Report: Meth Surge 'Is Here Right Now'; Heroin Maintains Grip On Twin Cities
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Methamphetamine use has returned to epidemic levels in the Twin Cities not seen since 2005, according to a new research report. Meanwhile, more people than ever have been treated for heroin addiction.
The report, entitled "Drug Abuse Trends in Minneapolis/St. Paul: 2015", was released Monday by Drug Abuse Dialogues. Carol Falkowski headed the research.
"The next methamphetamine surge isn't looming around the corner — it is here right now," Falkowski said.
In 2014, 11.8 percent of treatment admissions in the Twin Cities were due to meth addiction. That's compared to 12 percent in 2005.
Meth busts by law enforcement are also on the upswing. In Ramsey County, 128 pounds of meth was seized in 2014. That's compared to only 16 pounds in 2013.
Another alarming fact: a record 14.6 percent of treatment admissions were for heroin in 2014 – 37.5 percent of those being individuals between 18 and 25 years of age.
"We have yet to eradicate the heroin problem here," Falkowski said. "And for the first time almost as many admissions were for heroin (3,208) as were for marijuana (3,246)."
Other highlights of the report include a small drop in treatment admissions for opiates and downward trends reported for synthetic drugs. Exposure of MDMA, however, has increased three-fold.
