Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that affects areas of the brain that are associated with pleasure. The drug – which is referred to by a variety of street names including “speed,” “meth,” “ice,” “crystal,” and “glass” – has a high potential for misuse and abuse, and can wreak significant lasting damage on the minds and bodies of long-time users.

About Methamphetamine

In its powder form, methamphetamine is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline substance that is easily dissolved in water or alcohol. When processed into crystal form, the drug looks similar to chunks of glass or ice.

Meth was first synthesized in the early 1900s, when it was marketed as an appetite suppressant and energy stimulant. The “rush” that follows meth ingestion includes increased wakefulness, decreased appetite, and an overall feeling of satisfaction and sense of well-being. However, following this initial positive response, many users progress to a state of high agitation and a tendency toward anger and violence.

In the United States, methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant, which means it has been determined to have a high potential for abuse, and is available only through a non-refillable prescription. Most of the methamphetamine that is misused and abused in the U.S. was created in illicit laboratories.

Extent of Use

The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), which sponsors the annual Monitoring the Future study of drug-taking behaviors and attitudes among American youth, reports that meth use among teens and adolescents is on the decline, thought it remains an area of concern:

Survey results show that 1.8 percent of 8th graders, 2.8 percent of 10th graders, and 3.0 percent of 12th graders have tried methamphetamine. In addition, 0.6 percent of 8th graders, 0.4 percent of 10th graders, and 0.6 percent of 12th graders were current (past-month) methamphetamine abusers in 2007.

Decreases in past-year abuse of methamphetamine were seen for 8th-graders (from 1.8 percent to 1.1 percent) and 12th-graders (from 2.5 percent to 1.7 percent) from 2006 to 2007.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDU) indicated that meth users (ages 12 and above) comprise about 0.3 percent of the population, and that the mean age for first-time users in 2006 was 22.2 years – a significant increase from the 18.6 average age the previous year.

The NSDUH also reported that past year meth use among individuals ages 12 and above during 2006 was highest in the western U.S. (where 1.6 percent of survey respondents said they had used the drug in the previous 12 months. For purposes of comparison, past-year use in the South was 0.7 percent; in the Midwest it was 0.5 percent, and in the Northeast the rate was 0.3 percent.

Health Hazards

The ingestion of methamphetamine results in the release of high levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates brain cells, enhances mood, and promotes body movement. Abuse of the drug can damage brain cells that contain dopamine and serotonin, a neurotransmitter that has been associated with pleasure.

According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, using methamphetamine can lead to a number of short- and long-term health effects, including the following:

• Short-term effects include suppressed appetite, interference with sleeping behavior, mood swings and unpredictability, tremors and convulsions, increased blood pressure, irregular heart rate. Users may also experience homicidal or suicidal thoughts, prolonged anxiety, paranoia and insomnia.
• Long-term effects can include brain damage (similar to the effects of Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease), coma, stroke or death. Chronic users may also develop distinct physical symptoms, including weight loss, tooth decay and cracked teeth (“Meth Mouth”), psychosis and hallucinations, sores on the body from picking at skin, and formication (an abnormal skin sensation akin to "bugs crawling on skin").

Meth use leads to increased levels of irritability, insomnia, confusion, anxiety, paranoia, and aggressiveness. The drug also causes increased heart rate and blood pressure, and can lead to irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes. Other effects include respiratory problems, irregular heartbeat, extreme anorexia, cardiovascular collapse, and death.

Also, users who inject the drug put themselves at increased risk for contracting blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

Treatment

Depending upon the degree to which a person has been abusing meth, treatment may involve outpatient therapy, hospitalization, a stay in a residential treatment facility, or participation in an ongoing recovery support program.

When meth users enter treatment, they encounter a variety of physical and mental health issues, many related to the drug’s biological effects on the brain. Withdrawal symptoms, which may include depression, fatigue, anxiety, and cravings, can last as long as two weeks.

According to the Methamphetamine Treatment website, one of the most effective treatment methodologies is the “Matrix model,” which was developed with a NIDA grant to treat cocaine addiction:

“The basic elements of the four- to six-month approach (a two-month approach is also being developed) consist of a minimum of three group or individual therapy sessions per week, where patients are coached through their recovery,” the site reports. “[Recovering meth addicts] are taught about their addiction and trained to manage cravings and avoid risky activities, like drinking alcohol, that could trigger relapse. The method also uses family therapy, urine testing and 12-step activities.”