The use of the stimulant methamphetamine, as well as related overdose deaths and arrests, rose sharply from 2015 to 2019 in the U.S., with 34 states experiencing at least a doubling of their related death rates during that time, according to an analysis by Pew’s Public Safety Performance Project. From 2015 to 2019, arrests for meth possession increased 59 percent; during that same period, the number of people with a meth-related substance use disorder (SUD) jumped 37 percent and overdose deaths involving meth more than doubled.
“The general response to these trends highlights a reliance on the criminal legal system that has often proved costly and ineffective,” report authors wrote. “Meaningful reductions in drug possession arrests and drug-related deaths may not be achieved without shifting to a public health response that prioritizes evidence-based approaches to treatment and harm reduction.”