One major issue that affects the US today is the use of illegal drugs. One of the fastest growing illegal drugs is methamphetamine. Methamphetamine, also known commonly as meth, is "the label given to a homemade substance that is manufactured (typically) in rural labs using fertilizers, cold tablets, and household acids" (Armstrong, 2007, p. 427). When it is manufactured, it is commonly seen as a powder or crystal that is white in color, has no distinguishable odor, and is pungent to the taste (McKinley & Fink III, 2006). There are several means by which meth can be consumed. This can include the product being smoked, inhaled, swallowed, or injected by needles (McKinley & Fink III, 2006 & O’Connor, Chriqui, & McBride, 2006).
Methamphetamine is a stimulant for the central nervous system (O’Connor et al., 2006). This particular drug affects the pleasure sensors in the body by accelerating them to an extreme level (Siebel & Mange, 2009). Meth causes the brain to receive an abundance of dopamine, a chemical which is responsible for the sense of gratification (Siebel & Mange). According to the authors, a meth user’s brain can receive over one thousand percent of the normal levels of dopamine. This abundance of joy, commonly known as a high, can typically persist anywhere from eight hours to as long as twenty-four hours. After prolonged use, tachyphylaxis takes effect (Watanabe-Galloway, Ryan, Hansen, Hullsiek, Muli, & Malone, 2009). This is when the user does not get the same high that they had previously received from a particular dose (Watanabe-Galloway et al.). According to the authors, to fix this requires the user to increase their meth dose. After a user continuously consumes meth, they begin to lose their ability to feel pleasu...
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...tistical data put forth that the phenomenon of using and manufacturing methamphetamine is rising in our country. The state of Kentucky, particularly the rural areas, is being taken over by the use and manufacturing of meth. This phenomenon is largely costing the tax payers, as well as, putting our future generation in jeopardy. This author feels it is important for the Kentucky Legislative to look at the numbers, the cost and proper treatment in order to deal with this large problem correctly. Passing one law to decrease the manufacturing by less than ten percent isn’t enough.
Frontline’s “The Meth Epidemic,” is a shocking documentary that exposes the dangerous effects of meth and explores the cultural patterns related to meth addiction. Understanding the severity of the effects of meth and how it is made are two important lessons to take away from this video because understanding those two things will help us to better understand how to combat this epidemic. Two effects of meth addiction are an increase in property crimes and an increase in the number of children entering foster care. Shockingly, half of the inmates in Portland jails were meth users, and meth addicts commit 80% of the property crimes in Oregon. These statistics show how meth can not only negatively affect an individual and a family, but a whole community.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, methamphetamine, or meth as it is often referred to, is considered the fastest-growing illicit drug in the United States. The consequences of usage are detrimental to families and employers, not to mention the increasing law enforcement burden of having to find and disband labs making it illegally. (CDC, 2005) Aside from the far-reaching implications of methamphetamine use on these entities, this paper explores the effect methamphetamine has on the structure and function of the human brain.
McKetin, R., Sutherland, R., Bright, D., & Norberg, M. A Systematic Review of Methamphetamine Precursor Regulations. Addiction, 6, 1911-1924. DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03582.x
Meth is not only highly addictive it is easily "cooked" in homes across the country. Unlike some drugs, which are derived from natural sources, meth includes an array of dangerous chemicals. These chemicals can include battery acid, rat poison and motor oil.
As we can see, the ingredients in the table above could be found in many common household items. Organic compounds such as methylamine, ethyl ether, benzene, methanol, and lithium aluminum hydride are extremely flammable so there is always a great chance for explosion to occur. Many methamphetamine labs in California and Missouri have used the Anhydrous Ammonia method or Shake and Bake method, a one simple step recipe where the yield of meth is around 95% and 10 minutes reaction period and it will need up to about 2 hours for the total time for preparation, production and cleaning up after the process is done (Garriott, 2011). The main ingredients for this production are pseudoephedrine (cold medicine), lithium, water, Coleman fuel, ice packs and an explosive device. Besides that, there are two other methods which are mainly used in methamphetamine production: the phenyl-2-propanone (P2P) method and the red phosphorous (red P) method (Scott & Dedel, 2006). However, Anhydrous Ammonia method is more popular because pseudoepherdrine can be easily obtained in cold medicine and the producing progress is quite simple and quick so this method can be applied in most of small scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratories (Scott & Dedel, 2006).
“Meth, not even once” is a popular phrase that is associated with this drug. This drug has many known horrible effects associated with it, plus many effects more I am sure are going to be discovered over time. I am intending to cover the history, effects, the different categories of meth abuse, and the withdrawal effects of Methamphetamine in this paper, and what to do if you suspect someone you know is using meth.
Drugs seem to cause surges in dopamine neurotransmitters and other pleasure brain messengers. However, the brain quickly adapts and these circuits desensitize, which allows for withdrawal symptoms to occur (3). Drug addiction works on some of the same neurobiological mechanisms that aid in learning and memories (3). "This new view of dopamine as an aid to learning rather than a pleasure mediator may help explain why many addictive drugs, which unleash massive surges of the neurotransmitter in the brain, can drive continued use without producing pleasure-as when cocaine addicts continue to take hits long after the euphoric effects of the drug have worn off or when smokers smoke after cigarettes become distasteful." (4)
Drug addiction is often characterized as being a complex brain disease that causes compulsive, uncontrollable, drug craving, seeking and use without any regards to the consequences they may bring upon themselves, or society. As long as the brain is exposed to these large amounts of dopamine on the reward system, it will inevitably develop a tolerance to the current dopamine levels, which it is receiving, lessening the pleasure the user will experience. In order to satisfy the brains “reward...
Methamphetamine, also known as meth or crystal, is a highly dangerous and illegal drug that can be smoked, snorted or injected into the human body to get high. Getting high is a strong feeling that can make people feel happier, more confident, or more energetic; however, lack of appetite, hallucinations, or death from taking too much are bad side effects that make it an illegal drug. The penalty for having any amount meth is jail, and the time in jail is determined by the amount of meth the person is found with. Meth is often sold by a drug dealer, a person who sells drug illegal. Drug Dealers are often seen as people who are uneducated, low life, cruel thugs that have a criminal record; however, in Breaking Bad, Jesse Pinkman and Walter White
Watanabe-Galloway, S., Ryan, S., M.D., Hansen, K., M.P.H., Wullsiek B., B.A., Muli, V., M.P.A., & Malone, A.C. (2009). Effect of Methamphetamine abuse beyond individual users Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 4131, 241-8.Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/207970885?accountid=41057
September 1975 “the Domestic Council Drug Abuse Task Force releases a report that recommends that priority in Federal efforts in both supply and demand reduction be directed toward those drugs which inherently pose a greater risk to the individual and to society” (Thirty Years,
"How Meth Destroys the Body." PBS.org. The Public Broadcasting Station, 17 May 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
Drug addiction is a very big problem in today’s society. Many people have had their lives ruined due to drug addiction. The people that use the drugs don’t even realize that they have an addiction. They continue to use the drug not even realizing that their whole world is crashing down around them. Drug addicts normally lose their family and friends due to drug addiction.