BY THE NUMBERS - METH MADNESS?

The Senate renewed the Patriot Act last week, sparking discussion and
debate about balancing civil liberties and national security. But the
same bill that renewed the Patriot Act contained something that has
garnered less media attention than those involving wiretapping or
warrants: the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, a provision
mandating that medicines containing pseudoephedrine - from which meth
is made - be stored behind drugstore counters and limiting the amount
of pseudoephedrine-containing medications individuals can purchase
each month. The act also gives the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency the
power to seize the sales records of foreign pharmaceutical
manufacturers. In this installment of "By the Numbers," the Daily
explores that provision, as well as the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) review that was released only
hours prior to the provision's being passed.

1970 Year in which meth possession was made illegal (under the U.S.
Drug Abuse and Regulation Control Act)

4x Amount by which "the number of meth users admitted to substance
abuse clinics" rose between 1993 and 2003 28,000 Nationwide
admissions for "treatment of methamphetamine or amphetamine abuse" in
1993 136,000 Nationwide admissions in 2003

56 per 100,000 people National admission rate for meth treatment 18
States with rates higher than the national one (Oregon had the
highest; then Hawaii, Iowa, California, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada,
Washington, Montana, Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Minnesota, South
Dakota, Colorado, Missouri, Idaho and Kansas) 5 or less per 100,000
people Rates for all states in the Northeast, including Massachusetts

$25 million Amount of money President Bush allotted to meth treatment
in his February budget request $100 million Amount of money the
Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act gives law enforcement agencies to
use towards "investigating and locking up meth offenders" 120 Cold
pills people are allowed to purchase in one day under the Act 300
Cold pills they're allowed to purchase in one month under the Act

55% Meth treatment patients who were male in 2003 83% Meth treatment
patients who were white in 1993 73% Meth treatment patients who were
white in 2003 9% Meth treatment patients who were Hispanic in 1993
16% Meth treatment patients who were Hispanic in 2003

The information cited above comes from SAMHSA and the Associated Press.