Arizona Meth Addiction - Mexican Meth Problem in Arizona and U.S.

Arizona Meth Addiction - Mexican crystal meth has been a major problem in Arizona and other Southwestern states for years. Mexican superlabs produce massive quantities of the drug, which is then smuggled into the U.S.

Recently, Mexican meth has become a problem for more than just the Southwest. Since the U.S. has cracked down on the sale of pseudoephedrine, a precursor of meth, more and more of America's meth is being supplied by Mexican cartels.

"Mexico now has some massive and very sophisticated operations. We call them super labs," explained agent Elizabeth Kempshall of the Drug Enforcement Agency in charge of the Phoenix area.

In June of 2009, authorities raided a meth factory that is the largest and most sophisticated lab ever found. Located in Culiacan, Mexico, the factory is suspected to have produced about $1.4 billion of meth in only two months.

Apache Junction Methamphetamine Addiction - Mobile Meth Labs Are Dangerous and Common

Apache Junction Methamphetamine Addiction - Mobile meth labs, also known as rolling meth labs, are mini versions of meth manufacturing labs often found in the trunks of vehicles.

Authorities are finding these portable labs more and more common. These small labs use the "one-pot method" of meth manufacturing, which means the cook will use just one canister, such as a Gatorade bottle, for all of the ingredients.

Mobile labs are notoriously dangerous, particularly for their high risk of explosion. The pressure that accumulates in the single bottle heightens the risk that the container will burst, sending toxic material everywhere.

These portable labs are routinely involved in motor vehicle accidents, which makes them even more of a danger because the impact could also lead to an explosion and/or a fire. Someone smoking near a mobile meth lab could also trigger an explosion.

Maricopa Methamphetamine Addiction - Repeal of Pseudoephedrine Regulations May Lead to Increased Meth Production

Maricopa Methamphetamine Addiction - For the last several years, states have been heavily regulating the distribution of medications with pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is a necessary precursor for the manufacture of crystal meth.

These laws typically restrict how much pseudoephedrine consumers can buy at one time. Most states also require the buyer to show identification at the time of purchase.

Some states even went as far as requiring pseudoephedrine to be sold only to those with a prescription. However, these states are considering repealing the prescription-only laws.

For example, in Washington, Missouri, pseudoephedrine can be obtained only with a prescription. But the city council will convene soon to decide whether to repeal the law, which has caused some experts to predict a rise in clandestine meth labs.

Surprise Methamphetamine Addiction - NASCAR Driver Tests Positive for Meth Again

Surprise Methamphetamine Addiction - NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield has once again tested positive for methamphetamine. The driver vehemently denies using the drug, saying NASCAR paid his stepmother to lie about his history with drugs.

The positive results came from a random test given on July 6. The test was part of a filing with a U.S. District Court that asked the court to reinstate the ban that it had lifted to allow Mayfield to drive again.

"I don't trust anything NASCAR does, anything Dr. David Black does, never have, never will," Mr. Mayfield explained in a telephone interview. Dr. Black is in charge of NASCAR's drug-test program.

Mayfield was first suspended when he failed a random drug test in May. Mayfield and his lawyers claim the tests are yielding false positives and that his stepmother is conspiring with NASCAR against him.

Avondale Methamphetamine Addiction - Former Champion Figure Skater Faces Meth Charges

Avondale Methamphetamine Addiction - Nicole Bobek, a former figure skating champion for the U.S., was recently released from jail and now faces methamphetamine distribution charges.

Bobek, 31, was arrested in Florida on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Because the crimes took place in Hudson and Northern Jersey counties, she was extradited to New Jersey.

At this point, 20 people have been arrested in connection with the drug ring. Bobek was allegedly a major player in the meth ring for months.

The police say the drug ring distributed about $10,000 of meth each week. If Bobek is convicted, she could face up to ten years in prison.

Buckeye Methamphetamine Addiction - Women and Meth Addiction

Buckeye Methamphetamine Addiction - Although women and men are almost equally represented among meth addicts now, the drug affects women very differently from men.

Women also tend to use for different reasons than men. For example, over 70% of female meth addicts report histories of sexual or physical abuse. Women are also more likely to have severe psychological distress intertwined with their addiction.

Female meth addicts often begin using the drug in order to control their weight or symptoms of depression. Meth-addicted mothers sometimes begin using the drug in order to combat the exhaustion that comes with managing household and work obligations.

Meth is a unique drug in that it attracts a fairly comparable number of men and women. By contrast, cocaine users are twice as likely to be male, while heroin users are three times as likely to be male.

Chandler Methamphetamine Addiction - Critically Acclaimed AMC Show Features Meth Cook

Chandler Methamphetamine Addiction - One of the hottest shows on television, Breaking Bad, features the adventures of a meth cook in the New Mexico desert.

The show, which debuted on the AMC network in January of 2008, follows a high school chemistry teacher turned meth cook. The main character, Walter White, operates a methamphetamine lab out of an RV in Albuquerque.

Because of his chemistry background, White is able to produce some of the purest meth on the market. He turns to the manufacture of methamphetamine in order to pay the medical bills for his cancer treatment.

Despite its intense drug themes and plot line, Breaking Bad seems to resonate with viewers and has won the hearts of critics. The show has won a Peabody Award as well as several Emmys.