Who is at risk?

Methamphetamine, known on the street simply as “meth”, “crystal” or “ice” is a powerfully addictive stimulant that has become increasingly abused in America.  It is currently the fastest growing drug threat and the most prevalent synthetic drug manufactured in the United States.  The drug is the white, crystalline residue created from a chemical process, which is why it’s often referred to on the street as “crystal”, “chalk” or “ice”.  In its powder form, the drug is eaten or snorted through the nose.  A liquid form of the drug can be injected, and a gummy form can be smoked.

Though teenagers increasingly started to use the drug after the popularity of all-night dance parties, it isn’t just used as a party drug.  Some people use it to cope with the stress of work, school or issues with family and friends.  Because of the drug’s ability to curb hunger and fight fatigue, many females are attracted to it as a dietary aid, and students may turn to it to help them stay awake while studying—and, unfortunately, everyone from stay-at-home moms to business professionals have become addicted to this illicit substance.

Since meth is highly addictive, people who are dependent on the drug are unable to control their use of it.  They feel sick or irritable without the drug and need greater doses of it to reach the effect they desire.  When they try to stop using meth, they experience symptoms of withdrawal, including sleeplessness, fatigue, mood swings and depression.

Effects of Methamphetamine Use

Methamphetamine’s effects depend on the drug’s purity, how much of the drug is taken, the mood of the user, whether other drugs are being used and the context in which the drug is taken.  The drug remains in the body from four to six hours after use.  It can be detected in the urine from one to 48 hours after use. 

Methamphetamine Affects Your Brain

In the short term, meth causes mind and mood changes such as anxiety, euphoria and depression.  Long-term effects can include chronic fatigue, paranoid or delusional thinking and permanent psychological damage.  People under the influence of methamphetamine should be considered very dangerous.  Because of the extreme levels of paranoia associated with Methamphetamine use, addicts often think that they’re being watched or followed or that others are conspiring against them.

Methamphetamine Affects Your Body

Overdosing on any type of stimulant is risky.  Creating a false sense of energy, these drugs push the body faster and further than it’s meant to go.  It increases the heart rate, blood pressure and risk of stroke.

Methamphetamine Destroys Your Teeth

A hallmark of chronic Methamphetamine abuse is dental problems.  Since meth is manufactured with corrosive substances like acids and lithium, chronic meth smokers have teeth rotted to the gum line.  The drug users’ teeth literally corrode away.

Methamphetamine Affects Your Self-Control

Meth is a powerfully addictive drug that can cause aggression and violent or psychotic behavior.

Methamphetamine Can Kill You
An overdose of meth can result in heart failure.  Long-term physical effects such as liver, kidney and lung damage may also kill you.

Other effects of use include:  increased wakefulness and insomnia, decreased appetite, respiratory problems, high fever, convulsions and enlarged pupils.

Visible Signs of Methamphetamine Use

If Snorted:
Methamphetamine use may cause irritation and nose bleeds.  Residue may be seen inside the nose or dripping from it.

If Injected:
If a person injects methamphetamine, puncture wounds will be visible over blood vessels.  Although one can’t tell from an injection site what kind of drug has been used, methamphetamine often causes a great deal of trauma and damage to skin tissue.

If Smoked:
If a person smokes “ice”, it’s not unusual to see burn marks on the lips, face and hands.  This is caused by the hot pipe or the flame used to heat the pipe.

When to Get Help for Your Methamphetamine Use
- Do you use the drug regularly?
- Do you think about how and when you’re going to use the drug again?
- Do you use drugs in addition to methamphetamine?
- Is your work or school performance affected by your drug use?
- Are you having problems with family and friends?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time to get help. 
Prolonged use of methamphetamine can lead to a mental state similar to schizophrenia, and the damage it does to the brain can be irreversible.