Deadly heat: methamphetamine’s rising toll in extreme temperatures

Amid a brutal heat wave in Phoenix, two individuals succumbed to a dangerous combination of scorching temperatures and methamphetamine use. This incident portrays a growing trend of meth being included in heat-related deaths in the United States.

CDC data analyzed by the Associated Press shows that methamphetamine occurred in nearly a third of heat-related deaths in states including Arizona, Texas and Nevada in 2023. The stimulant intensifies body heat and disrupts natural cooling mechanisms, unlike other substances, says Bob Anderson of the National Center for Health Statistics.

The increase coincides with the increasing availability of meth by Mexican drug cartels and unprecedented global temperature spikes. In response, public health efforts are trying to disseminate information about the dangers of stimulant use during such extreme conditions, but accessibility to safety measures remains a challenge.

(With input from agencies.)