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Over the past several years, methamphetamine (also called crank, meth, crystal) abuse has grown into America's first major homegrown drug crisis.1 Unlike cocaine and heroin, meth can be made in a kitchen sink with easily obtainable items such as cold medicine and batteries. It is also cheaper than other drugs, and only a small amount is needed to produce an intense, long lasting high. The intense euphoria produced by meth makes it highly addictive. This combination of addictiveness and accessibility has caused an epidemic of methamphetamine producers, sellers, and users across the U.S.2 What is Crank? Crank is a street name for methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is an artificial chemical substance. There are dozens of street names for methamphetamine, including: crank, crystal, meth, ice, speed, glass, chalk What does it look like? Methamphetamine is a powder, sometimes made into capsules or pills. Sometimes people just snort the powder. There's a crystallized version that people smoke, and it can be made into a liquid that people inject. What does taking it feel like? Methamphetamine users feel a short yet intense "rush" when the drug is initially administered. The effects of methamphetamine include increased activity, decreased appetite, and a sense of well being that can last from 20 minutes to 12 hours. Is it addictive? Methamphetamine is highly addictive and users trying to abstain from use may suffer withdrawal symptoms that include depression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, aggression, and intense cravings for the drug. Chronic methamphetamine use can cause violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. Users can also exhibit psychotic behavior including auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, delusions, and paranoia, possibly resulting in homicidal or suicidal thoughts. How can I get help for myself or someone else who has a methamphetamine problem? Here are some hotlines where you can get help for yourself or someone who has a drug problem
Visit the Network for Good page on crank:click here Effects on the Brain Methamphetamine works by causing the brain to release high levels of dopamine, one of the chemicals responsible for the sensation of pleasure. This spike in dopamine levels is extremely pleasurable, and it's what makes meth so addictive.3 New studies are revealing that meth abuse is far more harmful to the brain than originally thought. Over time, methamphetamine use causes a sharp decrease in the brain's ability to produce dopamine. This damage can lead to an actual loss of enjoyment of life.4 A 2001 study suggested that methamphetamine also damages areas of the brain which control learning, memory, and movement. For this reason, meth is especially harmful to children as it severely impairs their ability to learn.5 A recent study has also shown that meth used in combination with loud dance music may cause more brain damage than just meth alone. It is feared that meth may be gaining popularity in the club scene. Various forms of meth are turning up with increasing frequency at raves and clubs in large Western cities including Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.6 Effects on the Body Meth can be smoked, snorted, or injected. Whatever the method of consumption, meth is a highly toxic substance that has dramatic effects on the body. These effects include a rapid, irregular heartbeat, as well as damage to small blood vessels in the brain that can cause stroke. An overdose of methamphetamine can produce hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), convulsions, and death.7 Recent studies from Europe indicate that meth injectors may be at an even higher risk of contracting HIV than heroin injectors. One reason sited is that meth increases sexual interest, as opposed to heroin, which dampens sexual interest.8 The Homegrown Drug Unlike most other drugs, meth can be produced with easily obtained, legal substances. It is created primarily in small home-based labs, usually located in rural areas where the intense smells produced by cooking meth are less likely to attract attention. However, there are new chemicals coming out that don't produce such incriminatingly strong smells. This has resulted in an increase in urban-based meth labs as well.9 The Dangers of Meth Labs The chemicals used in making methamphetamine are extremely dangerous. Industrial chemicals like anhydrous ammonia are extremely volatile, and meth labs frequently explode. Several of the chemicals used in cooking meth are highly corrosive, and will eat through skin, right to the bone. Toxic fumes produced when cooking are also a concern.10 Child Victims Adult methamphetamine users often become so obsessed by the drug that they neglect their children. Police finding children in meth lab raids often find them malnourished, naked, and exposed to toxic chemicals.11 Prevention Currently there are no known pharmacological agents to treat methamphetamine addiction. Behavioral therapy is the only available treatment. These behavioral treatments seek to modify the patient's expectancies, behavior, and skills in coping with stress.12 Because meth addiction is so difficult to treat once it takes hold, prevention is key. Educating parents so that they can educate their children about the dangers of methamphetamine is crucial. Director of the Lindsmith Center Marsha Rosenbaum suggests reasoning with children about the danger of drugs, as opposed to scare tactics. "I wanted to know why risky teen sexual activity decreased while drug use rose. A look at our sex and drug education offers an answer… we try to reason with teens about sex, but we scare them about drugs."13 FYI - Ya Ba Ya Ba, Thai for "Crazy Drug", is a powerful and very pure form of methamphetamine that comes in the shape of brightly colored pills. Although Ya Ba use is not yet widespread, it is turning up more and more on the west coast.14 It is being found primarily at "raves" and clubs, where club drugs such as ecstasy are commonly used. There is growing concern that Ya Ba, like ecstasy, will become a popular a club drug, and introduce methamphetamine to a segment of young people who might otherwise avoid more negatively stigmatized versions of the drug. Sources: 1 The Hidden Drug, 2001. 2 Ibid. 3 Beating an Addiction to Meth, 2001. 4 Methamphetamine Abuse Linked to Brain Damage, 2000. 5 Ibid. 6 Loud 'Rave' Music Could Boost Meth Brain Damage, 2001. 7 Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction, 1998. 8 An Ethnographic Comparison of HIV Risk Behaviors Among Heroin and Methamphetamine Users, 1999. 9 Meth Labs in the Valley, 2000. 10 Meth Kitchens Hazard for Emergency Crews, 2001 11 Orange County Program Helps Rescue Children Found at Drug-Making Sites, 2000. 12 NIDA Research Report, Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction, 1998 13 Giving Kids Trustworthy Information on Drugs, 2000. 14 Fed raid targets new Asian drug, 2002 |
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