AHS Views

Marketing flavored crystal methamphetamines to our youth is one of the gimmicks Mexican drug trafficking organizations have come up with. The newest flavor, ‘Strawberry Quick’, is attracting a younger and younger crowd – many of whom will eventually be looking for addiction help.

“Meth is the most serious addictive drug I have ever seen, and I have worked with heroin and other street drugs,” said Darlene Duncan, a social worker on the board of Arizona’s Gila County Meth Coalition (GCMC), at a recent workshop on children and meth.

Strawberry meth first turned up in Nevada in 2007, and has also been found in Utah and Colorado. They haven’t found it in Arizona yet, but the odds are they will – it’s coming from super labs in Mexico and some of it will definitely pass through Arizona.

Methamphetamine addiction can happen very quickly but it’s one of the hardest drugs to quit. And the toll it takes on the body is severe. Most people addicted to meth take far longer in addiction treatment than people who are addicted to other drugs, and it can take years to recover from the physical damage. In fact, some people never recover fully.

One woman was so fried from methamphetamine abuse she didn’t know how to feed her new born baby, said Ramona Cameron of the GCMC.

If you or someone you know is abusing meth, get the addiction help services you need before it’s to late.