Methamphetamine contamination on environmental surfaces caused by simulated smoking of methamphetamine

Abstract

Previous publications have identified concerns regarding chemical exposures to children living in clandestine methamphetamine labs. Recently, however, concerns regarding exposures to children residing in homes where methamphetamine has been “smoked” have also been recognized. Many children associated with these residences reportedly test positive for methamphetamine. This study was conducted to determine methamphetamine contamination levels in a home where only “smoking” of methamphetamine was conducted. The study involved the simulated “smoking” of several amounts of methamphetamine in a hotel room. The levels measured after the “smokes” ranged from a mean of 0.23 μg/100 cm2 after a 0.1 mg “smoke” to a mean of 15.44 μg/100 cm2 after “smoking” a total of 2.4 mg of manufactured methamphetamine. The amount of contamination generally increased with the amount of methamphetamine “smoked”. Since a person was not inhaling, these levels would normally be reduced by 67–90% with contamination levels ranging from 0.02 to 0.07 μg/100 cm2 for a single “smoke” to between 1.54 and 5.10 μg/100 cm2 for multiple “smokes”. The methamphetamine contamination produced could result in a positive drug test for exposed children and may result in exposures above current standards.