Updated 1:51 p.m.
It's no secret that Missouri has problems with methamphetamine. However, the problems are hardly spread equally across the state.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol has compiled a map showing the number of reported meth incidents in each Missouri county through June 2013. (You can also see what they mean by "incidents," exactly).
The numbers so far are interesting, yes, but how they compare to data from last year is also worth a look:
- St. Louis City - St. Louis City reported 26 meth incidents through June this year. Through Dec. 2012, the city reported a total of 41 meth incidents. So, at the June six-month mark, the city had already passed its half-way point from last year.
- Jefferson County - A county frequently cited at the center of Missouri's meth issues may be on track for a lower number of incidents this year than in 2012. As of June 2013, Jefferson County reported 120 incidents. In all of 2012, Jefferson County reported 346 incidents. If Jefferson County duplicates its first half of 2013, it would be on track to have over 100 fewer meth incidents than in 2012.
National Scope
With 888, Missouri ranks among the most in the nation, yet again, in meth incidents reported as of June 2013. If the standings stay consistent through December, it could mark the second year in a row Missouri would claim the "top spot" in the United States for meth incidents. However, Indiana is currently "leading" with 956. (For more on meth's impact in the land of the Hoosiers, see Indiana Public Media's coverage of the issue).
In 2010, Tennessee briefly overtook the "title," when that state's meth incident rate increased 41 percent in a year.
Follow Kelsey Proud on Twitter: @KelseyProud
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