Methamphetamine use and arrests rise sharply in Colorado

Legally Reviewed by Shazam Kianpour on August 25, 2026

Methamphetamine use and meth-related arrests climbed sharply across Colorado over the past decade, and the drug now drives more arrests in the Denver area than cocaine and heroin combined, according to police data reported at the time. Understanding how meth possession and distribution charges are actually prosecuted in Colorado matters just as much as the underlying trend, because the penalties can range from a low-level misdemeanor to a lengthy prison sentence depending on the amount involved and a person’s criminal history.

Here is what the data showed, how Colorado law treats meth-related charges, and what to do if you or someone you know has been arrested on a meth-related charge.

How Meth Use and Arrests Rose in Colorado

While addiction rates and deaths involving opioids received the most attention for much of the last decade, methamphetamine made a sharp comeback in Colorado and the rest of the U.S. over that same period.

One study cited at the time showed a nearly 130% increase in meth use nationwide between 2014 and 2019. Denver police reported that arrests over meth possession spiked in 2018 to 1,468, a 217% increase since 2014, and said meth arrests had come to outnumber arrests for cocaine and heroin combined.

Low Cost and Availability Drove the Resurgence

Denver police at the time reported that meth use was getting worse in the downtown area, and said one gram of the manufactured drug cost only about $20, which was roughly what a regular user consumed in a day. Despite the rise in usage in Colorado, the state did not make the top 10 for meth use nationally as of that reporting, a list that included:

1. Arkansas
2. Iowa
3. Washington
4. Kentucky
5. Minnesota
6. New Mexico
7. Alaska
8. Montana
9. Missouri
10. Idaho

Overdose Deaths Also Rose

Deaths from heroin and methamphetamine overdoses in Colorado remained relatively close to one another until 2017, when meth fatalities overtook heroin overdose deaths. Deaths from each drug stayed under 100 annually until 2013, when a sharp rise began.

In 2013, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) recorded 118 deaths from heroin overdoses and 96 from meth. By 2018, the department reported a surge to 318 meth fatalities that year, overtaking a still troubling 229 heroin overdose deaths.

Health Officials Looked for Answers

The CDPHE said at the time that opioids, including fentanyl, heroin, and prescription drugs, still caused more deaths in Colorado than meth, but noted that some heroin users were switching to meth. Health officials pointed to homelessness as a factor in part of the surge in meth possession arrests, and former users reported that meth use also drove an increase in petty crimes, including theft, often tied to a broader combination of addiction, homelessness, and untreated mental health issues.

How Colorado Prosecutes Meth-Related Charges Today

Methamphetamine is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance under Colorado law, and the severity of a charge generally depends on the quantity involved and whether the case involves simple possession, possession with intent to distribute, or manufacturing. Colorado’s 2019 drug sentencing reforms reduced some low-level drug possession offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, but distribution, manufacturing, and possession of larger quantities can still be charged as felonies carrying the possibility of years in prison.

A person’s criminal history also plays a role. Prior drug convictions can enhance the penalties on a new charge, and cases involving an alleged sale to a minor, a sale near a school, or manufacturing can carry additional enhancements. Because the classification of a meth charge can turn on lab results, weight calculations, and how the evidence was gathered, these details are often where a defense has the most room to work.

Defenses Commonly Raised in Meth Cases

Depending on the facts of a case, a defense attorney may examine:

• How the search that led to the discovery of the substance was conducted, including whether officers had proper legal grounds to search a vehicle, home, or person.
• Whether the lab testing and chain of custody for the substance can be verified, since errors in either can undermine the prosecution’s case.
• Whether the amount recovered supports a distribution charge or should more accurately be treated as simple possession.

Each of these issues can change how a case is charged, or whether it should be charged at all.

What to Do If You Are Facing a Meth-Related Charge in Colorado

A meth-related arrest can affect employment, housing, and future opportunities well beyond the criminal case itself, even before a conviction is entered. At Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C., we have represented clients across the Denver area on drug possession, distribution, and related charges, and we look closely at how the evidence in a case was gathered before assuming a charge is accurate as written.

If you or someone you know has been arrested on a meth-related charge in Colorado, our team can review the case and discuss your options. Learn more about how our firm handles drug crime cases, or contact our office to schedule a consultation. If a prior drug conviction is affecting your record today, you may also want to ask about record sealing options in Colorado.

Frequently Asked Questions About Meth Charges in Colorado

Written by

Shazam Kianpour

Denver Criminal Defense Attorney & Founder, Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C. — Over 10,000 criminal and traffic cases handled across Colorado.