SAN DIEGO—More than half of all adults arrested in the San Diego region in 2022 tested positive for methamphetamine, according to a report released on June 23 by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).
According to the findings, the positive rate of meth use in 2022 was 55 percent for female arrestees and 52 percent for males. The report also found that 77 percent of males and 75 percent of females surveyed tested positive for at least one illicit substance—a drop from the 22-year high set in 2021 for males, 83 percent, but a sharp increase from the second-lowest rate in 2021 for females, 60 percent.
“An important characteristic of this report is looking at the underlying factors and needs these arrestees have that can help prevent re-arrests,” said SANDAG Principal Criminal Justice Researcher Octavio Rodriguez. “Continuing efforts to gather information on mental health issues, housing status, and employment is crucial to further understand how these may impact one’s likelihood to struggle with substance use.”
Additionally, according to arrestee interviews, a total of 49 percent of arrestees reported they had abused prescription drugs—particularly tranquilizers and fentanyl.
While fentanyl use has continued to increase over the years, 86 percent of arrestees said they would not purchase it and 35 percent said they used a drug that they believed contained fentanyl without knowing it, according to the report.
Other findings include 40 percent of those arrested self-reported that they had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, 65 percent reported they have experienced homelessness, and 29 percent reported they had committed a crime to support their drug use.
Since 2000, SANDAG has conducted interviews in local detention facilities through its Substance Abuse Monitoring program. The program “helps identify drug use trends among adult and juvenile offender populations to help inform prevention strategies for the San Diego region,” according to the agency.
For the 2022 analysis, 208 male arrestees were interviewed at the Vista and Central Jails and 97 female arrestees at Las Colinas in San Diego.
