According to a new SAMHSA report released a few days ago and the Join Together Staff from our friends at The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, hospitals across the United States experienced a sharp and dramatic increase in methamphetamine related visits between 2007 and 2011.

How bad is it? According SAMHSA’s numbers the number of meth-related visits has increased by over 50% in 4 short years. In the great New York City area, it’s even worse, with a staggering 77% increase over the same time period.

What is powering this trend? It’s hard to say. The jump in notoriety methamphetamines received on a national level with shows like “Breaking Bad” cannot be discounted. We can be certain that these numbers are indicating a scary new trend emerging while our state continues to deal with the heroin and prescription drug abuse epidemic that monopolized the headlines over the past year.

What can we do as parents and residents? The answer remains the same: talk to your kids about the dangers of substance abuse of any kind. We know that they are bombarded every day with conflicting messages when it comes to these dangerous activities. Make sure they know what your feelings are. As our own studies have proven year after year, children who speak openly with their parents are less likely to try drugs and alcohol.

For more information about methamphetamines, please visit our Drug Encyclopedia.