In the first half of 2006, a total of 806 patients at metro area addiction treatment programs reported meth as the primary substance problem (representing 8.2 percent of total treatment admissions). This compares with 2,465 meth patients in 2005 (12 percent of total treatment admissions that year).

Methamphetamine-related hospital emergency department (ED) episodes in the Twin Cities also dropped markedly, to 251 in 2006 (first half) compared with 1,402 in 2005 (full year). The number of deaths remained stable; both Hennepin County and Ramsey County reported five accidental deaths involving methamphetamine in 2006 (through September) compared with seven in 2005 (entire year). Statewide the number of meth labs also declined in 2006.

"Collectively, these new findings suggest that the growth in methamphetamine abuse is slowing down, possibly reversing itself in the Twin Cities area," said Carol Falkowski, Hazelden's director of research communications and report author. "Whether this downward trend continues long-term remains to be seen, but these figures are very encouraging."

Concerning other drugs, in hospital emergency departments, cocaine-related visits outnumbered those involving any other illicit drug in 2006 (first half), continuing a long-standing trend. There were 1,311 reports of cocaine, 1,265 reports of marijuana, 936 reports of prescription opiates, 401 reports of heroin, and 251of reports of meth.

This report prepared as part of an epidemiological drug abuse-monitoring network comprised of drug abuse researchers in twenty U.S. cities. Falkowski has written a report on Twin Cities drug abuse trends twice annually since 1986.

Read the December 2006 Drug Abuse Trends Report