| Facts about Meth
What is meth?
A drug with immense abuse potential, methamphetamine is a
central nervous system stimulant of the amphetamine family.
Like cocaine, it is a powerful "upper" that produces alertness,
and elation, along with a variety of adverse reactions. The effects
of methamphetamine, however, are much longer lasting then the
effects of cocaine, yet the cost is much the same. For that reason,
methamphetamine is sometimes called the "poor man's cocaine."
Meth looks like white crystalline powder, soluble in water or alcohol
and bitter-tasting. It can be smoked, injected intravenously, snorted or eaten.
How is meth made?
Making methamphetamine is a multi-step cook process. The key ingredient is
ephedrine or its cousin, pseudoephedrine. Both are chemicals found in
over-the-counter cold, cough and allergy medicines. Additional chemicals are
used to cook ephedrine or pseudoephedrine into meth. These chemicals can be cheap, everyday household items like ammonia, lye, and red phosphorus
scraped from matchbook covers. Start to finish, the cook process takes about>
48 hours and can be hazardous because at one or more stages, the solution
needs to be heated, producing toxic fumes and the chance of explosion.
How long will a meth high last?
Methamphetamine's high lasts for 6 to 12 hours, and 50% of the drug is removed from the body in 12 hours.
What are some other names for meth?
Meth, Crystal Meth, Crystal, Ice, Crank, Speed, Glass, or Chalk.
Why do people start using?
People who use drugs, do so because they like what the drugs
do to their brains. The high, that drugs produce allow them a brief
moment to escape reality. People who use drugs aren’t bad people,
they are searching for something to fix how they feel.
What are the signs someone is using?
Sleeplessness
Increased alertness
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Elevated body temperature
Extreme Paranoia
Depression
Welts on the skin (crank bugs)
Uncontrollable body and facial twitches, grimacing
Auditory hallucinations (hearing "voices")
Severe mood swings
Increased blood pressure
Seizures
Aggression
Hyperactivity
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Long periods of sleep (for 24-48 hrs or more)
How does meth affect people?
Meth initially sends a message to the pleasure center in your brain.
When you first use Meth, you might feel alert, full of energy and
self-confident. Your brain is releasing dopamine - a brain chemical
that carries messages between brain cells. Dopamine is associated
with feelings of pleasure. Hours after taking Meth, your brain
cells release an enzyme that stops the dopamine flow. This process depletes the natural chemicals in your brain. Continued meth use causes severe irreparable damage to the brain, which can lead to a loss of ability to experience pleasure. In addition, meth is a powerful stimulant that causes the heart to race and the blood vessels to constrict, which can lead to a number of serious medical problems, including heart attack, stroke and even death. During these energy-fueled meth "runs," which can last days, users generally exhibit poor judgment and dangerous, hyperactive behavior. For instance, many addicts have committed petty and violent crime when high on the drug. Long-time users have been known to develop symptoms of psychosis.
Some national statistics regarding meth
More than 12.3 Million Americans have tried methamphetamine
1.5 million people in the US are regular users 90 percent of methamphetamine addicts who stop using will return to the drug. |