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Methamphetamine

Meth lab: A wall in the
room of a 12 year-old girl.

Methamphetamine:Users can snort it, smoke it, inject it or take a pill - the powder form known as "crystal" is the most common in the U.S. Depending on the dose and delivery method, the high from Meth can last anywhere from 2 to 24 hours and users say the effects are "intense."

The negative impact that Meth has on a community stretches farther than the users and dealers – it’s an increasingly popular addictive drug that after the high, leaves hazardous waste, healthcare costs and countless ruined lives behind.

KUOW News Special Report 'Methamphetamine: A Home Cooked Threat' explores the havoc that methamphetamine brings to users, communities and families in the region.
by Patricia Murphy

KUOW News Special Series: Methamphetamine: A Home Cooked Threat - Part Five Newborns Pre-Natally Exposed to Drugs

The most vulnerable victims of methamphetamine abuse are newborns. While little is known about the long-term effects of prenatal exposure to Meth, babies born in this condition need special care if they are to thrive. In the fifth and final part of our series "Methamphetamine: A Home Cooked Threat" KUOW’s Patricia Murphy visits a special care center in Kent that takes in newborns pre-natally exposed to drugs.

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KUOW News Special Series: Methamphetamine: A Home Cooked Threat - Part Four, The Cooks

The cooks who make methamphetamine take enormous risks. The chemicals used to make the illegal drug are volatile. Fires and explosions are common. In part four of our series Methamphetamine: A Home Cooked Threat, KUOW's Patricia Murphy talks with a man formerly known as Pierce County's most notorious meth cook. Now he helps police understand the dangerous cooking process.

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KUOW News Special Series: Methamphetamine: A Home Cooked Threat - Part Three, The High Cost of Cleanup

In the world of methamphetamine, few people make money. Dealers and cooks may be users who wind up just as addicted and destitute as their clients. But there is a side of the meth business that's booming. In part three of our series Methamphetamine: A Home Cooked Threat KUOW's Patricia Murphy tags along with a private cleanup company, Bioclean.

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KUOW News Special Series: Methamphetamine: A Home Cooked Threat - Part Two, The Meth Mess

Meth labs leave behind a mess that is costly and toxic. The state has to clean up about 100 meth labs a month. The bill for that, each month, is about $120,000. In part two of our series Methamphetamine: A Home Cooked Threat, KUOW's Patricia Murphy goes on a cleanup with a crew from the Department of Ecology.

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