Ames, Ia (KCRG) – Researchers at Iowa State University are studying why people cook meth.
Cooking meth is a felony that leads to many years in prison, but that’s not enough to stop some people.
The Iowa Department of Public Health says the rate of people admitted to the hospital for meth-related treatment has doubled since 2012. More than 6,900 Iowans were admitted in 2016.
Meth-related deaths are also going up. They increased from 12 deaths in 2011 to 96 deaths in 2017.
Researchers talked to 33 former meth cooks from rural areas, where meth use is pretty high for the study. Cooks looked at cooking meth as a rush, even comparing it to a sales job.
It was also a way to feed their drug addiction.
Some people even quit their jobs to focus on making the illegal drug.
Researchers say part of their drug prevention efforts are figuring out the thrill behind cooking meth and finding people legal jobs that will make them feel like they have a purpose.
The study shows many of the meth cooks come from places with low economic incomes and low education.
“Providing people with access to education, quality education and quality job opportunity will alleviate some of the issues when it comes to cooking meth specifically,” said Jacob Erickson, the lead author of the study.
