Methamphetamine overview in South Carolina
Meth abuse in the state of South Carolina is currently well below the national average. The DAODAS indicates the number of publicly funded addiction treatment center admissions for meth abuse has remained relatively stable between 1999 (44) and 2000 (47) after a decrease from 1998 (85).
TEDS admission statistics for 1998, based on primary drug of abuse, indicate that there were 3 admissions per 100,000 for methamphetamine abuse to publicly funded addiction treatment in the state of South Carolina compared with 29 admissions per 100,000 nationally.
While overall abuse appears low, juvenile abuse rates are near national averages. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance 1999 survey indicates that in South Carolina state, 8.0% of high school students reported lifetime meth abuse, a number near to the national average of 9.1%. Law enforcement reports that meth abuse is growing, particularly in Greenville County and other parts of the Upstate.
The main users of meth in the state of South Carolina are Caucasian. Commercial truck drivers use the drug to increase alertness, crack cocaine abusers switch to meth for its longer-lasting euphoric effects and lower cost, and young people use the drug at rave parties. Among high school students in the state of South Carolina, females (7.2%) were nearly as likely as males (8.8%) to report lifetime meth use, similar to national averages of 8.4% for females and 9.9% for males.
Most meth available in the state of South Carolina is diluted with cutting agents to increase the quantity available for sale. Most locally produced meth is intended for personal use, and many producers sell 1 ounce or less of diluted meth at a time.
Meth treatment admissions per 100,000 citizens (2003): 7
While cocaine and cannabis continue to be the major drug issues in South Carolina, the number of clandestine lab seizures and individuals seeking treatment for meth addiction continue to rise every year. During 2004, DEA, state and local authorities seized 170 meth labs, in comparison to 42 in 2003 and only 4 in 2000.
Likewise, during 2004, 421 residents sought treatment for meth addiction, or approximately 1.8% of all individuals seeking drug abuse treatment. This is a drastic increase from 2002, when only 233 sought treatment for meth abuse, and from 2000, when only 118 did.
Update:
The Combat Meth Act, signed by President Bush on March 9, 2006, gives minimum standards for retailers across the nation that sell substances containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. The law limits sales to 3.6 grams of the base ingredient (the pure ephedrine or pseudoephedrine) daily and 9 grams per month, and requires that buyers provide identification and sign a sales log. Additionally, sellers must now keep these substances behind the counter or in a locked case and register on-line with the U.S. Attorney General.
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