POPULARITY OF METHAMPHETAMINES SURGES, REPORT SAYS

SAN DIEGO - Once just a drug used by biker gangs and World War II
soldiers trying to stay awake and alert, methamphetamine is now the
drug of choice for white men in their 30s looking for a cheap
alternative to cocaine and young women trying to lose weight.

Those findings were part of a study released yesterday in San Diego by
the National Institute of Justice, the research branch of the Justice
Department, and the San Diego Association of Governments.

Federal and local authorities, health professionals and educators are
meeting in San Diego this week to formalize recommendations to
Attorney General Janet Reno on how to combat the nation's growing
methamphetamine use.

"Although it's been around for decades, methamphetamine is the new
drug," said Susan Pennell, a criminal researcher with the government
association and one of the authors of the study. "It's easy to get.
It's easy to make. It's cheap, and the high lasts a long time. But the
long-term effects on the brain chemistry are severe."

During the course of a year, researchers studied 1,000 methamphetamine
users jailed in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, Phoenix and
Portland. Those cities represent urban areas where meth use is most
prevalent in the U.S., said Jeremy Travis, institute director.

In the past decade, use of methamphetamine has grown as the cocaine
trade has declined.

Among findings by researchers:

- -- Meth use is often linked with violent and destructive behavior.
However, the study found 40 percent of users were charged with a drug
or alcohol violation. Only 16 percent were jailed because of violent
behavior.

- -- Most of the meth users were white males, ranging from 54 percent in
San Jose to 94 percent in Portland.

- -- The average age was 30, slightly younger than the age of cocaine
and heroin users.

- -- Meth users had higher rates of overall drug use than users of other
drugs.

- -- Ten percent of methamphetamine users studied said they were
introduced to the drug by their parents or a family member.