Meth/Drug Problems? (Yakima, Aberdeen, Hoquiam: high crime, neighborhood, buying)

[washinton native]

meth hit washington hard in the mid to late 80s and simply never went away. the fact meth is used in the PNW hardly is a revelation.

[diggitydot]

I'm not sure if any of you have seen this, but there's a Frontline special that details the rise of the meth epidemic. They reshow it occasionally and it's absolutely worth seeing. Here's a link to the information on pbs.org:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/

This is one of the most detailed and well done documentary on the issue. It's almost morbidly fascinating.

[patnormcar]

Mason County in Western Wa still has a lot of meth problems. We've lived here (Shelton) for about 2 years and have read about and seen first hand of this problem.

[washinton native]

how often did you see first-hand? i believe the media blows meth use/crimes out of proportion ... especially smaller newspapers.

[Patsy926]

To respond about first-hand. Neighbor has family member picked up for distribution. Been to a seminar put on by law officials. Meth is very much a concern for this area, sad to say.

[coltoncity]

I would say for Washington Clark County is one of the worst but Cowlitz county is terrible as well. Amboy or Yacolt had this drug problem a long time ago and it is just more wide spread now. Ive heard a lot about Woodland and of course Vancouver anywhere central or west. A lot of the drugs manufactured are in rural area as opposed to right in city. But they are finally putting people away for dealing it in the last couple years so maybe they will be getting a hold of it soon. Be sure to always check before hand of course for any place you move into because it get sin the walls the floors everywhere. It causes a bio hazard. On Multonomah Sheriffs Dept. for example they have a page on known meth labs so you can stay away from them. I dont know that they have one anywhere else but they need them.

[diggitydot]

Originally Posted by washinton native

how often did you see first-hand? i believe the media blows meth use/crimes out of proportion

I don't know about blowing it out of proportion, but I've seen meth issues first hand more times than I wish. If you'd like specifics, feel free PM me.

With several family members working in either elementary education or the medical field, you'd be amazed at what we've encountered. It's fairly prevalent in most areas of the NW. The people with more money just hide it better than those without.



Oh, and here's a link to the WA attorney general's office page about meth in the state:

<<www.atg.wa.gov/page.aspx?id=11704>>

Just a couple exerpts:

Clark, Grays Harbor, Klickitat and Lewis counties had high rates of meth use among adults as early as 1995. By 2001, rates much higher than average plagued Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Pierce and Yakima counties. Rates increased in nearly all Washington counties (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute [ADAI], University of Washington, 2004).

Eighty percent of contacts made by police officers in Vancouver are related to methamphetamine, according to Police Chief Brian Martinek (The Columbian 2/28/2006).

This one really surprised me:

Washington has the second highest number of overall property crimes nationwide.

Spokane currently suffers the highest crime rate of any Washington urban area.

[noplacelikeWA]

Meth has caused major destruction in my family and it is everywhere in the NW. A few years ago Rolling Stones magazine featured a story on the epidemic and at the time Granite Falls was being titled the "Meth Capitol" of the US. Having family and friends that live and work there it didn't really surprise me.

[coltoncity]

I know the majority (about 97% or more) of children born to meth addicts never are reunited back with their parents because the parents are hooked on the drug for so long. Also, it can organically change the wiring of the brain so they also have a big chance of mental problems afterward that the rest of us must be born with. The state of Oregon is going broke taking care of all the children and their medical/educational issuses, (from being around the drug and being held by people on the drug, born on the drug), and at least in S. Washington too. Not the childs fault but they sure do pay for it.

[hellotherehello]

there is a lot of conflicting info here I see I think the thing to remember is that meth is a nationwide problem If you avoid depressed economically areas and live in a higher priced area you will have less problems Schools are a mixed problem as kids come from variious neighborhoods and will be exposed to many things as they get older so you will need to decide on a more exclusive area for pblic schools or decide on private or home schooling.Nothing is a guarantee for kids though as they get older they will choose. Less methamphetamine is obtained from "home cooked" labs and more an more is obtained through Mexican drug sources-also Canada had discovered large sophisticated drug labs-not amateurs at all-since it is a money producer the big cats get involved so home cooked will be less and less of a source for this destructive drug. If an area is high crime you can infer there is drug activity and possibly gang activity. So dont panic just avoid the high crime areas as much as possible.