Citation

Strickland JC, Havens JR, Stoops WW. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2019; 204: e107592.

Affiliation

Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 1100 Veterans Drive, Medical Behavioral Science Building Room 140, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 845 Angliana Ave, Lexington, KY 40508, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 110 Kastle Hall Lexington, KY 40506, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 3470 Blazer Parkway, Lexington, KY 40509, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107592

PMID

31586804

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recent data suggest increases in methamphetamine potency, affordability, and availability in the US. Other data indicate rising rates of methamphetamine use among patients seeking treatment for opioid use disorder. The extent to which similar increases in methamphetamine use have occurred for populations outside of a treatment context and for those reporting other substance use is unknown.

PURPOSE: The current analysis used a nationally representative data source to evaluate recent trends in past month methamphetamine use based on opioid use history.

METHODS: Data from the 2015-2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were analyzed for yearly variations in past month methamphetamine use by opioid use history. Sensitivity analyses assessed if these trends were specific to methamphetamine use and to persons reporting opioid use.

RESULTS: Significant increases in past month methamphetamine use were observed for persons reporting past month heroin use, past year heroin use disorder, and past year prescription opioid use disorder. Among individuals reporting past month heroin use, for example, methamphetamine use tripled from 9.0% in 2015 to 30.2% in 2017. These associations were specific to methamphetamine with little change in other substance use. Similar increases in methamphetamine use were not observed for populations reporting other illicit substance use with the exception of prescription tranquilizers.

CONCLUSIONS: These results provide data corroborating evidence of emergent concerns related to methamphetamine use in the US. Such findings highlight the importance of considering global drivers of substance use to avoid cyclic waves of new and emerging substance use crises.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Heroin; Methamphetamine; NSDUH; Opioid; Polysubstance; Stimulant