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Maine Methamphetamine Prevention Project

What is the Maine Methamphetamine Prevention Project?

Maine ’s Methamphetamine Prevention Project is an education effort designed to:

  • Increase awareness about the harm associated with methamphetamine production and use.
  • Increase capacity of key institutions and community members to prevent the production and use of methamphetamine in Maine.

What is the Current Status of Methamphetamine in Maine?

  • We have seen small but significant indicators that methamphetamine use is growing in Maine.
    • From January 2005 through December 2006, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency made 9 methamphetamine lab seizures in the following counties:
      • Aroostook (3)
      • Androscoggin (3)
      • Cumberland (1)
      • Penobscot (2)

    [Total labs in 2005 – 5; 2006 – 4]

    • In 2006, there were a total of 38 arrests by the MDEA pertaining to Methamphetamine and in 2007, there were a total of 35 arrests  (MDEA arrests account for an estimated 60% of all drug arrests).
    • In 2006, 68 Mainers entered a treatment program and identified methamphetamine as the primary drug of choice and 56 entered treatment identifying methamphetamines as a secondary or tertiary drug of choice.
    • In 2007, 37 admissions were for methamphetamine as the primary drug of choice and 32 admissions were for methamphetamines as secondar/tertiary.
  • In other states it has been found that rural areas are prime locations for meth labs. With Maine’s vast rural landscape, this is an area of concern for our communities.
  • Maine 's close proximity to Canada has been found to contribute to easy trafficking of the substances used in the manufacture of meth, and increasingly meth in pill form.
  • Other states have found that the most effective method of reducing the number of home labs is to restrict the sale of the key ingredient, pseudoephedrine. As of November 1, 2005 Maine law restricts the sale of this precursor ingredient to pharmacies only. The Federal Combat Meth Act (word) also places restrictions on products containing pseudoephedrine.

If you suspect methamphetamine related activity always put your own safety first. Leave the scene immediately and contact your local police or sheriff for assistance.