A new report shows meth use in Nebraska has dramatically increased in recent years. The report, authored Ryan Herrschaft, Bergen Johnston and Patrick Habecker with the UNL Rural Drug Addiction Research Center, examined national data sets to determine overall methamphetamine usage rates, treatment admissions and overdose deaths.
According to the research, methamphetamines are involved in more deaths than synthetic opioids in Nebraska. From 2018 to 2019 Nebraska experienced a 58.8% increase in psychostimulant-involved overdose deaths.
“In 2018, 1.7 per every 100,000 Nebraskans died of a methamphetamine-involved overdose, while in 2019, that rate had increased to 2.7 per every 100,000 Nebraskans,” Herrschaft says. “That jump is in line with increases we see at the federal and regional level. Across practically all of the United States, overdose deaths have increased in recent years, especially overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids and methamphetamine.”
Nebraska’s rate of methamphetamine overdose death is lower than the Midwest and the United States overall, the report noted. Methamphetamine treatment admissions rose more than 200% in a 10-year period from 2008 to 2018, most notably among older adults.
The research uncovered another trend that treatment providers should note. “Admissions have increased by larger-than-average degrees among many of Nebraska’s more marginalized populations, including racial minorities,” Herrschaft said. “As marginalized groups experience an increased burden from psychostimulant-related harms, it is very important that substance use treatment providers tailor their offerings to suit all Nebraskans.” The research team is continuing to compile data to determine drug usage in Nebraska and the surrounding region. It is important, they noted, to continue monitoring trends to guide interventions that could improve health outcomes
“I think Nebraskans need to know that substance use and fatal overdoses are happening here and it is affecting our loved ones and communities,” Herrschaft said.