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Social Issues

A familiar debate: Jail or treatment?

The effects of methamphetamine use are working their way through our criminal justice system. The rapid rise in meth arrests is one of the main factors in sharply higher prison populations. The cost of housing drug offenders has renewed an old debate -- what works best, prison or treatment? The debate over state drug policies came into sharp focus this year in a case involving methamphetamine, jail time and a young Minnesota mother.

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ER visits show upward trend in meth use

Hospital emergency rooms are often the places where the impact of the latest drug craze is seen first. Drug users who overdose, or experience serious side effects, are taken to emergency rooms for treatment. Twin Cities emergency rooms have seen their meth-related visits more than double from 1995 to 2002.

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Meth is not just a rural problem anymore

We've heard a lot about the methamphetamine problem in rural communities. And small towns are indeed fighting a dangerous battle against the cheap and powerful stimulant. But in some ways it is the urban tale that reveals much about the roots of meth in Minnesota -- and its future here.

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A family devastated by meth

Methamphetamine is one of the most highly addictive drugs to come along in years. Experts say meth quickly turns casual users into addicts. They become consumed by the drug. They leave a trail of burned bridges and broken trust. This is a story of how meth has devastated the lives of one northern Minnesota family. At the center is a woman named Rubetta. She's making her fourth attempt to break free of meth, and pick up the pieces of her shattered life.

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Treating meth addiction requires a different approach

Methamphetamine scares people. The stimulant is extremely addictive, and stories are common of the outrageous behavior of meth addicts. The myths about meth are common too. One of them is that it's almost impossible to kick the habit for good. Addiction counselors say that's just not true. But recovering from meth addiction can require some new techniques.

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Meth addicts try to educate students

Schools face tight budgets and a crush of issues that demand their time and attention. Some law enforcement officials say schools need to make methamphetamine awareness and prevention a priority.

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Meth makes its way into Minnesota schools

Some Minnesota high school students say it's easier to get meth than alcohol. There are no hard numbers, but reports from around the state indicate more kids are using methamphetamine. Experts say most schools aren't doing enough to prevent the spread of meth. There's no state drug prevention funding for Minnesota schools. Nearly 4,000 schools share $6 million in federal funding that also must fund violence prevention programs.

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Meth in Minnesota

Meth use has been rising for years in many states around the country, and Minnesota is no different. Law enforcement officials say methamphetamine is now the drug of choice in rural Minnesota. And the Twin Cities has become a transit point for the drug as well. The costs of meth addiction reach across all segments of our communities.

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Children are the unintended victims of meth

There are children in Minnesota who live where meth is made. There are children whose parents use methamphetamine. In fact, when adults are arrested for using or making meth, one-third of them are the parents of small children. In one Minnesota county, there is a baby born addicted to meth every week. These are the unintended victims. The people who take care of these children feel overwhelmed. But there isn't enough data to attract the attention of policy-makers.

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Hospice movement reaches out to immigrants

The hospice care movement arrived in Minnesota a quarter century ago. In that time, the service has slowly caught on with Minnesotans. About 25 percent of the state's terminally ill patients use hospice to help them die at home. But hospice use is much lower among the state's diverse population of immigrants. There are lots of reasons why, and hospice officials hope they can overcome most of them.

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