Maine's Methamphetamine problem is minor compared to other states, but its rate of growth has drug enforcement officials bracing for a crisis down the road.

The state's Office of Substance Abuse reports that those treated for Methamphetamine addiction jumped from about 100 annually to 160 last year.


And, more people are getting caught with the drug. In the 7 1/2 months since July 2004, 13 people were arrested - up from the dozen arrests in the previous 12 months.

"You're looking at small numbers but huge percentage jumps - that's what makes us nervous," said Kim Johnson, director of the Office of Substance Abuse.

The scenario is eerily familiar to state officials who monitored the rise of opiate addiction in Maine. In 1996, drugs such as Oxycontin were about as popular as Methamphetamine is now.

Today, Opiates represent the third biggest problem for the Office of Substance Abuse, after Alcohol and marijuana. And their usage continues to grow, though at a slower pace than in past years.

To keep Methamphetamine use from even nearing the popularity of Opiates, state officials are following the lead of other states and trying to prevent its manufacture.

A bill to be introduced this session would restrict the sale of cold medicines that contain pseudoephedrine, a chief ingredient in methamphetamine.

The legislation also calls for training that would alert retailers to situations where they might want to refuse a sale, Johnson says. Aside from large amounts of cold medicine, such as Sudafed, signs of a Methamphetamine lab include matches, drain cleaner and starter fluid.

"If you can get in front of this problem, you have a better chance of controlling it than once it's already endemic in your areas," said Roy McKinney, director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

So far, officials know that the Methamphetamine problem is endemic to the entire state. Police last year shut down Methamphetamine labs in locations as diverse as Westbrook, Augusta and Machias.

Right now, the seven police officers certified to dismantle the toxic components of a Methamphetamine lab is enough, McKinney says.

But he is worried that will change. Each year, more labs are discovered, from none in 2002 to one in 2003 to three last year.

Through anecdotal evidence, officials are documenting the drug's increasing prevalence among truck drivers and people in the gay community who like to go clubbing.

"It's a way to stay up," Johnson said.

Another stimulant, Cocaine, is a bigger issue for Maine. But addiction specialists say they can envision drug users trading Cocaine for methamphetamine.

It's sometimes known as the "poor man's cocaine" because the high lasts longer, and is therefore cheaper to use.

John Dana, a drug counselor who works with teenagers at Day One, says that methamphetamine's popularity will hinge on how available it is. He notes that prescribed stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall are popular because so many young people have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder.

"I think whatever is around people will use," Dana said.