Methamphetamine Use, Mental Health Comorbidities, and Treatment in Rural and Urban Areas

Methamphetamine (meth) use has been on the rise in rural and urban areas of the U.S. but more so in rural areas. Meth use is also unevenly distributed across U.S. regions, with more in the West, but pockets of growing meth use are emerging in other regions as well. Alarm is growing about meth use as a serious public health problem, particularly because there are no proven treatments for meth addiction. National trend data are available on meth use, but information at the subnational level has been lacking to inform regional and local policy.

Publications

• Methamphetamine Use, Mental Health Comorbidities, and Treatment in Rural and Urban Areas
  Policy Brief
  WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 02/2026
  This policy brief examines the urban vs. rural and regional differences in the rates of methamphetamine use, polysubstance use (methamphetamine use with alcohol and opioids), IV methamphetamine use, mental health comorbidities, and receipt of treatment by individuals using methamphetamine, in a representative nationwide sample.