Methamphetamine use has been increasing dramatically over the past decade. This extremely addictive drug first became popular in the United States in San Diego, California. Meth addiction seems to have spread across the country from there, first moving into the western states, then to the South and Midwest. Interestingly, this drug was not illegal in the United States until laws were passed prohibiting possession in 1983.

Approximately 8.8 million people in the United States admit to having tried crystal meth at one point in their lives, according to the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. This number constitutes four percent of the total population. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration conducted a survey which showed the recent alarming increase in methamphetamine addiction. In 2002, the number of individuals who had used crystal meth in the past month and could be considered drug addicts was 164,000. By 2004, the number had jumped to 346,000.

Crystal meth started out as a drug of choice for middle and upper class white men. However, the demographics of meth addiction are changing to include many different populations. The type of people who use crystal meth varies from place to place. In the Midwest, it is commonly associated with poorer people who live in rural areas. It is being abused more and more among the homeless, by young people at raves, and by individuals such as truck drivers who benefit from a stimulant while working.

Methamphetamine lab seizures in the U.S. rose from 7,438 in 1999 to 12,484 in 2005. However, the number then decreased to 6,435 in 2006. It is unclear whether this will the decline will be long-term. It could be a result of laws passed restricting the sale of ingredients used to make the drug in 2005.

Statistics show that the preferred method of using crystal meth varies by location as well. According to the Community Epidemiology Work Group, in 2001 60% of meth addicts in San Diego smoked the drug. The same year in Texas, 60% of methamphetamine users injected it.