Methamphetamine

Menstuff® has compiled the following information on methamphedomines.

What is Methamphetamine?
Meth Facts including Nevada
Strawberry Meth for Pre-Teens
Meth in a Plastic Bottle
Fast Facts about Meth
What are the physical and social effects of methamphetamine and who is using it?
Man chronicles his death by meth use
Drug dealers peddling new kid-friendly mixes

Ecstasy Increasingly Laced with Meth
Teen Drug Abuse Articles
Meth still top drug problem in U.S.
Meth treatments rise sharply over last decade
Middle-School Methamphetamine Prevention Called Effective
Meth Equipment - What to Look For
What it Looks Like (Actual photos)
A really stupid idea
What Meth Usage Looks Like Over 120 Months (Actual photos)
Iowa Officials Slam Drug Czar Over Budget Cuts
Meth Awareness on TV
"Lead on America" Seeks to Shutter Meth Houses
Walters Outlines Strategy for Fighting Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine Medicine May Cause Brain Damage
ONDCP Media Campaign Launches New Meth Prevention Initiative
Related Issues: Teens & Drugs, Drugs, Marijuana, Resources, Treatment

What is Methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine, CSA Schedule II, is a potent central nervous system stimulant. Meth is smoked, snorted, injected or administered orally. Users refer to meth as crank, speed, go fast, crystal and ice. Meth is usually a white, odorless, bitter-tasting powder that dissolves easily in water. Signs of meth use include dilated pupils, sweating, dry mouth, flushed skin and tremors. Methamphetamine users may also exhibit aggressive and psychotic behavior, irritability, anxiety, paranoia, and auditory hallucinations. There are also limitless long-term effects attributed to methamphetamine use including cardiac and neurological damage.

Meth Facts including Nevada

Nationwide, 6.2% of high school youth report having used Methamphetamine “at least once in their lifetime.” In Nevada , 11.7%, in Washoe County , 10.2%, and in Clark County , 11.6% of high school students report lifetime use of methamphetamine. (Source: Nevada Youth Risk Behavior Survey or YRBS, 2005 & Join Together Northern Nevada , Meth – Finding Solutions in Our Community Presentation, 2007)

Nevada is the 7 th highest (176 per 100,000) among methamphetamine/amphetamine admissions to treatment, with a rate three times the national average (56 per 100,000). (Source: Drug and Alcohol Services Information System, Issue 9, 2006)

Between 2002 and 2006, all methamphetamine related adolescent admissions to publicly funded treatment programs increased 25% (increased from 483 admissions to 605 admissions). For SFY 2006, the breakdown for the 605 admissions is as follows: Washoe, 56, Clark , 331, and balance of state, 218. (Source: Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency, Methamphetamine Fact Sheet, 2006)

Between 2002 and 2006, all methamphetamine related adult admissions to publicly funded treatment programs increased 31% (increased from 3,399 admissions to 4,440 admissions). For SFY 2006, the breakdown for the 4,440 admissions is as follows: Washoe, 1,074, Clark , 2,127, and balance of state, 1,239. (Source: Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency, Methamphetamine Fact Sheet, 2006 )

SAPTA estimates that there are 6,617 adolescents in Nevada who have unmet need for methamphetamine treatment. Also, SAPTA estimates that there are an estimated 2,062 juvenile justice involved adolescents who have unmet need for methamphetamine treatment. (Source: SAPTA presentation for Nevada State Legislature Methamphetamine Fact Finding Committee, 2007)

Based on the State Demographer’s projected 2007 population estimates, SAPTA estimates that there are 1,063 youth aged 12-17 in Washoe County , 4,758 youth aged 12-17 in Clark County , and 796 youth aged 12-17 in balance of state needing treatment for methamphetamine. (Source: SAPTA presentation for Nevada State Legislature Methamphetamine Fact Finding Committee, 2007 & Nevada State Demographer, Population Estimates Updated 2006)

SAPTA estimates that there are 58,445 adults in Nevada who have unmet need for methamphetamine treatment. (Source: SAPTA presentation for Nevada State Legislature Methamphetamine Fact Finding Committee, 2007)

Based on the State Demographer’s projected 2007 population estimates, SAPTA estimates that there are 8,892 adults in Washoe County , 42,177 adults in Clark County , and 7,376 adults in balance of state needing treatment for methamphetamine. (Source: SAPTA presentation for Nevada State Legislature Methamphetamine Fact Finding Committee, 2007 & Nevada State Demographer, Population Estimates Updated 2006)

76% of law enforcement agencies in the southwest U.S. report that methamphetamine is their largest drug problem. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that meth is the most frequently encountered drug in Nevada . (Source: National Association of Counties survey of 500 law enforcement agencies nationwide, 2005)

Law enforcement reports that because of meth use, robberies and burglaries, domestic violence, assaults, and identity theft have all increased (Source: National Association of Counties survey of 500 law enforcement agencies nationwide, 2005)
Source: crystaldarkness.com/facts2.asp

Fast Facts about Meth

Methamphetamine use among high school seniors more than doubled between 1990 and 1996.

Women are more likely to use meth than cocaine.
The average meth "cook" annually teaches ten others how to make meth.
Every pound of meth produced leaves behind five or six pounds of toxic waste.
Seizures of clandestine meth labs in the Midwest increased tenfold from 1995 to 1997.
DEA has identified 20 Mexican meth trafficking organizations in the Midwest.
Methamphetamine accounts for up to 90 percent of all drug cases in many Midwest communities.
Methamphetamine kills by causing heart failure, brain damage and stroke.
Methamphetamine-induced paranoia has led to numerous murders and suicides.
Methamphetamine produces hallucinations.
Meth users are the hardest to treat of all drug users.
Meth lab site cleanups can cost up to $150,000
Methamphetamine is highly addictive.
Meth use increase risk of child abuse and neglect and domestic violence.

Why Should I be Concerned?

Methamphetamine users aren't the only people poisoned by this drug. Meth manufacturing is extremely dangerous and involves many common household chemical products. These chemicals, and the array of their combinations, are potentially lethal and toxic. When mixed, the household chemicals used in the manufacturing process can damage the central nervous system, liver and kidneys and burn or irritate the skin, eyes , nose and throat. The chemicals and fumes that permeate the walls, carpets, plaster and wood in meth labs, as well as the surroundings soil, are known to cause cancer, short-term and permanent brain damage and immune and respiratory system problems.

Methamphetamine trafficking and production is dangerous, not only to the user, but to those around the production site. The reckless practices by untrained clandestine meth lab operators can result in explosions and fires that could injure and kill not only the lab operator and associates, but also innocent bystanders, neighbors, law enforcement officers and firemen who come in contact with a lab. In addition to the dangers of meth labs, violence between drug dealers adds to the overall threat to any neighborhood or community.

Some meth lab operators experiment with other chemical mixtures, producing unknown toxic and hazardous chemical waste and fumes that also may cause the deaths of many innocent people.

Meth in a Plastic Bottle (Shake & Bake)

The pharmaceutical industry's current effort is to undo the Oregon requirement for prescriptions to obtain cold medicines containing the basic ingredient needed for Meth manufacture.

Oklahoma was the 1st state to put such drugs behind the counter with buyer's signature required, shortly followed by Oregon. The result in both states was a dramatic, immediate reduction in Meth Lab discovery.

Oregon, however, went a step further when the Legislature passed the Bill requiring the actual prescription for such drugs. That's the level of control now being sought to be repealed.

On Easter, 4/4/10 the Cleveland (OH) Plain Dealer carried an article, with photo, of the rampant use of the Meth mobile "shake and bake" system that is permeating Indiana, Michigan (especially around Kalamazoo), and Ohio, as well as Oklahoma - all states with the "behind-the-counter-signature-required" control methodology.

In those, as well as some other states in the Midwest, users are having "smurfs" purchase legal amounts of the cold remedy drug, and then, while driving in vehicles, the Meth is being manufactured using the commercial type water bottles to mix and shake. When the useable Meth is removed, the remaining "garbage" is put into plastic bags and tossed alongside roadways.

Not only is the obvious roadside garbage being increased, in the Meth case, there are the residual toxic chemicals and acids included - even some water bottles appear full with a clear liquid.

While law enforcement is not encountering the "in-building" form of Meth lab (high quantify) in any increased numbers in those states, the mobile system is now inundating the roadsides in huge numbers.

Since the quantities are limited, this method of production seems to be user-controlled in order to supply a small group of acquaintances.

It does seem that the problems associated with controlling the manufacture of Meth remain a public health issue, and as such goes to the basic interest of the larger society, and is not just an enforcement and/or criminal justice concern.

Meth Awareness Segments on Television Week of August 22, 2005

Heads up! We've come to understand that there are two TV programs airing this week about meth. To learn more about the drug, read this whole page on the subject!

Friday, August 26, 2005 at 9:30pm just before the 10:00pm news, on Fox.
Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 7:00 am, CBS Sunday Morning

Tips for Teens

Get the Facts

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.
Methamphetamine affects your body. Over "amping" on any type of speed is pretty 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 affects your self-control. Meth may be as addictive as crack and more powerful. (1)
Methamphetamine is not what it seems. Even speed drugs are not always safe. Giga-jolts of the well-known stimulants caffeine or ephedrine can cause stroke or cardiac arrest when overused or sued by people with a sensitivity to them
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.

Before You Risk It...

Know the law. Methamphetamine is illegal in all states and highly dangerous.
Get the facts. The ignitable, corrosive, and toxic nature of the chemicals used to produce meth can cause fires, produce toxic vapors, and damage the environment.
Stay informed. Ninety-two percent of methamphetamine deaths reported in 1994 involved meth in combination with another drug, such as alcohol, heroin, or cocaine. (2)

Know the Risks. There are a lot of risks associated with using methamphetamine, including

Meth can cause a severe "crash" after the effects wear off.
Meth use can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain.
Meth users who inject the drug and share needles are at risk for acquiring HIV/AIDS.
There are no medications approved by the FDA to stop addictions to stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamines. Source: Richard Rawson, Ph.D, UCLA Dept. of Psychiatry

Look around you. Everybody doesn't think it's okay to take methamphetamine. A 1999 National High School Survey indicates that over 80 percent of teens disapprove of using meth even once or twice. (3)

Know the Signs of Usage

How can you tell if a friend is using meth? It may not be easy to tell. But there are signs you can look for. Symptoms of methamphetamine use may include:

Inability to sleep
Increased sensitivity to noise
Nervous physical activity, like scratching
Irritability, dizziness or confusion
Extreme anorexia
Tremors or even convulsions
\Increased heart rate, blood pressure and risk of stroke
Presence of inhaling paraphernalia, such as razor blades, mirrors and straws.
Presence of injecting paraphernalia, such as syringes, heated spoons, or surgical tubing.

What can you do to help a friend who is using meth?
Be a real friend. You might even save a life. Encourage your friend to stop or seek professional help. For information and referrals, call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800.729.6686

For footnote references, see www.health.org

Signs of a Meth Lab

Any single activity may or may not be sole proof that drug dealing or methamphetamine manufacturing is occurring. However, a combination of the following may be reason for concern.

Frequent visitors at all times of the day or night.
Activity at the house is usually at odd hours or late at night.
Occupants appear unemployed, yet seem to have plenty of money and pay bills with cash.
Occupants are unfriendly, appear secretive about activities.
Occupants watch cars suspiciously when they pass by.
Occupants display a paranoid or odd behavior.
Extensive security at the home or signs that indicate "Private Property" or "Beware of Dog", fences, large shrubs, bushes and trees.
Windows blackened or curtain always drawn.
Occupants to outside the house to smoke cigarettes.
Chemical odors coming from the house, garbage, or detached buildings.
Garbage contains numerous bottles, containers and materials such as those displayed elsewhere here.
Coffee filters, bed sheets or other materials stained from filtering red phosphorus or other chemicals.
Occupant sets his garbage for pick up in another neighbor's collection area.
Evidence of chemical or waste dumping (i.e., burn pits, or "dead spots" in the yard.)
What have others in your neighborhood observed?
Unreported fires
Children unattended or neglected
Children regularly in dirty clothes.

If you suspect a meth lab or meth house, especially where children reside, please contact your local law enforcement agency or call 9-1-1.

Q&A
Q: Isn't methamphetamine less harmful than crack, cocaine or heroin?

A. Some users get hooked the first time they snort, smoke or inject meth. Because it can be made from lethal ingredients like battery acid, drain cleaner, lantern fuel, and antifreeze, there is a greater chance of suffering a heart attack, stroke, or serious brain damage with this drug than with other drugs.

Q: Isn't using methamphetamine like using diet pills?
A. No. Though it is easily attainable, methamphetamine is dangerous and addictive. Between 1993 and 1995, deaths due to meth rose 125 percent. Between 1996 and 1997, meth-related emergency room visits doubled. Use by 12-17 year olds has increased dramatically in the past few years.

The Bottom Line:
If you know someone who uses meth, urge him or her to stop or get help. If you use meth - stop! The longer you ignore the real facts, the more chances you take with your life.

It's never too late. Talk to your parents, a doctor, a counselor, a teacher, or another adult you trust.

Do it today?

To learn more about methamphetamine or obtain referrals to programs in your community, contact on of the following toll-free numbers:

SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information - 800.729.6686 or TDD 800.487.4889. Linea gratis en espanol 877.767.8432. or www.samhsa.gov

Children at Risk

Risks to children include:

Exposure to explosive, flammable, toxic ingredients stored in the kitchen cabinets, bathrooms and bedrooms.
Access to meth and paraphernalia
Presence of loaded weapons in the home and booby traps (due to paranoia of meth users)
Physical and sexual abuse
Exposure to high risk populations (sexual abusers, violent drug users)
Neglect including poor nutrition, poor living conditions
Presence of pornography

If a pregnant woman uses meth, the baby may experience

Premature birth
Growth retardation
Withdrawal symptoms including abnormal sleep patterns, high pitched cry, poor feeding
Cerebral injuries
Limpness
Apparent depression
Shaking and tremors
Irritability
Fits of rage
Sensitivity to stimuli including human touch and regular light
Coordination problems
Birth defects (6 times more) including effects on the central nervous system, heart and kidneys
Cerebral palsy and paralysis are common

The effects of meth last longer than crack and can lead to more damage. Levels o f meth present in breast milk are higher than the level in blood.

Sources: Dr. Rizwan Shah, Iowa Child Protection Council; Dr. Michael Sherman, Chief of Neonatology at UC Davis; Dr. Annette Grefe, Yellowstone Pediatric Neurology.

Parents who use meth often exhibit:

Extreme mood fluctuations
Violent behavior
Depression
Poor impulse control
Bizarre behaviors
Lack of attention to hygiene
Acute psychotic episodes
Poly-drug use

As meth use continues, the parent is unable to provide basic needs to the child. Due to changes in brain chemistry, the parent loses the capacity to care about anything but meth.

Children whose parents use or manufacture meth often experience:

Respiratory problems
Delayed speech and language skills
Higher risk for kidney problems and leukemia
Malnourishment
Poor school performance/attendance problems
Isolation
Physical, sexual and emotional abuse
Poor dental health
Hyperactivity and attention disorders
Lice
Obesity
Other developmental problems
Violent behavior
Drug usage
Lack of boundaries/easy attachment to strangers

Medical personnel may notice:

Agitation
Inconsolability
Tachycardia,
Respiratory problems (often meth kids present with asthma)
Nausea
Protracted vomiting
Hypothermia
Ataxia
Roving eye movements
Seizures
Headaches

Source: Dr. Jennifer Geyer, Mesa Center Against Family Violence

Drugs and Kids

Worried? Concerned? Are you suspicious that your son or daughter is using drugs? You want to find out and take responsible action, but you need information and support.

What Meth Looks Like

Since last October, corrections deputy Bret King has begun each morning scanning the mug shots at the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office in Oregon, looking for the ravaged and gaunt faces common to crystal-meth addicts. For every haunted profile he finds, he searches for an earlier mug shot of that person, one taken before the damage was done. The result is "The Faces of Meth," an educational slide show that says more about meth's destructiveness than most antidrug literature ever could. A sample:

Source: Esquire, August, 2005

What Meth Usage Looks Like Over 120 Months

Middle-School Methamphetamine Prevention Called Effective

Middle-school students in rural areas who attended prevention programs aimed at methamphetamine use were less likely to use the drug when they got older, according to research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2006/middle-school-methamphetamine.html

Iowa Officials Slam Drug Czar Over Budget Cuts

Drug czar John Walters came to Iowa to praise the state for its fight against methamphetamine, but local drug officials expressed anger over the Bush administration's decision to shift funding from the meth battle to homeland security.

Treatment

No medications have been approved by the FDA to stop addictions to stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamines.
Source: Richard Rawson, Ph.D, UCLA Dept. of Psychiatry

Walters Outlines Strategy for Fighting Methamphetamine

More funding for addiction treatment, border patrols, and school drug testing are all part of drug czar John Walters' plan to combat methamphetamine use, the Associated Press reported.

"Today we have to learn that meth is both a problem on the preventative side and the supply side," said Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

Walters said border security is important because Mexican superlabs are producing meth to supply markets where laws regulating precursor chemicals have curtailed local, small-scale meth labs.

Walters added that voluntary drug testing of students would help prevent meth addiction. "We can change this problem in a durable way for years and years by reducing exposure to young people," said Walters.
Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2006/walters-outlines-strategy-for.html

ONDCP Media Campaign Launches New Meth Prevention Initiative

The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign launched its Anti-Meth Campaign this week in conjunction with National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month. The new campaign highlights the dangers associated with meth use´for the individual, families, and communities´and delivers a message of hope, with stories from people in recovery and community leaders who are making progress in the fight against meth. The effort includes advertising, news media outreach, and online resources.

Research shows that while teen meth use is down significantly in recent years and past month use is less than one percent, young adults continue to use the drug. In fact, among young adults age 18 to 25, there are nearly 200,000 current meth users. Thanks in large part to the efforts of community groups and law enforcement over the last several years, there has been great progress in fighting meth—data show that the number of domestic meth labs continue to decline and results from workplace drug testing show meth use is down—but there is more to do. New ONDCP resources can help you prevent meth use in your community and get help for those in need.

The Campaign is designed to raise awareness about the dangers of meth while providing a message of hope that communities and individuals can recover from the effects of this devastating drug. The Campaign’s messages focus on the availability and efficacy of treatment for meth and the importance of community involvement. The Campaign includes three “Open Letter” print advertisements. The letters highlight the effectiveness of meth treatment and community involvement, while dispelling myths about the drug and who is using it. ONDCP has partnered with key law enforcement, treatment, and prevention organizations to co-sign the letters.

Signatories for Open Letter ads include: National Narcotics Officers' Associations' Coalition (NNOAC), Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC), National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), State Association of Addiction Services (SAAS), American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), National Drug Enforcement Officers Association (NDEOA), National Association of Counties (NACO), Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCA), National Council of State Legislators (NCSL), and National Association of Social Workers (NASW). The first of these Open Letter ads, “Teresa,” is available for download and customization by local organizations at www.methresources.gov, with additional Open Letter ads following in October and November.

Another key element of the Anti-Meth Campaign is a powerful photo exhibit titled “Life After Meth,” featuring a collection of moving testimonials and portraits of former meth users, law enforcement officials, and treatment providers. These photo testimonials will be available as downloadable posters at www.methresources.gov. New resources for community-level use also include banner and radio ads available for use by local organizations, with some restrictions.

The paid portion of the Anti-Meth Campaign includes television, radio, print, and Web advertisements that will be launched in eight States where meth prevalence and treatment admissions rates are high (Alaska, Washington, California, Oregon, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky). The Campaign is expected to run through March 2008 in those markets. The Campaign will extend to four additional States through limited print advertising in Minnesota, Wyoming, Alabama, and Utah; and nationally through earned media outreach and online resources.

All Campaign materials will be available for viewing at the Campaign’s Web site.
Source: www.notmykid.org/Lists/Items/DispForm.aspx?ID=3032

* * *

Real happiness is cheap enough, yet how dearly we pay for its counterfeit. - Hosea Ballou

Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy Statement
Menstuff® Directory
Menstuff® is a registered trademark of Gordon Clay
©1996-2023, Gordon Clay