MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Meth possession in Seattle spikes, data shows

Apr 9, 2018, 9:09 AM

Methamphetamine use is on the rise in Seattle.

RELATED: Drug consumption sites permanently banned in SnoCo.

The number of possession records has drastically increased in the last few years, according to data from the Seattle Police Department.

There were 293 records in 2017. That’s up from 183 in 2016.

The fewest number of records made in the last decade was in 2009, with just 49.

It’s a trend that further backs concerns over the rising number of deaths linked to meth. A recent study at the University of Washington found a 13-percent increase of meth use statewide when compared to a similar 2015 study.

In King County, there’s an increasing number of homeless people who are dying with meth in their system. The number of deaths within the homeless population rose from 132 in 2016 to 169 in 2017.

The number of meth overdoses is about half of heroin overdoses.

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