New Jersey likely had its highest jump in methamphetamine use ever in recent years, a report says, and federal auhorities identified which areas of the state have been most severely impacted by the drug crisis.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, in a newly released report, said it saw a dramatic 5,657 percent increase is seizures from 2015 to 2017, jumping from 4,468 to 257,206 grams.

Methamphetamine is commonly being found in the southern and far western parts of New Jersey, and it is still considered the drug of choice in some of the more rural areas of the state, according to the report.

Just months ago, authorities uncovered two of the biggest drug busts in New Jersey in 2018, cracking drug rings that pushed massive amounts of heroin and methamphetamine in the state. Read more: Two Of NJ’s Biggest Heroin, Meth Busts In 2018 Just Happened

Some recent analysis from the DEA’s Northeast Regional Lab has found some purity levels as high as 99 percent, according to the report. This high purity level is indicative of large-scale labs in Mexico, where the Sinaloa Cartel are attempting to expand its market for crystal methamphetamine in the southern part of New Jersey, according to the DEA.

“Over the last several years much emphasis has been placed on the opioid epidemic,” said Valerie A.Nickerson, DEA special agent in charge. “We are also taking this methamphetamine threat seriously. DEA and our law enforcement partners, particularly in southern New Jersey, will continue to investigate those people and drug organizations who choose to put this drug on our streets.”

In August 2018, the DEA Intelligence Program, in conjunction with the State Police, assessed the methamphetamine drug threat in New Jersey. State law enforcement trends reveal an evolving methamphetamine threat concentrated in the southern region of New Jersey, according to the report.

Methamphetamine is a schedule II substance, which means it has a high potential for abuse, minimal medical use, and can lead to serious psychological and physical dependence, according to the report. It is a central nervous system stimulant that produces long lasting effects including heightened senses of alertness and euphoria as well as increases in heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and body temperature.

Some side effects from long term abuse can include agitation, tremors, hypertension, memory loss, hallucinations, psychotic episodes, paranoid delusions, and violent behavior. It can come in pill, powder, liquid, and crystal form also known as “ice” due to large ice-like crystals, according to the report.

One of the explanations for the rise in methamphetamine use is that it has become a popular substance to help combat heroin withdrawal symptoms, according to the report. Methamphetamine is readily available, inexpensive, and provides the user with a high that can last more than 24 hours.

These factors appeal to heroin users who are seeking relief from withdrawal symptoms and functioning heroin users who need to get through the work week without yielding to withdrawal symptoms, according to the report.

Another factor that makes methamphetamine appealing is the low price. Typically, a drug with a high purity results in a high price. The opposite is true for methamphetamine. Since 2009, as the purity of the drug has risen the price has continued to drop, according to the report.

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