Methamphetamine use has increased to epidemic proportions in the United States and currently poses a significant public health threat. Methamphetamine use is the dominant drug problem in the western and, more recently, midwestern portions of the United States, impacting rural areas most severely. It is unlikely that methamphetamine will be a passing fad and quickly disappear from the drug abuse scene. In fact, there are a number of reasons to expect that methamphetamine use and related problems will become part of the ongoing challenge faced by the Federal and local agencies that address substance abuse problems. This prediction has significant implications for law enforcement, health service, and educational institutions. Given these circumstances, a Federal senior level advisory taskforce should be created to keep a focus on the unique set of problems that result from methamphetamine production and use. There should also be a methamphetamine research, treatment, and training center that can promote integrated agency initiatives and the transfer of research finding into clinical practice in the regions impacted by methamphetamine use. Efforts should be increased in developing new behavioral and pharmacological treatments; these methods should include, but not be limited to, drug court techniques. Finally, treatment funding agencies must accommodate their policies to the special treatment needs of methamphetamine users. 15 references