meth abuse: What is Meth?

Methamphetamine is the scientific name for an extremely common drug that goes by the street names “tweak,” “crystal,” “ice,” “meth,” and “hillbilly heroin.” It is a powerful stimulant, and has been used in a variety of applications in one form or another since it was created in the last part of the 19th century. It has a number of medicinal uses, but its propensity for users to abuse it combined with a relatively synthesis process has led meth to become one of the most dangerous drugs in the United States today.

One of the earliest applications for meth was by the military. During the Second World War, many governments such as the Nazis, Japanese, British and Americans gave meth to their soldiers so that they could stay awake longer and be more alert during combat or during tedious missions where they could have been easily distracted. This led to the first widespread abuse of the drug, and most doctors restricted the way that their soldiers could get and use meth.

Many people don’t know that in some applications meth is a legal drug in the United States. Marketed under the name of Desoxyn, some doctors use it to combat the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactive disorder, and as a way for obese people to curb their appetite in order to lose weight and become healthier. These uses are strictly controlled, as meth is highly addictive and can be abused very easily.

The Patriot Act made it more difficult to buy drugs over the counter that could be used to synthesize meth. These drugs included Sudafed and Contac, because chemists could take these medications and extract compounds out of them that could be blended into homemade meth and meth-like substances. In some places these drugs are held in locked cabinets behind pharmacy counters to prevent them from being stolen by people that want to make meth out of them.

Some of the common dangers of meth abuse include:

Meth Mouth. This condition is indirectly caused by meth abuse, as users often neglect proper oral hygiene, eat bad food, and grind their teeth. Meth abuse can also cause dry mouth, making the user thirsty, and most users drink beverages high in sugar, further increasing the likelihood of the breakdown of tooth enamel and gums.
Circulation Problems. Because meth is a stimulant, it speeds up the heart and blood pressure and causes the blood vessels to constrict. This can be dangerous if the blood vessels or heart muscles are not in good conditions due to plaque buildup, and can cause heart attacks, strokes, or pulmonary embolisms.
Brain Damage. Perhaps the most frightening part of meth abuse is the damage it does directly to the brain. Meth can destroy great swaths of brain tissue over time, which can have extremely dangerous effects on the abuser. Most damage occurs in the limbic system which controls emotion and reward, and in the hippocampus which controls memory, so long term abusers of meth often have bad memories and poor impulse control.
Methamphetamine is a dangerous and highly addictive drug. It is also relatively easy to manufacture which makes it relatively inexpensive to buy. The scourge of drug addiction is often the catalyst for any number of crimes, and the victims that suffer loss or injury due to an addict’s actions are only half the story. The other half is the person that was imprisoned by a drug that takes everything and leaves them with nothing.

A walk through Missouri's valley of meth

Filed under: meth abuse

The problem is that Tony Ford is not just an accomplished meth cook, he's also an addict. He's coming out of 30 years of meth abuse in surprisingly good shape, though his wife, Teresa, who has lost some of her bottom teeth, has done it hard and is …
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Meth ingredient tracking system stops more than 13300 sales in under a year …

Filed under: meth abuse

The Washington State Board of Pharmacy oversees the new system — a key tool to stop meth production and sideline meth abuse. The National Precursor Log Exchange was activated in October; Washington was among the first states to create a statewide …
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