The state of Montana has seen a spike in methamphetamine use, with independent employee drug testing company Millenium Health reporting a 34% increase in urine tests showing meth use, the Missoulian newspaper reports.
Yellowstone County, with about 21% of the population of the entire state, has seen an increase in violent crimes including homicides, robberies and aggravated assaults from March through July, according to the local law enforcement.
The drug use and associated crime is being linked to the coronavirus and the downturn of the economy in the region. Mineral mining, once a large part of the local economy, saw a severe drop starting in 2016.
To date, President Trump has not threatened to call in the National Guard to control the crime spree.