Methamphetamine use in Dayton, Ohio: Preliminary findings from the Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network

Since the 1990s, methamphetamine manufacturing and use have been spreading into midwestern and southern United States. However, most research on methamphetamine use has been conducted in the western United States. This exploratory study is based on qualitative interviews with 26 people recruited in Dayton, Ohio, for the Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network, a statewide epidemiological surveillance system. Participants ranged in age from 21 to 57 years. The majority were White and male. The participants reported increases in methamphetamine availability and identified powder-type locally manufactured methamphetamine as the most commonly seen form of the drug. The participants reported extensive drug use histories, and were introduced to methamphetamine in the context of their involvement with pharmaceutical stimulants, crack, powder cocaine, and/or club drug scene. A large proportion of the participants continued to use crack or powder cocaine in addition to methamphetamine. Many primary methamphetamine users felt they were able to moderate methamphetamine use and fulfill their daily responsibilities related to work and family life. Ranking results and consensus analysis revealed that participants shared high agreement about drug-related risks, and perceived methamphetamine as a serious drug, although not as risky as heroin, crack or OxyContin (R). Implications for treatment and prevention are discussed.