The U.S. is experiencing a methamphetamine epidemic. Over the past ten years meth moved from being a predominantly rural problem in isolated areas to a national epidemic. A google news search of methamphetamine returns over 5,000 news articles for just the past 30 days. Every state is reporting strained resources for emergency services, law enforcement, fire fighters, treatment services.
This is not a rural problem in Iowa, not an inner city problem in Chicago, not a California problem, nor a New York problem. The epidemic is spreading through rural areas, urban centers, suburban neighborhoods, from Maine to Florida, Arkansas, South Dakota, Texas, Nebraska, California, Alabama, Oregon, Kansas, Louisiana, Hawaii ... I could list all 50 states, and all the counties in those states, and still have to add on Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
A google search of the top ten U.S. newspapers during the same 30 day time period returns 70 results. The meth epidemic appears to be invisible to the major and national media which makes it even more difficult for local communities to get help and resources for the front lines battle against this epidemic.
Article Counts by Media (May 5 - June 4, 2005):
USA Today - 4
Wall Street Journal - 4
New York Times - 6
Los Angeles Times - 19
Washington Post - 12
Daily News - 0
New York Post - 2
Chicago Tribune - 0
Newsday - 14
Houston Chronicle - 9
Christian Science Monitor - 2
Miami Herald - 14
Reuters - 0
MSNBC - 3
CNN - 3
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