Methamphetamine in California

Meth Situation and Prevalence

Methamphetamine is the primary drug threat in California. Mexican organizations continue to dominate the production and distribution of high-quality meth, while a secondary trafficking group, composed primarily of Caucasians, operates small, unsophisticated laboratories. Rural areas in the Central Valley are the source of much of the meth produced in California and seized elsewhere. Within California, Hispanics and Caucasians are the almost exclusive consumers of meth. Purity levels of meth have ranged from a low of ten percent to a high of 100 percent purity. As the supply of pseudoephedrine from Canada has diminished after successful law enforcement operations, there has been a noticeable increase in pseudoephedrine and ephedrine seized that originated from China. Restrictions on pseudoephedrine importation into Mexico, balance-of-power issues among rival Mexican cartels, and increased enforcement efforts by the current Mexican government have all significantly impacted methamphetamine manufacturing and the smuggling of finished product into the Los Angeles area. (Drug Enforcement Administration, California State Factsheet, 2008)

According to 2004-2007 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 1.34% of persons aged 12 or older in California reported using methamphetamine within the past year. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007)

Results of a 2007-2008 school year survey of California students show that approximately 4.9% of 9th graders and 7.2% of 11th graders reported using methamphetamine at least once during their lives. (California Attorney General’s Office, Twelfth Biennial Statewide Survey of California Students in Grades 7, 9 and 11, 2008)

Drug Endangered Children

According to the El Paso Intelligence Center’s Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System, preliminary data show that there were 130 children affected by, 0 children injured at, and 0 children killed at methamphetamine laboratories in California during 2008. There were 64 children affected by (0 injured/0 killed at) methamphetamine labs in the state during 2007. (El Paso Intelligence Center, Children Affected Summary, report run on February 3, 2009)

Jurisdictions throughout California have established drug endangered children programs aimed at protecting and treating those whose lives are jeopardized by their family’s illegal manufacturing, sales, possession and/or use of drugs in the home. Examples of California drug endangered children programs include:

• Los Angeles Drug Endangered Children Response Team
• Riverside County Drug Endangered Children Program
• Shasta County Drug Endangered Children Program

Enforcement

During 2008, Federal agencies seized 2,236.2 kilograms of methamphetamine in California. (Drug Enforcement Administration, California State Factsheet, 2008)

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, there were 346 methamphetamine lab incidents in California during 2008. This includes all meth incidents, including labs, dumpsites, and/or chemical and glassware seizures. (Drug Enforcement Administration, Maps of Methamphetamine Lab Incidents)

Number of Meth Lab Incidents, California, 1999-2008

Year	# of Incidents	Year	# of Incidents
1999	2,579	2004	764
2000	2,198	2005	470
2001	1,883	2006	353
2002	1,743	2007	286
2003	1,287	2008	346

During FY 2008, 24% of the Federally-sentenced defendants in California had committed a drug offense. Approximately 25.3% of these drug cases involved methamphetamine. (U.S. Sentencing Commission, Statistical Information Packet: Fiscal Year 2008 State of California)

Prevention

The California Methamphetamine Initiative (CMI) is a statewide effort created by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (ADP) to reduce the abuse of methamphetamine by Californians. The CMI seeks to prevent methamphetamine abuse, encourage discontinued use and motivate individuals to seek help through community outreach, public policy and public education. Other CMI efforts include education for practitioners on promising practices in prevention and treatment and active collaboration with local efforts to address the growing methamphetamine problem in California.

Treatment

According to data provided to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, during 2008, there were 56,579 admissions to treatment in California in which amphetamines were the primary substance of abuse. The admissions represented 29.5% of the total drug and alcohol admissions to treatment in the state. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, State Treatment Data, report run on April 21, 2009)

For information about treatment programs in California, please contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Treatment Facility Locator service at 800-662-HELP (4357). You can also conduct a search for programs online using SAMHSA’s Treatment Facility Locator Web site.

If you would like to contact the substance abuse agency in the state, please see SAMHSA’s State Substance Abuse Agencies page, which contains links to and contact information for agencies within each state.

Search

Conduct a search of the MethResources database for additional information about methamphetamine in the state.