Meth Addiction In Colorado Is Higher Than The National Average

Meth addiction in Colorado is a continuously growing problem, mainly because of the geographical location of the area. The state of Colorado is considered a great getaway by people who are tired of the crowded urban centers on both the East and the West Coast. Due to the high levels of traffic, the entire area is crossed by several Interstate highways.

Resources For Meth Distribution In Colorado

The central location within the country, as well as Denver's high ethnic population make the state of Colorado an ideal center for the distribution of methamphetamine, which comes into the United States across the border with Canada, but also for meth that is being trafficked to the north of the Southwest border. Denver and Salt Lake City are the major meth distribution centers in the state.

The highly addictive, so-called ice methamphetamine is the biggest threat in Colorado's drug scene, as more and more street gangs and drug cartels specialize in meth distribution. This is because high-purity meth is a lot cheaper than cocaine - considered to be the drug of the rich.

Meth Addiction In Colorado Is America's Most Dangerous Drug Trend

Although other states are far from being drug-free, anti-drug authorities in Colorado are facing a problem that deserves national attention. To be more precise, low-cost but potent meth is available throughout the state, not only in its major cities and high purity methamphetamine continues to increase in availability. National drug abuse statistics show that meth availability and meth addiction in Colorado increased by more than 300% between 2011 and 2012.

Nonetheless, Colorado is also a flourishing market for crack cocaine and heroin, but according to the US Department of Justice meth use is significantly higher than the national average. As a matter of fact, statistics show that Colorado ranks seventh in the USA for meth addiction among both teenagers and young adults, with 43% of them having started to use meth at 16 or younger.

Due to the fact that such a high percentage of young people are addicted to meth, Colorado costs the US government more than $1.5 billion each year in terms of foster and health care institutions, criminal justice and lost productivity.

Aside from that, meth addiction in Colorado is the primary cause of identity theft - the state ranks sixth in the country. Two thirds of the crimes that occur in Colorado are identity thefts that were committed by meth addicts. Moreover, an average of 35% of all legal offenses that are related to drugs are, in on way or another, connected to meth distribution and abuse.

To summarize, meth addiction in Colorado is becoming a national problem, because authorities have not managed to find a durable solution that would effectively put drug distribution groups out of business. The only action that has proven its efficacy is the continuous provision of information to the population and meth abuse prevention lectures in schools. Since 2011, 88% of the teenagers that live in Colorado have answered to drug-abuse questionnaires with "great risk" when they were asked whether they would try using meth.