According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA),Florida residents abuse drugs at a rate statistically comparable to the ratenationwide. (See Table3.) The number ofdrug- and alcohol-related treatment admissions per 100,000 population in Florida(625) was higher than the number per 100,000 nationwide (607) in 1999, the mostrecent year for which these data are available. Of those,1,304 individuals died as a direct result of drug and/or alcohol abuse, manyfrom multiple drugs.
- More than 200 former meth addicts have graduated from the program, Combee said.
- Mexican DTOs and criminal groups, the dominant transporters ofmethamphetamine, usually smuggle the drug in commercial and private vehiclesfrom Mexico, California, and southwestern states into Florida.
- The gang distributes illicit drugs, primarily crack cocaine,heroin, and marijuana, in over 40 states including Florida.
- The director of the Polk County Health Department reported asignificant increase in the number of hepatitis A cases in that county.
Combee said meth affects everyone «from the poorest to the richest.» «My mother had to teach me how to set my clock, to bathe on a daily basis. I had to learn basic life skills,» Jewell said of overcoming her addiction. But more money has gone toward enforcement and little is spent on rehabilitation and prevention methods, Combee said. The federal Drug Enforcement Agency shut down 23 labs this year in Brevard County, which is on Florida’s east coast and has a population comparable to Polk’s. Methamphetamine makers used to be able to buy cough medicine in bulk, but the law has stopped that, Polk County sheriff’s Chief W.J. Martin said. FDLE routinely works with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in drug busts.
Fewer busts of labs does not mean that the county has shed its reputation.
According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), about 1.6 million people reported using meth in the meth capital of florida past year. Because of the drug’s high potential for misuse, it is rarely prescribed for these treatments and is prescribed in very low doses. Due to methamphetamine’s potency can last longer and have more harmful effects on the central nervous system. Black marketcurrency brokers, for a fee, match the needs of Colombian DTOs for localcurrency with the needs of merchants for American dollars. The BMPE is a money laundering system through which ColombianDTOs and criminal groups launder billions of dollars annually. From 1997through 2001, 59 percent of the money laundering violations cited in SARsinvolved structuring of transactions to avoid currency reporting requirements.Currency also is smuggled in bulk, often by couriers traveling aboard commercialairlines and by maritime conveyances.
Map Shows States With Most Meth Users
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of the 70,237 drug overdose deaths in 2017, nearly 33 percent involved cocaine or psychostimulants like meth.1 Today, turning the tide depends on access to effective treatment programs, public awareness, and relentless disruption of global illicit drug networks. The effects of methamphetamine go far beyond addiction—they include meth mouth, violent crime, and rising hospitalization. In 2025, the top 10 meth states—led by Michigan, New York, and Indiana—are experiencing a public health emergency fueled by crystal methamphetamine. Although opioids dominate national attention, methamphetamine addiction continues to cause widespread damage in the U.S.
- Most local methamphetamine production occurs in single-family homes, apartments, storage buildings, cars, and wooded areas.
- The «tweaker» alsocraves more methamphetamine, which results in frustration and contributes toanxiety and restlessness.
- Federal seizure statistics indicate that marijuana, cocaine,heroin and, to a much lesser extent, methamphetamine frequently are seized inFlorida.
- However, the number of people addicted to illicit drugs remains high—impacting millions of Americans and stretching our nation’s health care resources.
Survey data indicate that illicit drugs frequently are abused inFlorida. Drug seizures are reported to OperationJetway by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies across the nationat airports, train stations, bus stations, package shipment facilities, U.S.Post Offices, and airport hotels and motels. Variouslaw enforcement officials report that some passengers or crew members aboardcruise ships transport drugs–usually concealed on their person or in theirluggage–to Florida. Customs Service (USCS)officials in Florida seized over 44.2 metric tons of illicit drugs aboardmaritime vessels in 2001.
Top 10 States with the Most Meth-Related Seizures
According to DAWN data, thenumber of methamphetamine-related ED mentions in Miami increased from 10 in 1997to 27 in 2001. According to DAWN mortalitydata, the number of methamphetamine-related deaths in Miami-Dade Countyincreased from zero in 1996 to three in 2000. Crystal methamphetamine abuse is uncommon among the generalpopulation in Florida; however, its abuse is increasing in the Miamimetropolitan area. The purity of crystal methamphetaminetypically is over 80 percent, depending upon the amount of washing, the purityof the initial substance, and the experience of the laboratory operator. It is produced using a»washing» technique that involves dissolving powderedd-methamphetamine in a solvent such as acetone or denatured alcohol.
Production
He said the state has also applied for a federal grant to apply Matrix Methamphetamine Treatment, a guide to the best practices in beating methamphetamine abuse. A federal law, enacted July 1, 2005, made it hard for meth makers to get the key ingredient pseudoephedrine, which isfound in common cold medicines like Sudafed, often used to make methamphetamine. However, the number of people addicted to illicit drugs remains high—impacting millions of Americans and stretching our nation’s health care resources. The rise in meth addiction is shifting attention away from the opioid narrative, pushing officials to expand treatment programs. The state continues to see a rise in methamphetamine addiction fueled by crystal meth imported by Mexican drug cartels.
California: A Persistent Crisis in the West
Although the nation’s attention continues to be on opioids, methamphetamine is still a large threat in states all over the country. This is particularly alarming in populations with overlapping disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), where drug misuse may further complicate treatment. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) continues to report surging seizures, especially in areas overwhelmed by high addiction rates and stretched health care systems. Local independent Caucasian dealers often sell methamphetamine atprivate residences, bars, housing projects, mobile home parks, and occasionallyat raves or techno parties. Retail quantities (1 gram to one-quarter gram) of methamphetamineusually are packaged in small plastic bags and sold at various locations inFlorida. In May 2002 a Mexican American, the head of a methamphetaminedistribution organization based in Haines City (Polk County), pleaded guilty todistributing multiple pounds of methamphetamine each week in that area.
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Most of the methamphetamine available in Florida is produced in high volume laboratories in California, Mexico, and southwestern states using the hydriodic acid/red phosphorus method or is produced locally using the Birch reduction method. On May 27, 2002, local law enforcement officials discovered thebody of a 19-year-old Caucasian male in Polk County. Further,local methamphetamine laboratory operators, distributors, and abusers oftencarry pistols, modified shotguns, or other weapons. Locally produced methamphetamine,generally sold at the retail level, is 50 to 80 percent pure; however, accordingto the DEA Southeast Regional Laboratory, experienced producers in Florida oftenproduce methamphetamine that is 90 to 95 percent pure.
Sarah, a single mother of two in Jacksonville, found herself caught in the grip of meth addiction. While the statistics surrounding meth addiction are bleak, there are countless stories of hope and transformation. If you or someone you know is struggling with meth addiction, there is hope.
The key is to find a treatment program that addresses the specific needs of the individual and provides ongoing support. Florida also has a robust network of treatment centers offering various evidence-based programs. Additionally, lost productivity due to addiction affects the workforce and overall economic output. Families are particularly vulnerable, dealing with the emotional and financial strain caused by addiction. These mental health issues can significantly impair daily life and contribute to social isolation and relationship breakdown. As users chase the initial high, they often resort to increasing doses, further worsening their physical and mental health.
Florida Hidden Epidemic: Methamphetamine Abuse and Its Devastating Effects
Both gangsare a collection of structured and unstructured gangs commonly known as sets.Gang sets are established by an individual who runs the set and recruits membersto distribute drugs, primarily cocaine, marijuana, and PCP. Local neighborhoodgangs–with little or no affiliation to national street gangs–also sell retailquantities of drugs in Florida. Various passenger and freight train services are available inFlorida, and drug transporters occasionally use those services to transportdrugs into and through the state.
According to the 2001 Report of DrugsIdentified in Deceased Persons by Florida Medical Examiners, there were 43methamphetamine-related deaths in the state in 2001. Methamphetamine abuse occasionally is cited in connection withdrug-related deaths in Florida. Hepatitis A is the most common type of hepatitis reported in theUnited States and is 100 percent preventable. The director of the Polk County Health Department reported asignificant increase in the number of hepatitis A cases in that county.
Several differenttypes of maritime vessels are used to smuggle a single drug shipment. Longshoremen at the port processed almost 46.5 million tons of cargo, including 15.0 million tons of foreign goods in 2000, the most recent year for which these data are available. Additionally, increased funding for prevention programs, coupled with readily available treatment options, is essential.
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Smaller vessels then typically transportthe drugs directly into Florida. Coastalfreighters, generally used in South Florida and the Florida Keys, often serve as»motherships» from which large shipments of drugs, primarily cocaineor marijuana, are offloaded at sea to smaller vessels such as go-fast boats andcommercial or private fishing vessels. They also use commercial trucks and private vehicles and, to a lesser extent, buses and railcars to transport drugs into the state. Florida’s proximity to drug-producing and transshipment countries and its well-developed transportation infrastructure make it an ideal gateway for the movement of both licit and illicit goods into and through the United States. Further, large portions of the state are rural and agricultural in nature–ideal sites for the production of methamphetamine and the cultivation of cannabis. Together, we can turn the tide on meth addiction and bring hope to those struggling in the shadows.
An increasing amount of methamphetamine produced in Mexico,California, and southwestern states also is available. In addition to local producers,laboratory operators from Alabama and Georgia, who produce methamphetamineprimarily using the Birch reduction method, have begun producing methamphetaminein northern Florida. In both 1997 and 2001, only one methamphetamine-related EDmention per 100,000 population was reported in Miami.
Additionally, NDTS respondents nationwide reported methamphetamine as the drug that most contributes to violent crime. The Midwest and Western United States had the highest concentrations of respondents who reported methamphetamine as the greatest drug threat.2 This highly addictive illegal drug has evolved beyond homemade meth labs to being mass-produced by criminal organizations and Mexican drug cartels abroad.