Tens of millions of dollars worth of federal money are on the way to New Hampshire to battle the ongoing opioid epidemic. Because the Granite State continues struggling to reduce addiction to heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, hydrocodone, oxycodone and other potentially deadly opioids, the urgency is clear.

However, police officials throughout New Hampshire said they are encountering more cases of methamphetamine. This is a human-made stimulant drug, which can also be known as simply “meth,” as well as “crystal meth,” “ice,” or “speed.”

According to the Associated Press, the state’s crime lab saw a relatively modest 52 cases of meth in 2014. However, the number spiked to 834 last year, while there were 522 through the first seven months of 2018.

David Mara is Gov. Chris Sununu’s adviser on addiction and a former interim Portsmouth police chief.

“There are a lot of people out there that stay away from opioids. They know how dangerous it is, but they figure, ‘It’s safer to use crystal meth,'” Mara told the AP. “Which is really not the case.”

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, meth use can cause:

– extreme weight loss,

– severe dental problems,

– intense itching, leading to skin sores from scratching,

– anxiety,

– confusion,

– sleeping problems,

-violent behavior,

– paranoia, and

– hallucinations.

Overdosing on methamphetamine can lead to stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. These conditions can result in death.

While not losing sight of the opioid crisis, we urge New Hampshire leaders to do their best to curb the rise of methamphetamine in the state. This calls for a team effort among officials in law enforcement, health care, education, community services and the general public.

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