Methamphetamine in Kansas

Meth Situation and Prevalence

Crystal or “ice” methamphetamine, produced and trafficked by Mexican drug trafficking organizations, is predominant throughout Kansas. Imported Mexican methamphetamine is generally high in purity and relatively inexpensive. However, law enforcement throughout Kansas is reporting an increase in the local manufacture of methamphetamine. (Drug Enforcement Administration, Kansas State Factsheet, 2009)

According to 2004-2007 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 1.07% of persons aged 12 or older in Kansas 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 survey of Kansas students show that approximately 5.2% of 9th graders, 5.4% of 10th graders, 4.4% of 11th graders, and 9.5% of 12th graders reported using methamphetamine at least once during their lifetimes. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Online: Comprehensive Results, 2008)

Drug Endangered Children

According to the El Paso Intelligence Center’s Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System, preliminary data show that there were 13 children affected by and 0 children injured at methamphetamine laboratories in Kansas during 2008.  There were 2 children affected by methamphetamine labs in the state during 2007. (El Paso Intelligence Center, Children Affected Summary, report run on February 3, 2009)

The Kansas Alliance for Drug Endangered Children is a statewide, multidisciplinary collaboration empowering communities in preventing, protecting and serving children in drug endangered environments by providing resources, education, leadership and support.

Enforcement

There were 24 state and local arrests for the sale/manufacturing of synthetic narcotics (includes methamphetamine) and 131 state and local arrests for the possession of synthetic narcotics in Kansas during 2007. (Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Arrests by State, 2007)

During 2008, Federal agencies seized 39.6 kilograms of methamphetamine in Kansas. (Drug Enforcement Administration, Kansas State Factsheet, 2009)

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, there were 143 methamphetamine lab incidents in Kansas 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, Kansas, 1999-2008

Year	# of Incidents	Year	# of Incidents
1999	211	2004	584
2000	641	2005	375
2001	852	2006	165
2002	768	2007	97
2003	641	2008	143

During FY 2008, 34.1% of the Federally-sentenced defendants in Kansas had committed a drug offense. Approximately 40.6% of these drug cases involved methamphetamine. (U.S. Sentencing Commission, Statistical Information Packet: Fiscal Year 2008 State of Kansas)

Prevention

The Kansas Methamphetamine Prevention Project (KMPP) was implemented in October 2002 in response to the devastating consequence Kansas communities were experiencing as a result of methamphetamine production and usage. KMPP provides training, technical assistance, strategies and resources for addressing the methamphetamine problem at the local and state levels.

Treatment

According to data provided to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, during 2007, there were 2,025 admissions to treatment in Kansas in which amphetamines were the primary substance of abuse. The admissions represented 13% 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 June 3, 2009)

For information about treatment programs in Kansas, please call 800-586-3690 or visit the Kansas Addiction Treatment Providers site. You can also call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Treatment Facility Locator service at 800-662-HELP (4357) or 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.