Unable to think rationally, Meth users do things that they would have never thought possible before.
Roland Jarvis, disfigured during a meth-related explosion, is Oelwein’s most horrific story of meth use. When he is not focused on the history of the meth trade, Reding grounds the rest of the book in the stories of several characters. Methland contains lengthy, meticulous histories of how the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries enable drug trafficking organizations to claim so much American territory. Although Reding takes great care to depict Oelwein, he ketamine addiction definition and symptoms also makes clear that the town is not unique in terms of small municipalities ravaged by meth. After an overview of Oelwein’s history and an introduction to several key figures in the town, Reding investigates why the Midwest—with Oelwein as its exemplar—is so susceptible to the meth trade.
He said the reopening of international borders had a “significant role” in the increased consumption of illicit drugs. He said when COVID-19 restrictions eased in December last year, the market was in a stage where illicit drugs “were being resupplied”. ACIC principal advisor for drugs, Shane Neilson, said the Australian illicit drug market was supplied by both international imports and domestic manufacturing.
“This methamphetamine epidemic requires effective health systems responses,” Minister Wade said. The numbers does aetna drug test are even worse now during COVID-19, with record high drug consumption (including methamphetamine, as well as heroin, cocaine, and cannabis) reported across all of Australia by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. The average age of new methamphetamine users in 2012 was 19.7 years old. According to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 1.2 million people (0.4% of the population) reported using methamphetamine in the past year alone, and 440,000 (0.2%) reported using it in the past month.
In the Central District, methamphetamine use remains high, but data from CADDS indicate that use may be stabilizing. Yaba (Thai for “crazy medicine”) are methamphetamine powdered tablets manufactured in Thailand and Myanmar (Burma). Mexican DTOs supply powdered methamphetamine to Asian criminal groups who convert it to ice. Ice is a purer, more potent form of the drug with purity levels estimated between 85 and almost 100 percent. Mexican DTOs and criminal groups control methamphetamine wholesale and retail distribution, sometimes using street gangs and other street level dealers. Although the purity levels of methamphetamine significantly decreased over the same period, recent reports indicate purity levels are slowly rising.
It complements works such as Gabor Mate’s In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and Sam Quinones’s book Dream Land, which also focus on addiction and how drugs take root in specific regions. The 2016 amendment to the law includes people who committed their crimes before the age of 23. The analysis also found eight stillbirths caused by maternal meth abuse since 1997. The youngest person to die since 1997 was a 14-year-old girl from Escondido who overdosed on methamphetamine.
Brain Damage
Although these substances are legal to a certain degree in the vast majority of countries, they can still lead to a number of negative outcomes and health problems if abused. The most commonly consumed drugs in the world include alcohol and cannabis/marijuana. Faces Of Meth is more than just a website; it’s a beacon of hope in the fight against methamphetamine addiction. This article explores the dangers of meth production chemicals, impacts on neighborhoods, and the importance of vigilance to protect the most vulnerable.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. “What we will expect in the next four to eight months would be a return to more normal levels of consumption, particularly in the methylamphetamine market,” he said. Mr Neilson said regional NSW has highest per capita consumption because they are part of key drug supply routes. Mr Neilson said Perth traditionally has high levels of methylamphetamine use per capita, despite tight COVID restrictions there for the past two years. If this story has raised issues about your own or others’ drug and alcohol use you can contact the following organisations on their toll-free numbers for advice and support.
The Administration’s Efforts to Prevent the Production and Use of Methamphetamine
- We’ve witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of meth on individuals, families, and communities.
- To increase the product’s strength, the meth “cook” combines the substance with chemicals such as battery acid, drain cleaner, lantern fuel and antifreeze.
- The city with the biggest meth problem in the United States is generally considered to be Phoenix, Arizona.
- Perth is the new meth capital of Australia while regional New South Wales has the most meth use among rural Australia.
- This category includes metrics such as the rule of law, judicial independence, and access to justice.
- While South Australia has already decriminalised cannabis (possessing anything below 28 grams is simply met with an expiation notice, and does not attract a criminal conviction), Shadow Minister Picton described them as being “completely different drugs”.
- Meth users are often left with serious scars after trying to dig out imaginary insects known as “crank bugs.”
An additional 102 pounds of meth was confiscated at two other border checkpoints elsewhere in San Diego County that same day. During that 24-hour span, agents at the border crossing confiscated 246 pounds of meth coming from Mexico. Hidden inside a spare tire, the seats, as well as the door panels were 20 packages of meth, weighing more than 110 pounds. Several other countries, including Greenland, the United Kingdom, and Mongolia, have rates of illegal drug use over five percent.
“We continue to address the issue of meth addiction and continue to work to identify the sources of the meth and arrest dealers,” the EPD release concludes. When the days get colder and your utility bills soar, it’s a good idea to have extra heating help on hand. Jones describes death by meth as slow over time. Though he doesn’t know for sure, Jones hears that meth in the Ozarks could now be coming from south of the border. A decade later, that many people died in Greene County just in the first two months of 2020.
The second most common seizure by officers was methamphetamine, with 140,000 pounds of the drugs seized in the U.S. by law enforcement. The DEA and Los Angeles HIDTA report that Mexican criminals are attempting to relocate their methamphetamine laboratories to northern California, Mexico, or western Arizona because of law enforcement pressure in the district. So much so that law enforcement referred to the region as the “meth capital of the world.” The meth was manufactured inside dozens of makeshift meth-labs run out of abandoned homes and in rural areas. It is in this building where drugs, seized by federal law enforcement agencies from the entire Southwestern United States, get tested and later incinerated. Data obtained by NBC 7 Investigates show in 2013, more than 13,000 pounds of meth was seized by local and federal law enforcement agencies.
- Red is methamphetamine; blue is cocaine; green is marijuana.
- “I came here and in my first shift I probably saw four or five patients acutely intoxicated on meth.”
- A KOLR 10 investigation set out to find out if Missouri, or Greene County, is still the meth capital of the world.
- ONDCP is working closely with our partners throughout the Federal Government and Congress, and with State, local and tribal officials to address all aspects of the methamphetamine problem.
- The high demand for methamphetamine in wealthier countries fuels its production in these so-called meth capitals.
Methland is a blend of sociology, economics, memoir, and history that provides a perspective that is ultimately hopeful about America’s ability to solve its meth problem, even if the outlook is often bleak. Focusing on the small town of Oelwein, Iowa, Reding traces the beginnings of America’s meth epidemic to its current prevalence in the rural Midwest. “And as long as there is there’s going to be a denial of the people that have it and denial what famous person has fetal alcohol syndrome from the family around it to see it.”
Authorities continue to grapple with the challenge of reducing supply while addressing the deeper, systemic causes driving demand for the drug in Perth and surrounding regions. Experts warn that such figures point to widespread social, economic, and mental health consequences. A 2025 report highlighted a 21% nationwide surge in meth use over just one year, with Western Australia leading all states in per capita consumption. “We encourage anyone with information on drug dealers to contact us. We also encourage anyone suffering from drug addiction to seek professional help.”
Is Drug Use Increasing?
The sheer volume of methamphetamine production in certain regions is staggering. In our journey to uncover the meth capital of the world, it’s vital we look at the numbers. — Local law enforcement officer quoted in a 2016 Southern Illinois narcotics task force briefing When pressed after the attack, local law enforcement expressed surprise upon learning that the property had been on the demolition list for years. According to multiple reports and FOIA-obtained code enforcement notes, drugs were known to move in and out of the house steadily over the years. Testimonials from locals paint a grim picture of a community grappling with the ramifications of rampant methamphetamine abuse.
What Does Meth Smell Like? Uncovering Risks & Community Impact
The strain on resources doesn’t just affect those using the drug; it impacts the entire community, stretching thin the healthcare services that are available for all. In places tagged as the meth capital, the health hazards for the community are rampant. This geographical advantage makes it simpler to operate outside the grasp of law enforcement agencies. As we navigate through the twisted reality of the world’s meth capitals, it’s clear the issue isn’t isolated. It’s not just about the labs; it’s the distribution channels that spread far and wide.
Distribution
The international trade in meth results in widespread health issues in countries far from the production sites. When we talk about the meth capital of the world, it’s not just about pinpointing a location on the map. Young people in these communities are at a higher risk of falling into the meth production and distribution networks, perpetuating the cycle of addiction and economic hardship.
Why is Western Australia so heavily affected?
The City of El Cajon has the second highest per capita death rate, followed by Oceanside and Escondido where one out of every 1,000 people died as a result of meth abuse. By 2018, NBC 7 found 318 people died from meth-related causes — an increase of 470 percent. In 1997, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office listed methamphetamine as a cause or contributing factor in the deaths of 60 people.
Consuming meth risks inflicting long-term healthy effects on users. Furthermore, California and Texas, two border states have the highest number of users, which suggests there is a link between the flow of drugs and states with the most users. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have seized 123,573 pounds of meth at the southern border. Data gathered by World Population Review from 2021 shows California has the highest number of meth users in the country, with 418,000 people.
“Hence it was logical that capital city consumption where the product was imported was higher than regional where they had to transfer from cities out to regional areas,” he said. Czech Republic also ranks second on the list for meth use, while cocaine was more popular in France. Australia ranked the highest in terms of methylamphetamine, cocaine and MDMA combined use when compared to other nations such as New Zealand, United Kingdom, Portugal and South Korea. “Regular and near-real-time wastewater reporting enables the ACIC and our partners to detect and respond to increasing drug threats in a timely way and monitor the impact of responses.”