The use of methamphetamine, a central nervous system stimulant often referred to by its street names crank, speed, ice, or crystal, is expanding across the United States, including Indian country. Developed in laboratories often located in remote areas, methamphetamine is cheap and addictive. Methamphetamine spreads easily, due largely to easy access to the necessary precursor chemicals and simple preparation methods. Today, methamphetamine labs can be found almost anywhere - suburban settings, apartments, hotels, warehouses, and garages. The facilities used to produce meth can range in size from small mom-and-pop labs to superlabs. They pose serious health risks both to the citizens who live near them and the law enforcement professionals who seize them.

Many tribal leaders have identified methamphetamine as the number one public health threat to Indian communities today. This is supported by the fact that a large percentage of the violent crimes in Indian country prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office involve individuals under the influence of methamphetamine or other illegal substances. The fight against this highly addictive drug requires coordination at federal, tribal, state, and local levels.

For information about the dangers of methamphetamine and government resources to fight methamphetamine abuse, please visit MethResources.gov.