Utah's methamphetamine epidemic could be waning for the first time in 15 years, but heroin use appears to be ticking up slightly, according to a state substance abuse report about to be released.

The 2007 Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Annual Report — the state's most comprehensive collection of drug use and abuse trends — shows that a combination of a special task force, more money for screening/treatment, beefed-up law enforcement and targeted public education campaigns has reduced both the supply of and the demand for the powerful stimulant.

Methamphetamine is the most common illicit drug used among clients in treatment. It is more popular by nearly 20 percentage points among people in drug treatment programs than the next most common drug, marijuana. It was the No. 1 illegal drug of choice until 2001, the year meth use began its six-year steep growth curve.

Heroin use spiked somewhat in 2007 after remaining flat for the past 10 years. Admissions for heroin correlates with an increase in admissions for dependence on prescription pain relievers such as Oxycodone, Percocet and Vicodin, according to the report.

Utah's national reputation for prescription abuse is not borne out in the new report: In the category of "lifetime misuse" of painkillers, 3.6 percent of people in treatment report misusing them compared to 13.4 percent nationally. In that same category for tranquilizers such as Xanax and Valium, 3.2 percent of Utahns report misuse compared to 8.8 percent nationwide.

The report points out that alcohol remains the most common substance used by Utahns, primarily by people over age 44. However, meth use has reached statistical parity with alcohol among Utahns aged 35 to 44.

In 1991, 83 percent of Utah clients came into treatment for help with alcohol dependence. Last year, 31 percent sought help with alcohol. During the same period, the percentage of clients entering treatment for illicit drug abuse/dependence has risen to 69 percent last year from 17 percent in 1991.

By gender, men prefer alcohol most, women prefer meth and marijuana is the drug of choice by both male and female clients under age 18.

While the decline in meth use is encouraging to both government officials and treatment providers, they caution that its physical and emotional toll requires much longer treatment, stricter protocols and in turn much more expense.

Both treatment staff members and former users say 13 months — more than twice as long as treatment required for every other drug including nicotine — is needed to truly break the habit. It is, however, far less physically harmful than cocaine, heroin, alcohol and cigarette smoking.