STUDY SAYS METHAMPHETAMINE USE HIGH IN WEST

Drugs: One-tenth of the Users Surveyed Say Relatives Introduced Them to the
Substance.

San Diego - Methamphetamine usage remains highest in cities west of the
Rocky Mountains,according to a federal study released here Tuesday.

Additionally, 10 percent of methamphetamine users studied in San Diego, Los
Angeles, San Jose, Phoenix and Portland, Ore., say they were introduced to
the drug by their parents or a family member, researchers found.

"Although it's been around for decades, methamphetamine is the new drug,"
said Susan Pennell, a criminal researcher with the San Diego Association of
Governments 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."

The National Institute of Justice, the research branch of the U.S. Justice
Department, and the government association studied 1,000 methamphetamine
users who were jailed in the five Western cities from October 1996 to
September 1997.

About half of the meth users said they snorted or inhaled meth (46 percent)
while others preferred smoking (31 percent). Users in Portland, which also
has a high rate of heroin use, were more likely to inject meth (49 percent).

Among other 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. However, 57 percent of meth users surveyed in Los
Angeles were Hispanic. Meth use by blacks was relatively low, ranging from 1
percent in Phoenix to 11 percent in San Diego.

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.
For example, 95 percent of meth users surveyed in San Diego also tested
positive for another illegal drug. The other drug of choice was most often
marijuana.

California leads the nation in number of labs seized - 1,234 in 1997
compared with 1,273 other labs nationwide.