august 2009 2008 methamphetamine report Suggested Citation: White, Michael D. (2009). Arizona Arrestee Reporting Information Network Adult Methamphetamine Report 2009. Phoenix, AZ: Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, Arizona State University. Arizona Arrestee Reporting Information Network 2008 Adult Methamphetamine Report by Michael D. White, Ph.D. August 2009 Acknowledgements The AARIN Project staff thanks Peter Ozanne and Amy Rex for their establishment of the AARIN project and for all of their hard work and assistance on the project. We also thank Maricopa County Manager David Smith and the Board of Supervisors for their continued support for AARIN. Additionally, we would like to thank Sheriff Arpaio of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Chief Conrad of the Glendale Police Department, Chief Gascón of the Mesa Police Department, Chief Carol Boone of the Maricopa County Juvenile Probation, and all of the officers who helped conduct the study. This project was funded by Maricopa County. Opinions contained herein are those of the author and do not represent the position of either Maricopa County or Arizona State University. AARIN Project Staff Charles M. Katz, Principal Investigator Watts Family DirectorCenter for Violence Prevention and Community Safety Arizona State University Marie L. Griffin, Co-Principal Investigator Associate Professor School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Arizona State University Michael D. White, Co-Principal Investigator Associate Professor School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Arizona State University David E. Choate, Co-Principal Investigator Program Operations Manager Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety Arizona State University Casey Klaus, Data Collection Supervisor AARIN Project Manager Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety Arizona State University Shirin Marvastian GIS Analyst Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety Arizona State University Jody Arganbright Business Operations Mangaer Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety Arizona State University © 2009 by the Arizona Board of Regents for and on behalf of Arizona State University and its Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety. Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety 500 N. 3rd Street, NHI-1, Suite 200 • Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602) 496-1470 • Web site: http://cvpcs.asu.edu This document may be copied and transmitted freely. No deletions, additions, or alterations of contents are permitted without the expressed written consent of the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety. Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy 5 Annual Methamphetamine Report 2008 August 2009 Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 4 The AARIN Sample 4 The Methamphetamine Addendum 5 Patterns of Use 5 Treatment 9 Transactions 11 Manufacturing Methamphetamines 20 Awareness of the Arizona Meth Project 21 Conclusion 25 Arizona Families F.I.R.S.T. Program Annual Evaluation Report, November 2007 AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 1 Executive Summary Introduction For the 2008 AARIN study, 2,105 Maricopa County (AZ) arrestees volunteered to complete the survey instrument and to provide a valid urine specimen for testing. In addition, the arrestees responded to a series of questions related to methamphetamine use, including patterns of use, treatment, drug transactions, sales and manufacturing, and awareness of the Arizona Meth Project. Among those participants, 435 (20.7%) admitted to having used methamphetamine in the 30 days prior to arrest. Patterns of Use •• Methamphetamine use was both frequent and intense. Of the arrestees who had used methamphetamines in the month prior to arrest, nearly one-third (31.7%) reported using the drug every day; more than 70 percent indicated that on those days when they used the drug, they used it more than once. •• The most common method of methamphetamine use was smoking (75.5%). •• Most respondents preferred to use the drug with friends (61%), although more than one-third reported most often using the drug alone (38.8%). •• Many respondents indicated having begun using AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 2 the drug experimentally (31.9%) or because friends used it (34.5%); more than a third reported at the time of the survey that they now used it because they were addicted. •• Two-thirds of the respondents reported negative side effects from using methamphetamines, ranging from physical ailments -- dental problems (32.5%), skin problems (31.1%), weight loss (49.3%) -- and psychological problems -- paranoia (42.5%), hallucinations (42.7%) -- to financial (42.7%), legal (46.5%), and family problems (51.4%). Treatment •• Nearly three-quarters of methamphetamine users had not sought treatment for dependency (71%). •• The most common reason given for not seeking treatment was “I don’t need it.” •• Among those who had sought treatment, 59.7 percent had completed their most recent treatment program. Transactions •• Thirteen percent of arrestees indicated having bought methamphetamines in the past 30 days, almost always paying cash directly to primary or occasional sources. •• Methamphetamine transactions (and use) occurred most often in private residences; most users traveled outside their neighborhoods to make purchases (70.2%). •• Users tended to purchase small amounts of the drug – a gram or ounce (62.2% and 25.5%, respectively) – and generally spent less than $100. •• Users reported having little difficulty purchasing the drug (87.1% said it was “easy” or “very easy”), although 35.4% reported having been unsuccessful in their efforts at least once in the past month. Failed efforts typically were blamed on problems with availability or drug quality; they were almost never attributed to law enforcement activities. AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 3 •• On occasion, respondents tapped informal networks to acquire the drug, typically receiving it as a gift or by promising to share the drug (14.8%). •• Compared with participants surveyed in the 2007 AARIN study who had purchased methamphetamines, those in the current study reported that the drug had generally become more available (50%), more expensive (60.9%), and lower in quality (57.6%). Selling Methamphetamines •• Just 3.7% of all arrestees reported having sold methamphetamines in the past 30 days. •• The majority of these (75%) reported selling the drug to make money. •• The majority sold locally in their neighborhoods (59.7%), although a sizeable minority reported selling throughout the state (19.5%) and across state lines (10.4%). •• More than half of the sales (59.5%) were small transactions for less than $500. Manufacturing Methamphetamines •• Only nine of all arrestees reported having manufactured methamphetamines in the past 30 days (0.4%). Awareness of the Arizona Meth Project •• Sixty-one percent of all arrestees knew about the Arizona Meth project. •• They most commonly reported having seen or heard information about the Project on television (88.2%), billboards (61.5%), and radio (39.6%). •• Across all media outlets, approximately 60% of the arrestees rated the Project’s advertisements as effective or very effective; they generally felt that the advertising should be expanded in all media outlets. AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 4 Arizona Arrestee Reporting Information Network (AARIN) 2008 Adult Methamphetamine Report Introduction The Arizona Arrestee Reporting Information Network (AARIN) is a drug abuse monitoring system that provides ongoing descriptive information about drug use, crime, victimization, and other characteristics of interest among individuals arrested in Maricopa County, Arizona. In five facilities throughout the county, professionally trained interviewers conduct voluntary confidential interviews with recently booked arrestees. Interview questions focus on a range of topics, including demographics, patterns of drug use (lifetime and recent), criminal activity, gang affiliation, victimization, mental health, citizenship, and treatment experiences. Each interviewee provides a urine specimen to be tested for the presence of alcohol and/or drugs. AARIN serves as a near-real-time information source on the extent and nature of drug abuse and related activity in Maricopa County, Arizona. The information informs policy and practices for police, agencies, courts, and correctional agencies, with the objectives of increasing public safety and addressing the needs of individuals who enter the criminal justice system. The AARIN Sample For the 2008 AARIN study, 2,105 Maricopa County (AZ) arrestees volunteered to complete the survey instrument and to provide a valid urine specimen for testing. The 2008 AARIN sample is described in detail in the Annual Adult Report 2008. AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 5 The Methamphetamine Addendum In addition to the base AARIN instrument, arrestees were asked to respond to a series of questions related to methamphetamine use. The methamphetamine addendum focuses on five areas: •• Patterns of methamphetamine use •• Treatment •• The nature of methamphetamine transactions •• Methamphetamine sales •• Methamphetamine manufacturing Arrestees were also asked to state whether they were aware of the Arizona Meth Project and, if so, how they became aware of the Project and whether they believed advertising methods for the Project were effective. Of 2,105 Maricopa County (AZ) arrestees who participated in the 2008 AARIN survey, 435 (20.7%) admitted methamphetamine use during the last 30 days before arrest. The methamphetamine addendum reports on this subsample. Patterns of Use Just over 20 percent (n=435) of the arrestees who participated in the 2008 AARIN survey reported methamphetamine use in the 30 days prior to arrest. The respondents who admitted use were predominantly male (71%), and White/Caucasian (64%) or Hispanic/Latino (26%). Almost half admitted using methamphetamines from 4 to 7 times a week; 31.7 percent reported having used methamphetamines every day, and an additional 16.2 percent reported use every other day. The remaining arrestees in the subsample reported less frequent use, including weekend (15.5%) and once-a-week (12.7%) use. Notably, nearly one-quarter of the methamphetamine users reported relatively infrequent use, once a month or less (23.9%). (See Exhibit 1.) AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 6 Exhibit 2 highlights a disturbing trend in the intensity of methamphetamine use. Almost three-quarters (72.3%) of the users reported that a typical day of drug use would involve multiple instances; one-third (32.3%) reported using the drug 3 to 5 times and 16 percent reported using 6 or more times on such a day. Only 27.7 percent reported that a typical day of using would involve only one instance. Taken together, the findings shown in Exhibits 1 and 2 indicate that methamphetamine use was frequent and heavy among the respondents. Exhibit 1. Frequency of Methamphetamine Use 35 31.7 30 25 20 16.2 15.5 15 14.6 12.7 9.3 10 5 0 Every day Every other Weekends day Once a week Once a month Less than once a month Exhibit 2. Methamphetamine Use During a Typical Day 35 30 32.3 27.7 24.0 25 20 16.0 15 10 5 0 Once Twice AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 3 to 5 times 6 or more times Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 7 Exhibit 3. Characteristics of Methamphetamine Use % n Method of Use Snort Smoke Inject Others 9.7 75.5 11.6 3.2 42 326 50 14 With whom do you typically get high?* Friends Family members Spouse/Romantic partners Dealer Alone Others 61.0 7.2 15.7 5.1 38.8 1.9 264 31 68 22 168 8 Why did you start using meth?* To get high More energy Lose weight Experiment Friends were using it Other 19.6 15.1 3.1 31.9 34.5 24.6 82 63 13 133 144 102 Exhibit 3 presents additional characteristics reported by methamphetamine-using respondents. For example, smoking was the most commonly reported method of using the drug (75.5%). Less frequently used methods included injecting (11.6%) and snorting (9.7%). The majority of methamphetamine users reported a strong preference for using the drug in the company of friends (61%). Use with family members, spouses or romantic partners, and dealers was much less common (7.2%, 15.7%, and 5.1%, respectively). Well over one-third of the respondents (38.8%) stated that they typically used methamphetamines alone. (See Exhibit 3.) Respondents were asked why Why are you using meth now?* they had started using methamTo get high 29.3 125 phetamines, and why they had More energy 19.0 81 continued. Two-thirds reported Lose weight 1.2 5 having started using it experi12.9 55 Friends were using it mentally (31.9%) or because Addicted 36.4 155 friends were using it (34.5%). ApOther 27.1 115 proximately 20 percent started because they simply wanted to Where do you typically use meth? get high. The respondents gave Private residence 77.5 335 Public building 1.4 6 different reasons for continuing Hotel/Motel 3.7 16 use, however. More than oneOn street/Outdoors 12.3 53 third (36.4%) described themOther 5.1 22 selves as addicted. About 29 percent gave “getting high” as a *These items were asked as a series of dichotomous (yes or no) questions. Responses reason – a notable increase from are not mutually exclusive, as respondents were asked to indicate all responses that the percentage who gave this were appropriate (not just one). reason for initiating it. Although nearly a third (31.9%) of the respondents had started using the drug because their friends used it, only 12.9 percent gave this as a reason for continued use. (See Exhibit 3). The shifting explanations between onset and current use likely reflected the AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 8 intense and addictive nature of methamphetamines. Over time, the reasons for use became much more focused on the drug and its effects on the user. More than three-quarters (77.5%) of the arrestees stated that they typically used methamphetamines in a private residence. Just over 10 percent reported using the drug on the street or outdoors (12.3%). Use of the drug in hotel/motels and other public buildings occurred much less often (3.7% and 1.4%, respectively). Respondents were asked to think about any negative side effects they had experienced from methamphetamine use. The majority (66.3%) had experienced multiple physical, emotional, socio-economic, and interpersonal problems as a consequence of drug use (Exhibit 4). Half or more cited problems with weight loss (49.3%), sleeplessness (62.6%), or family (51.4%) and legal issues (46.5%). One-third or more reported dental and skin problems (32.5% and 31.1%, respectively), violent behavior (34.6%), paranoia or hallucinations (42.5% and 33.2%, respectively), and financial problems (42.7%). Clearly, arrestees had experienced multiple serious Exhibit 4. Negative Side Effects of Using Methamphetamines problems in nearly all aspects of their lives as a result of their % n methamphetamine use. Experienced any negative side effects No Yes 33.7 66.3 145 285 49.3 62.6 32.5 31.1 34.6 42.2 33.2 51.4 46.5 42.7 24.2 22.2 141 179 93 89 99 121 95 147 133 122 69 63 Experienced any of the following negative side effects? Weight loss Sleeplessness Dental problems Skin problems Violent behavior Paranoia Hallucinations Family problems Legal problems Financial problems Work problems Other *These items were asked as a series of dichotomous (yes or no) questions. Responses are not mutually exclusive, as respondents were asked to indicate all responses that were appropriate (not just one). AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 9 Treatment Despite the prevalence of methamphetamine use and its negative impact on their lives, nearly three-quarters of drug-using arrestees (71%) had failed to seek treatment. The most common reason given for avoiding treatment was the belief that they did not need it (62.6%). Fewer than 10 percent claimed to have not sought treatment because of the cost (9.7%), because treatment was unavailable (9%), or because they did not believe that it would help (6.9%). (See Exhibit 5.) Exhibit 5. Treatment for Methamphetamines Other 11.8 Don't believe it would work 6.9 Treatment unavailable 9.0 Can't afford it 9.7 Don't feel you need treatment 62.6 Yes 29.0 No 71.0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Reasons for not seeking treatment for meth (n=289) Received treatment for meth (n=431) Those who had sought methamphetamine treatment (n=125) had participated in a variety of treatment programs. Just over half (53.6%) had sought in-patient treatment. A slightly smaller percentage participated in outpatient programs (41.6%), and one-fifth (20%) participated in self-help programs. Sixteen percent indicated having participated in a detoxification program. (See Exhibit 6.) AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 80 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 10 Exhibit 6. Types of Treatment for Methamphetamine Use Other 8.8 Self-help 20.0 Detoxification 16.0 Out-patient treatment program 41.6 In-patient treatment program 53.6 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Exhibit 7. Treatment Outcomes and Reasons for Failure 20.8 Program wasn't helping 18.8 Wanted to use meth again 10.4 Problems with staff 6.3 Couldn't afford it Other 59.2 No 59.7 40.3 Yes 0 10 20 30 40 Reasons for treatment failure (n=48) Completed most recent treatment (n=124) AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 50 60 70 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 11 Among the 125 arrestees who had participated in treatment, more than half (59.7%) had completed their programs. Of those who had not (40.3%), 20.8 percent left treatment because the program was not helping, and 18.8 percent left because they wanted to use again. More than half of those not completing treatment cited other issues, such as logistical problems (e.g., hours of operation, location) and getting kicked out for program violations (e.g., drug use, fighting). About 10 percent cited problems with staff. Notably, 15 percent indicated that they were actively participating in treatment at the time of arrest (data not shown). Transactions Buying Methamphetamines Arrestees participating in the 2008 AARIN survey were asked several questions related to recent transactions involving the purchase of methamphetamines. Thirteen percent (n=272) of all arrestees indicated that they had bought methamphetamines in the last 30 days before the arrest (Exhibit 8). The results presented in this section are based on the responses of that subsample. Exhibit 8. Methamphetamine Transactions in the Last 30 Days Have you bought meth? (NO) 13.0 Have you bought meth? (YES) 87.0 Paid cash only 92.6 Paid a combination of cash and something else 7.4 0 10 n = 2,090 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 n = 272 AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 90 100 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 12 The vast majority of arrestees who purchased methamphetamines in the last month did so using cash (92.6%). Only 20 arrestees (7.4%) acquired the drug through a combination of cash and other methods; 14 of them traded property for the drug. (See Exhibit 8.) Most arrestees who purchased methamphetamines in the month before arrest had done so directly from the source (79.2%); about one-fifth gave money to a go-between, who then acquired the drug on their behalf. Arrestees tended to rely on regular sources for their recent drug purchases (55.8%); about one-quarter of them relied on an occasional source. Only 16.6 percent had made recent purchases from a new source, suggesting that the methamphetamine buyers had well-established sources for the drug. (See Exhibit 9). Exhibit 9. Sources for Methamphetamine Transactions 16.6 Bought from a new source 27.5 Bought from an occasional source 55.8 Bought from regular or main source Give someone the money to buy it for you 20.8 Buy it directly yourself 79.2 0 10 20 30 Type of source (n = 265) 40 50 60 Method of purchase (n = 272) Exhibit 10 depicts the characteristics of the arrestees’ primary drug sources. For the majority (64.9%) of recent purchasers, the primary source was described as a friend. More than one-quarter (27.5%) claimed a relationship to the source based on business rather than friendship, identifying the source as a “dealer.” Arrestees rarely reported relying on family, romantic partners, or co-workers as sources of methamphetamines (3%, 0.4%, and 2.3%, respectively). AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 70 80 90 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 13 Drug sources were described primarily as male (77.9%) and either White/ Caucasian (51.6%) or Hispanic/Latino (42.2%). Interestingly, arrestees who had made recent methamphetamine buys indicated that their primary sources were from areas outside their neighborhoods (70.2%), suggesting a willingness to travel to gain access to the drug. (See Exhibit 10.) Exhibit 10. Characteristics of Sources for Methamphetamine Transactions % n Nature of relationship Friend Family member Romantic partner Co-worker Dealer Other 64.9 3.0 0.4 2.3 27.5 1.9 172 8 1 6 73 5 Sex Male Female 77.9 22.1 197 56 Race/Ethnicity White/Caucasian Black/African American Hispanic/Latino Other 51.6 1.6 42.2 4.5 126 4 103 11 Does source live in your neighborhood? Yes, inside No, outside 29.8 70.2 Exhibit 11 presents several additional details related to the arrestees’ recent methamphetamine purchases. For example, more than twothirds of the purchases occurred in a private residence; less than one-quarter (23.7%) occurred outdoors or on the street. This finding, suggesting that methamphetamine transactions were occurring in private rather than public places, may have implications for law enforcement suppression efforts. Also, nearly 90 percent of those making recent purchases bought the drug in quantities of a gram (62.2%) or an ounce (25.5%). They spent an average of $135, although half of them (52.2%) spent $50 or less. One-fifth spent between $51 and $100; 16.8 percent spent between $101 and $250. A small number paid more than $500, presumably having purchased larger amounts; 1.1 percent of the respondents reported buying a kilo or pound of the drug. (See Exhibit 11.) 75 177 Most of the respondents (89%) reported making one transaction during the day of their most recent purchase; 8.1 percent made two buys on that day, and 2.9 percent made three or more buys. Almost half of those who had bought the drug in the last week before arrest (44.6%) had done so AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 14 on two or more days; the mean number of transaction-days in the week before arrest was 2.14. About one-third (32.7%) had made drug purchases on only one of those days. (See Exhibit 11.) Respondents were asked about the difficulty of purchasing methamphetamines. More than 87 percent reported encountering few obstacles. Almost two-thirds indicated that purchasing methamphetamines was “very easy,” and an additional one-quarter indicated that it was “easy.” Only 5.2 percent indicated that purchasing the drug was “very difficult.” (See Exhibit 12.) Exhibit 11. Characteristics of Recent Methamphetamine Transactions % n Location of purchase Private residence Public building Hotel/motel Street/outdoor area Other 67.7 4.3 1.2 23.7 3.1 172 11 3 60 8 Amount of drug purchased Gram Ounce Bag Pound/kilo Other 62.2 25.5 5.2 1.1 5.9 166 68 14 3 16 52.2 21.7 16.8 5.6 3.7 $135.03 140 58 45 15 10 89.0 8.1 2.9 242 22 8 Amount of money spent $50 or less $51-100 $101-250 $250-$500 $501 or more Mean dollar amount Number of transactions on day of last purchase One Two Three or more Despite the respondents’ reports of ease in purNumber of transactions in the last chasing the drug, more 7 days than one-third (35.4%, None 22.7 n=96) had made unsucOne 32.7 cessful attempts to buy Two 13.0 methamphetamines in Three or more 31.6 the 30 days before arrest. They cited a number of reasons for the failures, ranging from no dealers (40.6%) or dealers with no drugs (39.6%) to poor drug quality (15.6%); only one cited police activity as the reason for failure. (See Exhibit 13.) Arrestees were asked whether, when they failed to complete a transaction for methamphetamine, they had purchased a different drug instead. Of 96 arrestees who reported a failed attempt to make a methamphetamine AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 61 88 35 85 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 15 Exhibit 12. Levels of Difficulty in Purchasing Methamphetamine 70 60 62.7 50 40 24.4 30 20 10 7.7 5.2 Difficult Very difficult 0 Very easy Easy Exhibit 13. Recent Failed Attempts to Buy Methamphetamine 14.6 Other 1.0 Police activity 15.6 Poor drug quality 39.6 There were no drugs 40.6 There were no dealers 35.4 Yes 64.6 No 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 purchase, the majority (77.2%) had not bought a different drug. Twenty-one arrestees (22.8%, n=21) bought a different drug after the failed methamphetamine transaction (Exhibit 14); the majority of them (16) purchased alcohol or marijuana, while three bought cocaine and two bought heroin (not shown). AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 16 Exhibit 14. Did Arrestees Buy Another Drug When They Failed To Make a Methamphetamine Purchase? 90 80 77.2 70 60 50 40 30 22.8 20 10 0 No Yes All arrestees in the 2008 AARIN survey were asked whether they had acquired methamphetamines in the last 30 days without using cash. Almost 15 percent (n=312) indicated having acquired the drug through a non-cash transaction (Exhibit 15). The vast majority (83%, not shown) had received the drug as a gift or had shared the drug with another person who provided it. Interestingly, more than half of these kinds of transactions had reportedly occurred within their neighborhoods (Exhibit 15), in contrast to cash purchases reported in the month before arrest, which occurred most often from sources outside their neighborhoods (70.2%, Exhibit 10). It appeared that the methamphetamine users had both formal and informal networks for acquiring the drug. Their formal networks, in which they paid cash to regular sources, were usually outside their neighborhoods. However, their informal networks, in which they would share or receive methamphetamines as a gift, were more likely to exist in the neighborhoods where they lived. Last, respondents who reported buying the drug in the last 30 days before arrest were asked whether the quality, cost, and availability of methamphetamine had changed over the last year. The majority (57.6%) believed that the quality of the drug had decreased over the past year; one-quarter said that quality had not changed, and 16.3 percent said that quality had improved. Despite the perception that quality had decreased, nearly two-thirds of the respondents reported that methamphetamines were more expensive now than in the prior year; 30.3 percent said that the cost AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 17 Exhibit 15. Acquiring Methamphetamines Through Non-financial Means - Past 30 Days 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 85.2 53.1 46.9 14.8 No Yes Inside neighborhood Outside neighborhood Exhibit 16. Changes in Methamphetamine Quality, Cost and Availability Over the Past Year 26.2 Same 57.6 Worse quality 16.3 Better quality 30.3 Same 8.8 Less expensive More expensive 60.9 30.3 Same Less available 19.7 50.0 More available 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 had not changed, and 8.8 percent reported that the cost had decreased. Half of the respondents (50%) indicated that methamphetamines were more readily available than they had been in the prior year; 30.3 percent said that availability had not changed, and one-fifth (19.7%) reported decreased availability. (See Exhibit 16.) AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 18 Exhibit 17. Have You Sold Methamphetamine in the Past 30 Days? 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 96.3 3.7 No Yes Selling Methamphetamines All 2,105 arrestees participating in the 2008 AARIN survey were asked a series of questions regarding their activities involving the sale of methamphetamines; two declined to answer. Seventy-eight (3.7%) reported having sold methamphetamines in the 30 days before arrest (Exhibit 17). Selling methamphetamines apparently was not a primary activity of the Maricopa County arrestee population. Among those who had sold methamphetamines during the 30 days prior to arrest, three-quarters reported that they had sold the drug to make money. One-quarter (23.4%) indicated having sold methamphetamines in order to support a personal drug habit. (Note that reasons given by arrestees for selling the drug were not mutually exclusive; several reported more than one reason for selling the drug.) (See Exhibit 18.) Respondents in this subsample were asked how long they had been selling methamphetamines. Nearly half reported having sold the drug for less than a year. Nearly one-third (31.2%) indicated that they had been selling for more than 3 years. (See Exhibit 18). Most sellers had conducted transactions from a private residence (62.1%), although more than one-quarter (27.5%) reported selling on the street or from other outdoor locations. The respondents reported a good deal of dispersion of their drug selling activities, however. Nearly 60 percent reported selling the drug in their own neighborhoods; 44.2 percent AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 19 Exhibit 18. Characteristics of Methamphetamine Sales % n Reasons for selling meth* To support drug habit To make money Other 23.4 75.0 14.5 18 57 11 How long have you been selling meth? 6 months or less 6 months to 1 year 1 to 3 years More than 3 years 39.0 15.6 14.3 31.2 30 12 11 24 Where do you sell meth? Private residence Public building Hotel/motel Street/outdoor area Others 62.1 1.7 3.4 27.5 5.2 36 1 2 16 3 Where have you sold meth?* In your neighborhood Across the city Across the state Across the U.S. Internationally 59.7 44.2 19.5 10.4 3.9 46 34 15 8 3 How much money have you made in the last 30 days? $100 or less $101 to $500 $501 to $1000 $1001 to $5000 $5001 or more Mean 28.4 31.1 12.1 25.7 2.7 $1,227.30 22 24 9 20 2 How much do you typically sell? Gram Ounce Pound/kilo Bag Other 56.6 27.6 3.9 7.9 3.9 44 21 3 6 3 Largest amount sold in the last 30 days Gram Ounce Pound/kilo Bag Other 40.8 42.1 9.2 3.9 3.9 31 32 7 3 3 stated that they had sold methamphetamines throughout the city of Phoenix. Moreover, a sizeable minority of sellers had conducted transactions throughout the state of Arizona (19.5%) or throughout the United States (10.4%). Fewer than 5 percent reported engaging in international sales of methamphetamines (3.9%). (See Exhibit 18.) Last, methamphetamine sellers were asked to indicate their profits from the transactions, as well as the quantity of the drug that they typically sold. The mean profit reported for the last month before arrest was $1,227, but few individual sellers were making this amount. About two-thirds reported making less than $500 in the month before arrest. About a quarter of the sellers reported making from $1,001 to $5,000; 2.7 percent reported making more than $5,000. Generally, small earnings coincided with small quantities of the drug being sold. More than half of the respondents (56.6%) reported selling a gram in a single transaction; 27.6 percent reported selling an ounce. Fewer than 5 percent reported selling a pound or kilo per transaction. Asked to report their largest transaction in the past month, more than 80 percent of the respondents reported selling either a gram or an ounce (40.8% and 42.1%, respectively). Only 9.2 percent reported selling a pound or kilo in the past month. (See Exhibit 18.) AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 20 Manufacturing Methamphetamines All arrestees who participated in the 2008 AARIN survey were asked whether they had manufactured methamphetamines in the past 30 days. Nine respondents (0.4%) reported having done so (Exhibit 19); they were asked several questions about that activity. Clearly, the vast majority of arrestees who had recently used methamphetamines had purchased the drug rather than manufacturing it. Because of the small number of respondents, results related to methamphetamine production by the arrestees are not graphically presented here. However, the information gathered may be of some interest. Seven of the nine individuals who had manufactured methamphetamine the month before arrest reported having done so in order to make money; three reported having made it to support a personal habit. (One respondent gave both reasons). Six respondents had been making the drug for more than a year; one had been making it for fewer than 6 months. Respondents reported using four common chemicals to manufacture methamphetamines: pseudo/ephedrine (8), iodine (6), acetone (6), and red phosphorus (3). Seven respondents indicated making the drug in a private residence, typically producing a gram or ounce in a single batch. Asked about disposal of waste products generated through the manufacturing process, three reported disposing of them in the regular trash or dumpster, two buried waste products underground, and one dumped waste above-ground in undeveloped areas. Their estimates of the street value of the recently manufactured drugs ranged from $100 to $9,500; the range of production costs reported ranged from a low of $8 to a high of $2,000. Of particular interest were variations in the respondents’ assessment of demand for methamphetamines and of the ease with which once could obtain chemicals needed to manufacture the drug. They were evenly split in their assessment of recent changes in demand: three indicated that in the past year demand had increased, three indicated that demand had decreased, and three indicated that it had remained about the same. With regard to access to precursor chemicals, four of the nine reported that it had gotten easier to gain access, and four reported that ease of access had not changed; only one respondent reported increased difficulty in gaining access to precursor chemicals. AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 21 Exhibit 19. Have You Made Methamphetamine in the Past 30 Days? 100 99.6 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0.4 0 No Yes Awareness of the Arizona Meth Project Finally, all arrestees participating in the 2008 AARIN survey were asked whether they knew about the Arizona Meth Project, how they became aware of the Project, and how they rated media outlets employed by the Project for advertising. Nearly two-thirds knew about the Arizona Meth Project; slightly over a third reported having no knowledge of it (Exhibit 20). The rate of project awareness was similar among those who admitted recent methamphetamine use and those who did not. These findings suggest that the Arizona Meth Project has been successful in reaching its target population. The Arizona Meth Project uses several different media outlets. Arrestees were asked to indicate all of the media sources that had exposed them to Project information. Among 1,282 arrestees who knew about the Project, by far the majority (88.2%) had seen information on television; nearly two-thirds had seen information on billboards, and about 40 percent had heard about the project on the radio. Less frequently, arrestees reported getting project information from the newspaper (12.1%), internet (9.3%), and other sources (3.3%). Clearly, the Arizona Meth project was getting the “most bang for its advertising buck” with television and billboard ads, and, to a lesser extent, radio (Exhibit 21). AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 22 Exhibit 20. Have You Ever Heard of the Arizona Meth Project? 70 61.0 60 50 39.0 40 30 20 10 0 No Yes Exhibit 21. Success of Various Advertising Methods Used by the Arizona Meth Project 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 88.2 61.5 39.6 12.1 Billboard Radio Television Newspaper 9.3 Internet 3.3 Other % indicating that they have seen/heard of the AZ Meth Project through each method AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 23 Arrestees were asked to assess the effectiveness of each media outlet in disseminating useful information about the Arizona Meth Project. They were also asked to recommend whether or not such advertising should be modified in each outlet (Exhibit 22). Regardless of the media outlet, the majority of arrestees who saw or heard advertisements for the Arizona Meth Project rated those ads as effective or very effective: billboards (66.7%), radio (70%), television (68.4%), newspaper (69.1%), and internet (69.8%). About 20 percent or fewer arrestees thought some ads were very ineffective: billboards (23.1%), radio (19.7%), television (21.3%), newspaper (17.4%), and internet (15.1%). The majority of arrestees recommended increasing advertising in media outlets: billboards (59.5%), radio (56.2%), television (58.1%), newspaper (57.4%), and internet (53.8%). Only 12 to 14 percent of arrestees recommended limiting advertising across media outlets (Exhibit 22). AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 24 Exhibit 22. Arrestees' Assessment of Media Outlet Effectiveness in Providing Information on the Arizona Meth Project % n Billboards (n= 788) Very effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Very ineffective Need more adds Right number of adds Need fewer adds 41.2 25.5 10.2 23.1 59.5 27.8 12.7 325 201 80 182 469 219 100 Radio (n= 507) Very effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Very ineffective Need more adds Right number of adds Need fewer adds 40.0 30.0 10.3 19.7 56.2 29.6 14.2 203 152 52 100 285 150 72 Television (n= 1129) Very effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Very ineffective Need more adds Right number of adds Need fewer adds 43.2 25.2 10.2 21.3 58.1 29.4 12.5 488 285 115 241 656 332 141 Newspaper (n= 155) Very effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Very ineffective Need more adds Right number of adds Need fewer adds 42.6 26.5 13.5 17.4 57.4 29.7 12.9 66 41 21 27 89 46 20 Internet (n=119) Very effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Very ineffective Need more adds Right number of adds Need fewer adds 38.7 31.1 15.1 15.1 53.8 33.6 12.6 46 37 18 18 64 40 15 AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety 25 Conclusion Approximately one-fifth of Maricopa County arrestees participating in the 2008 AARIN survey reported having used methamphetamines at least once in the 30 days before being arrested. Methamphetamine use was disproportionately reported by White and, to a lesser extent, Hispanic/Latino arrestees. The majority of users were male; slightly less than one-third were female. Methamphetamine users reported both frequent and intense usage, with more than one-third claiming addiction. Most had experienced serious negative consequences from their drug use, ranging from physical and psychological ailments to legal, family, and socio-economic problems. Most methamphetamine users had not sought drug treatment; of the 29 percent who had, about 60 percent had completed their most recent treatment programs. Methamphetamine transactions and usage were described by the arrestees as a mostly closed affair, occurring in private residences and among friends. Users appeared to have both formal and informal networks for acquiring the drug; they typically had little difficulty obtaining it. They most often paid cash directly to their regular sources, but many also relied on informal relationships of sharing, bartering, and gift-giving for their supply. Few arrestees reported having sold methamphetamines, and manufacture of the drug was all but nonexistent among the arrestee sample. Last, the Arizona Meth Project was familiar to most of the 2,105 arrestees. Findings suggested that the project had been effective at delivering its message through a wide range of media, that the message was being well-received by its target population, and that, in fact, the target population generally believed that advertising efforts ought to be increased. AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 College of Public Programs, Arizona State University 26 About the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety Arizona State University, in order to deepen its commitment to the communities of Arizona and to society as a whole, has set a new standard for research universities, as modeled by the New American University. Accordingly, ASU is measured not by whom we exclude, but by whom we include. The University is pursuing research that considers the public good, and is assuming a greater responsibility to our communities for their economic, social, and cultural vitality. Social embeddedness – university-wide, interactive, and mutually supportive partnerships with Arizona communities – is at the core of our development as a New American University. Toward the goal of social embeddedness, in response to the growing need of our communities to improve the public’s safety and well-being, in July 2005 ASU established the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety. The Center’s mission is to generate, share, and apply quality research and knowledge to create “best practice” standards. Specifically, the center evaluates policies and programs; analyzes and evaluates patterns and causes of violence; develops strategies and programs; develops a clearinghouse of research reports and “best practice” models; educates, trains, and provides technical assistance; and facilitates the development and construction of databases. For more information about the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, please contact us using the information provided below. Mailing Address Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety Arizona State University at the Downtown Phoenix campus 500 N. 3rd Street, NHI-1, Suite 200 Phoenix, Arizona 85004 Telephone (602) 496-1470 Web Site http://cvpcs.asu.edu AARIN Adult Methamphetamine Report, August 2009 The Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety l ASU College of Public Programs 500 N. 3rd Street, NHI-1, Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ l (602) 496-1470 l http://cvpcs.asu.edu