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Report: Heroin Problems Persist, Meth Trends Upwards In Twin Cities

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- According to a new research report, heroin-related problems are still strong in the Twin Cities and methamphetamine is emerging as a growing drug of concern.

The report, titled "Drug Abuse Trends in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan Area: June 2014," was released Tuesday by Drug Abuse Dialogues.

The report says a record-high 14 percent of admissions to metro area addition treatment programs were for heroin in 2013. Among those admissions, 40.2 percent of them were between 18 and 25 years old.

"The magnitude and serious nature of the heroin problem in the Twin Cities is glaringly apparent in 2013," said Carol Falkowski, report author. "The recent upward trends concerning methamphetamine, and deaths due to synthetic drugs reflect the ever-changing nature of the drug abuse situation."

Some of the recent signs of meth's upward trend include: deaths from the drug rose from 10 to 24 from 2011 to 2013 and treatment admissions rose from 7.4 percent in 2012 to 10 percent in 2013.

In addition to heroin and meth problems, accidental opiate-related deaths rose from 84 to 132 in Hennepin County – a 57.1 percent increase. In Ramsey County, however, deaths fell from 45 to 37.

Click here for the full report.

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