Bugs and Plants in Baltimore Streams ‘Addicted to Meth’

Methamphetamine has seeped into Baltimore’s waterways and begun to affect wildlife, a new study shows. The study, published by Environmental Science and Technology, found levels of the drug in the streams closest to Baltimore were so high that aquatic life had essentially become addicted, including the moss that grows on rocks, bacteria that live in the water, and various bugs. Scientists working with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies conducted an experiment by creating an artificial stream and exposing it to the same level of meth as that found in the streams. After just a few weeks, aquatic life began to show signs of harmful meth exposure: Bugs developed quicker, the growth of biofilms was halted. Scientists say the health implications for residents near the meth-addicted streams are unknown, but more likely to be a long-term problem as entire ecosystems become affected.