The Zuni Pueblo is located in a remote area of New Mexico, bordering Arizona and 150 miles west of Albuquerque. The Zuni Pueblo's rural isolation makes it an easy target for drug trafficking. Crystal meth is a common drug among teenagers in all the Pueblos. Equipped with small police forces, rural county jail and foster systems lack the resources needed for what has become an epidemic.
Location
The people of the Zuni Pueblo are ancestors of the Anasazi. There are 19 Pueblos spread out across Arizona and New Mexico. The largest Pueblo, the Zuni have been able to retain nearly 450,000 acres of their land. Zuni artisans make jewelry and Kachina dolls.
History
Although the U.S government eventually moved the Zuni to reservations like all other indigenous people, the Zuni remained on their ancestral lands and retained their culture and language, both of which are uniquely different from the other Pueblos.
Warning
Crystal meth, or crystal methamphetamine, is produced by "washing" d-methamphetamine in highly poisonous substances such as acetone or denatured alcohol. The drug, which can be injected or smoked, can be made easily from household products. However, the substances are dangerously explosive, and the fumes from the chemicals are toxic.
Effects
Though meth use is rampant throughout the United States, high rates of unemployment and alcoholism among Native Americans create family upheaval and exacerbate the drug problem. According to the Association of American Indian Physicians, the percentage of meth habituation among Native people is 1.7 percent, which is significantly higher than that of Caucasians and African Americans. Crystal meth is highly addictive and creates a sense of euphoria. The longer you use it, the more aggressive and violent you become.
Raising Awareness
The Zuni people have survived hardships for centuries by relying on their strong traditions. To defeat the current drug epidemic that is threatening their youth and entire families, the Zuni Pueblo is part of the National Congress of American Indians' National Indian Country Methamphetamine Initiative. The initiative's mission is to raise awareness about the dangers of meth addiction and to encourage healthy alternatives to drug use.
Prevention/Solution
As part of the National Congress of American Indians, the Zuni Pueblo has implemented initiatives that provide prevention, treatment and recovery tactics. Federal and state agencies can help with enforcement, but the Zuni look to their own traditions and values to help combat meth use. Organizations such as White Bison integrate Native culture, healing practices, spiritual and ceremonial disciplines to pull tribal members back into the circle of a healthy lifestyle.
