Illegal drugs are dangerous enough, but when people start looking for even stronger and more potent versions of these toxic substances, the results can be deadly.
Although the mental and physical effects of meth are concerning enough, for some people the high from regular methamphetamine just isn’t good enough anymore.
What Is Meth 2.0?
Meth 2.0 is the nickname for methamphetamine that is even stronger and cheaper than traditional meth. In some cases, this new meth has been found to have purity levels of 97%.1 Most of this meth has been mass produced in labs and imported from Mexico to the United States resulting in its cheaper price. Because it is so potent, meth 2.0 is even more addictive than traditional meth. This means more and more people are in need of formal meth addiction treatment in order to stop.
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What Meth 2.0 Means for the United States
While everyone has been distracted by the growing problems from the opioid epidemic, the purity of meth in the United States has steadily been increasing. In 2003 the average purity of methamphetamine was just 57.4 percent.2 Now meth is showing purity levels in the 90s. This stark difference in less than 20 years is concerning for many reasons.
One of the major problems with such potent meth is the threat of overdose. With some people unknowingly taking more potent amounts of the substance than expected or than what their bodies are used to, overdose becomes more likely. The data supports this trend as the number of meth overdose deaths in the United States increased by 7.5 times between 2007 and 2017.3 If this meth continues to become more widely used as expected, these numbers could get worse.
Another concern with this so-called meth 2.0 is addiction. Meth is classified as a schedule II drug because it has a high potential for abuse as well as addiction. Because the more potent meth will lead to a greater and more powerful high, people will be more likely to become addicted and chase after that high. Their bodies will become dependent on the drug and crave a higher potency leading to a need for stronger meth and not the lower meth quality. Our Chicago addiction treatment center offers programs to help people who struggle with this addiction.
If this higher potency methamphetamine were not as readily available or much more expensive than weaker batches, the problem wouldn’t be quite as alarming. Because this stronger meth is being mass produced on such a large scale in Mexico, it makes the product cheaper and more easily accessible. Mexican cartels have been smuggling drugs into the United States and particularly Chicago for a long time, but these new batches of meth could quickly replace the smaller local meth labs that distribute lower potency batches.
Whether you or a loved one is looking for meth or opioid addiction treatment in Chicago, do not try to fight the addiction alone. At Banyan Chicago we have professional programs designed to help people battle their addictions to various drugs and create sober lives.
Call us today at 888-280-4763 to learn more.
Sources:
- Inquisitr - ‘Meth 2.0’ Has Hit America, And Authorities Warn That It Has Deadly ‘Breaking Bad’ Like Purity
- National Drug Intelligence Center - Methamphetamine Drug Threat Assessment
- NIH - What is the scope of methamphetamine misuse in the United States?
