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Increasing Amounts of Meth Showing up in Cuyahoga County

ideastream: shutterstock
photo - ideastream: shutterstock

The Cuyahoga County medical examiner is warning that increasing amounts of the powerful street drug crystal meth is showing up in local communities.

The Cuyahoga County regional forensic lab regularly identifies street drugs for local police. Medical examiner Dr. Thomas Gilson says crystal methamphetamine is turning up more and more in those lab results.

The numbers increased from 37 meth samples at the end of 2016 to some 181 identified at the end 2017, Gilson said.

“Methamphetamine is just a very disruptive drug socially. You’ll see just devastating effects on families when people get addicted to this,” he said.

Heart and brain damage, severe dental decay, and open sores are some of the long-term health effects of using meth.

“It was much more prevalent out in the western half of the country. We see that now, but we are also seeing these fake ecstasy tablets,” he said.

Dr. Gilson said he is not sure why the numbers of both meth and the fake ecstasy are increasing.

He added that there has been no increase in local deaths from methamphetamine.

“Our overarching problem (in drug overdoses) remains opioids like fentanyl and the re-emergence of cocaine,” Gilson said.

Marlene Harris-Taylor
Marlene is the director of engaged journalism at Ideastream Public Media.