crystal meth and methamphetamine
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What is Crystal Meth? One form of the drug Methamphetamine
White crystalline drug taken in many forms: Snorted, smoked, injected, and orally
Creates a false sense of happiness and well being
Effects generally last 6 to 8 hours but can last up to 24 hours
First experience might involve pleasure but it begins to destroy their life
Most commonly used as a “club drug”
What is Methamphetamine? In the same class as cocaine and other
powerful street drugs Most commonly known as Speed First acts like a stimulant and then begins to
systematically destroy the body Associated with serious health conditions
memory loss Aggression psychotic behavior potential heart and brain damage
Burns up all the body’s resources Creates a dependence than can only be
relieved by taking more of the drug One of the hardest drugs addictions to treat
What does Methamphetamine look like? Crystalline white powder that is
Odorless Bitter-tasting Dissolves easily in water or alcohol
Colors Brown Yellow-gray Orange Pink
Can be compressed into a pill Crystal meth resembles ice – clear and chunky
smoked
Street Names
Methamphetamine Crystal Meth
Brown Crank Speed Redneck Cocaine Crink Crypto Tweak
Blade Crystal Crystal Glass Hot Ice Glass Ice Quartz
What is meth made from? Synthetic chemical – man made Commonly manufactured in illegal, hidden
laboratories, mixing various forms of amphetamine or derivatives with other chemicals to boost its potency
Common cold pills are usually used as a base for the drug
The meth “cook” extracts the ingredients from the pills and combines it with battery acid, drain cleaner, lantern fuel, and antifreeze
The chemicals used are potentially explosive The meth cooks are usually drug users
themselves and are disoriented Often end up severely burned, disfigured, or killed
The laboratories create a lot of toxic waste 1lb of methamphetamine produces 5lbs of
waste People exposed to the waste become sick
themselves
Deadly Effects of Meth Negative effects:
Disturbed sleep patterns Hyperactivity Nausea Delusions of power Increased aggressiveness irritability
Long range damage Increased heart rate and blood pressure Damaged blood vessels in the brain Irregular heart beat than can cause cardiovascular
collapse or death Liver, kidney, and lung damage Malnutrition Tooth decay
How methamphetamine affects people’s lives Low-Intensity Meth Abuse
Swallow or snort Want the extra stimulation it provides so they can
stay awake long enough to finish a task or job Binge Meth Abuse
Smoke or needle injection Receives more intense dose and experience a
stronger rush
High-Intensity Meth Abuse “Speed Freaks” Whole existence focuses on preventing the crash Take more and more of the drug The meth high is less than the one before which
causes them to become addicted and wanting more each time
The Stages of the Meth Experience The Rush
Initial response the abuser feels when smoking or injecting
The High “The Shoulder” – feels aggressively smarter and
become argumentative, interrupting people and finishing sentences
The Binge Abuser’s urge to maintain the high by smoking or
injecting more and more of the drug to feel the rush and high until there is none anymore
Tweaking Reached at the end of a drug binge when
methamphetamine no longer provides the rush or high
Abuser loses his sense of identity Intense itching, believes drugs are crawling under
skin, unable to sleep for days at a time, hallucinations are so vivid they seem real
Potential for self-mutilation is high
Crash Body shuts down and is unable to cope with the drug
effects causing them to become lifeless Can last 1-3 days
Meth Hangover Returns to a disorientated state
Starved Dehydrated Utterly exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally
Lasts 2 – 14 days Withdrawal
Often 30-90 days pass before they realize they are in withdrawal
Most revert back to abusing after receiving treatment