Aftermath of Meth

The story of the methamphetamine crisis in rural America - specifically the American West - is a story focused on the devastation of families, individuals, children, ancient tribal rituals and the environment. It is a story that epitomizes the changing landscape of the rural West, a story happening in our own back yard.

KUED’s “Aftermath of Meth,” originally airing May 30 at 8:00 p.m., is a hard-hitting probe of the drug that is devastating many small, rural communities in the West. The unique attributes that characterize the American West have also made it fertile ground for meth manufacturers. “Small Town America” has now become a high-stakes venue for methamphetamine trafficking.

In examining the meth epidemic in the rural Intermountain West, a variety of issues come to the fore, including inadequate efforts of thinly-stretched, small town law enforcement, overburdened healthcare facilities and vulnerable Native American populations. The epidemic also is causing a burgeoning health care crisis affecting women, children, and their families.

The documentary focuses specifically on four stories-- how a Mexican drug cartel cleverly introduced meth to Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation; how the meth epidemic is fueled by the oil and gas boom in the Uintah Basin; the environmental contamination from cooking methamphetamine in clandestine labs and open spaces; and children endangered by living in toxic environments where adults are using and/or manufacturing meth.

"Aftermath of Meth" sponsors: