TEEN METH TREATMENT UP NUMBER ADMITTED TO REHAB FACILITIES HAS SPIKED SINCE 2002.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

The number of teenagers admitted to Southern California treatment centers for methamphetamine abuse has spiked since 2002, according to a report released Monday.

Researchers for Phoenix House, a group of rehabilitation facilities nationwide, found that 43.3 percent of the population seeking treatment in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties are there because of meth, compared with about 25 percent in 2002.

``As we see increasing evidence that the meth epidemic is spreading eastward, it is clear that the intensity of the meth problem is not abating, but rather increasing on the West Coast where it began,'' said Winifred Wechsler, executive director for Phoenix House. ``The teen population we treat is becoming more of a challenge. Our clinicians report that methamphetamine users are particularly difficult to engage during their first 30 days of treatment.''

Meth is considered a highly addictive stimulant chemically related to amphetamine. Chrystal meth is also known as tweak, chisel or ice.

From 1997 to 2002, the number of teens placed into drug treatment centers in Los Angeles County rose from 1,609 to 5,572. Clinicians attribute that sharp increase to meth.

The residential facility in West Lake Terrace can house 120 teens and is considered the largest treatment center of its kind in Los Angeles County, Wechsler said. The ages of the teens range from 14 to 18.

Wechsler said there is no clear-cut reason why teens turn to meth. Mental health problems along with the drug's prevalence are both factors, she said. Teens also report that the euphoria caused by meth is greater and lasts longer than with any other drug.

In the past several years, the number of meth superlabs such as those once found in the Antelope Valley have decreased, but new supplies are coming from Mexico, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

``The only change we've seen with meth is that we're seeing that the level of purity is higher, which means it is more addictive,'' said Sarah Fanno, Los Angeles spokeswoman for the DEA. ``People are smoking it more. There's a myth among teens that it's the super-weight-loss drug.''

In the San Fernando Valley, several local agencies work in partnerships with schools to help teens get involved in anti-drug activities.

``Prevention is much more than educating Jimmy to just say no to drugs. It's about getting the kids involved in activities or allowing them to develop activities,'' said Alfredo Melana, executive director with the San Fernando Valley Partnership, a substance abuse prevention program. ``We also need to look at the lack of opportunities in some communities. In some of our communities there are more liquor stores in one neighborhood than parks and recreation centers.''

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com