In 1971, the meth capitals of the United States were which two states?

• A. Missouri and Utah
• B. California and Texas
• C. New York and Florida
• D. Kansas and Wyoming

Answer: (A)

In this item the focus is on historical patterns of where methamphetamine activity was most concentrated in a given year. The best answer, Missouri and Utah, reflects how early meth problems in 1971 were most prominent per capita in those two states. Official reports from that period show higher per‑person incidence of meth lab seizures and related offenses in Missouri and Utah compared with other states, signaling a concentrated local problem rather than a nationwide pattern.

Over time, other states became more prominent in meth production and distribution—California and Texas later rising as major hubs, while New York and Florida and the combinations in Kansas and Wyoming did not show the same level of per‑capita activity in 1971.