METHAMPHETAMINE PREFERRED DRUG IN IOWA

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 6 (UPI) - Methamphetamine has replaced other
hard drugs as the preferred high among Iowa teenagers.

Officials say the surge has left funding for ongoing treatment in
short supply.

While fewer than 25 teens sought help for meth addiction five years
ago, 113 did so during the state's last fiscal year. Dr. Ron Eckoff,
who heads substance abuse and health education programs for the Iowa
Department of Public Health promotion programs says the number of
meth- addicted adolescents in treatment is expected to spike again
this year.

While outpatient drug treatment is readily available in Iowa,
counselors say funding for long-term care and follow-up treatment is
hard to get.

The Des Moines Register says two out of every three teens in treatment
at Ames' Youth Recovery House, the largest adolescent residential
treatment center in the state, have used methamphetamine.

In Polk County, which includes Des Moines, arrests of teens for meth-
related crimes now make up about one-tenth of all juvenile
delinquency cases.

Marijuana and alcohol remain the drugs most abused in Iowa but
officials are most concerned about meth because of its highly
addictive nature and volatile effects on the body.

Also called crank, meth can cause permanent brain damage and LSD-like
flashbacks. Cheap and readily available, the high is long-lasting and
powerful.

The drug, which can cause violent behavior and extreme paranoia, is
often cited as a cause of teenage crime, such as the murder rampage
of two Oskaloosa youths last year.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady