetamine through enhanced enforcement and international diplomacy, to deter transport and availability, to direct funding to polysubstance abuse treatment, and to strengthen individuals and communities.
This white paper is based on findings from the Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative (Global) national task team of subject experts, with the goal of reviewing concerns in medical and legal communities about the resurgence of methamphetamine use. The task force’s findings confirm a recent, significant change involving a rise in mortality, morbidity, and violence, which is directly attributed to methamphetamine (meth) abuse; they also support concerns that the impact may be greater than the original epidemic in the early 2000s. The working group examined causes of the current increase in meth abuse in the United States, focusing on the two major factors of the epidemic for their study with the goal of helping law enforcement agencies, first responders, and public health officials. The two major factors of the current methamphetamine crisis are: long-term shifts in production and distribution practices; and the concurrent opioid crisis. The white paper’s problem statement section discusses the following topics: increased mortality; evidence supporting the resurgence of methamphetamine; transnational criminal organizations (TCOs); the role of precursors; surveillance of the Mexican southwest border (SWB); analytical challenges; synergism with the opioid abuse epidemic; and impacts in rural America – lessons from the Appalachian region. Recommendations provided address medical/public health, legal, legislative, and local and regional specific aspects.