Crystal Methamphetamine – Sebastian Zimbron Foundation.

CRYSTAL METHAMPHETAMINE.

What is methamphetamine ?
Methamphetamine is an illegal drug in the same class as cocaine and other powerful street drugs. It has many nicknames- meth, crank, chalk or speed being the most common

Smoking crack allows it to reach the brain more quickly and thus brings an intense and immediate_but very short-lived-high that lasts about 15 minutes. And because addiction can develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather than snorted (taken in through the nose), an abuser
can become addicted after his or her first time trying crack.
Because of cocaine’s high cost, it has long been considered a “rich man’s drug.” Crack, on the other hand, is sold at prices so low that even teens can afford to buy it–at first. The truth is that once a person is addicted, the expense skyrockets in direct ratio to the increasing amount needed to support the habit.associated with serious health conditions, including memory loss, aggression, psychotic behavior and potential heart and brain damage.
Highly addictive, meth burns up the body’s resources, creating a devastating dependence that can only be relieved by taking more of the drug.
Crystal meth’s effect is highly concentrated, and many users report getting hooked (addicted) from the first time they use it.
” tried it once and BOOM! I was addicted,” said one meth addict who lost his family, friends, his profession as a musician and ended up homeless.
Consequently, it is one of the hardest drug addictions to treat and many die in its grip. Crystal meth is used by individuals of all ages, but is most commonly used as a “club drug,” taken while partying in night clubs or at rave parties. Its most common street names are ice or glass.
It is a dangerous and potent chemical, and as with all drugs, a poison that first acts as a stimulant but then begins to systematically destroy the body. Thus it is associated with serious health conditions, including memory loss, aggression, psychotic behavior and potential heart and brain damage.
Highly addictive, meth burns up the body’s resources, creating a devastating dependence that can only be relieved by taking more of the drug.
Crystal meth’s effect is highly concentrated, and many users report getting hooked (addicted) from the first time they use it.
“I tried it once and BOOM! I was addicted,” said one meth addict who lost his family, friends, his profession as a musician and ended up homeless.
Consequently, it is one of the hardest drug addictions to treat and many die in its grip.Smoking crack allows it to reach the brain more quickly and thus brings an intense and immediate_but very short-lived-high that lasts about 15 minutes. And because addiction can develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather than snorted (taken in through the nose), an abuser
can become addicted after his or her first time trying crack.
Because of cocaine’s high cost, it has long been considered a “rich man’s drug.” Crack, on the other hand, is sold at prices so low that even teens can afford to buy it–at first. The truth is that once a person is addicted, the expense skyrockets in direct ratio to the increasing amount needed to support the habit.

What does Methamphetamine look like ?

Methamphemine usually comes
in the form of a crystalline white powder that is odorless, bitter-tasting and dissolves easily in water or alcohol.
Other colors of powder have been observed, including brown, yellow-gray, orange and even pink. It can also be compressed into pill form. As covered earlier, it can be snorted, smoked or injected. Crystal meth comes in clear chunky crystals resembling ice and is most commonly smoked.
What is Meth made from ?
Methamphetamine is a synthetic (man-made) chemical, unlike
cocaine, for instance, which comes from a
plant.

Meth is commonly manufactured in illegal, hidden laboratories, mixing various forms of amphetamine (another stimulant drug) or derivatives with other chemicals to boost its potency. Common pills for cold remedies are often used as the basis for the production of the drug. The meth “cook? extracts ingredients from those pills and to increase its strength combines the substance with chemicals such as battery acid, drain cleaner, lantern fuel and antifreeze.
These dangerous chemicals are potentially explosive and because the meth cooks are drug users themselves and disoriented, they are often severely burned and disfigured or killed when their preparations explode. Such accidents endanger others in nearby homes or buildings.
The illegal laboratories create a lot of toxic waste as well–the production of one pound of methamphetamine produces five pounds of waste. People exposed to this waste material can become poisoned and sick.

The Deadly effects of Meth

The short-term and long-term impact on the individual
When taken, meth and crystal meth create a false sense of well-being
and energy, and so a person will tend to push his body faster and further than it is meant to go. Thus, drug users can experience a severe
“crash” or physical and mental breakdown after the effects of the drugs wear off.
Because continued use of the drug decreases natural feelings of hunger, users can experience extreme weight loss. Negative effects can also include disturbed sleep patterns, hyperactivity, nausea, delusions of power, increased aggressiveness and irritability.
Other serious effects can include insomnia, confusion, hallucinations, anxiety and paranoia. In some cases, use can cause convulsions that lead to death.

LONG RANGE DAMAGE

In the long term, meth use can cause irreversible harm: increased heart rate and blood pressure; damaged blood vessels in the brain that can cause strokes or an irregular heartbeat that can, in turn, cause cardiovascular collapse or death; and liver, kidney and lung damage.
Users may suffer brain damage, including memory loss and an increasing inability to grasp abstract thoughts. Those who recover are usually subject to memory gaps and extreme mood swings.

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS

• Loss of appetite
• Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature
• Dilation of pupils
• Disturbed sleep patterns
• Nausea
• Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behavior
• Hallucinations, hyper-excitability, irritability
• Panic and psychosis
• Convulsions, seizures and death from high doses

LONG TERM EFFECTS

• Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain, high blood pressure leading to heart attacks, strokes and death
• Liver, kidney and lung damage
• Destruction of tissues in nose if sniffed
• Respiratory (breathing)
problems if smoked
• Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected
• Malnutrition, weight loss
• Severe tooth decay
• Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion
• Strong psychological dependence
• Psychosis
• Depression
• Damage to the brain similar to
Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and epilepsy.

LOW INTENSITY METH ABUSE

When people take methamphetamine, it takes over their lives in varying degrees. There are three categories of abuse.

Low-intensity abusers swallow or snort methamphetamine. They want the extra stimulation methamphetamine provides so they can stay awake long enough to finish a task or a job, or they want the appetite-suppressant effect to lose weight.
They are one step away from becoming
“binge” (meaning uncontrolled use of a substance) abusers.

BINGE METH ABUSE:
Binge abusers smoke or inject methamphetamine with a needle. This allows them to receive a more intense dose of the drug and experience a stronger “rush”
that is psychologically addictive. They are on the verge of moving into high-intensity abuse.

HIGH-INTENSITY METH ABUSE:
The high-intensity abusers are the addicts, often called “speed freaks.” Their whole existence focuses on preventing the crash, that painful letdown after the drug high. In order to achieve the desired “rush” from the drug, they must take more and more of it. But as with other drugs, each successive meth high is less than the one before, urging the meth addict into a dark and deadly spiral of addiction.