MISSOULA – New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that teen methamphetamine use in Montana is below the national average for the first time since 1991.
According to the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, meth use among teens fell from 4.4 percent in 2007 to 4.1 percent in 2009, while in Montana the number fell from 4.6 percent in 2007 to 3.1 percent last year.
The Montana Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors has given the Montana Meth Project its prevention program of the year award for its efforts in reducing meth use in the state.
The National Youth Risk Behavior Survey monitors six categories of risky behaviors, including substance abuse. The survey found Montana teens rank higher than the national average in the consumption of alcohol and the use of marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy.