Methamphetamine (better known as crystal meth) is a highly addictive substance with severe physical and psychological consequences. For more than a decade the drug has ravaged individuals and communities across the country, but some states have been hit particularly hard.
In the 1990s, meth use in Oregon grew rapidly, and after years of government efforts to curb the drug’s availability, state officials were faced with an ever-worsening epidemic. With Oregon law enforcement reporting several hundred meth lab busts annually, in the mid-2000s state lawmakers devised a strategy to restrict the ingredients needed to manufacture the drug.
