Crystal Meth

Crystal Meth

• AKA: methamphetamine hydrochloride
• Prescription/stimulant
• Also known as meth, crystal, tina, and ice

Meth is prescribed (rarely and without refills) for extreme weight loss and ADHD. Users feel an increased dopamine output, resulting in a sense of euphoria.

Physical Effects

• Tooth loss
• Hyperactivity
• Weight loss
• Heart arrythmias
• Restlessness
• Twitching
• Insomnia
• Hyperthermia (body overheats)
• Heart attack, stroke, death

Mental Effects

• Paranoia
• Anxiety
• Hallucinations
• Psychosis
• Dermatillomania (obsessive skin picking)
• Delusisions of power, invincibility

Social Effects

• Irritability
• Aggressiveness
• Self-confidence
• Sociability
• Increased self-esteem

Dangers

• Hallucinations, psychosis, and sense of invincibility could lead to self-inflicted harm or harm to others

Meth inhibits the body's ability to repair itself, which leads to long-lasting sores.
Acne appears, the user appear years, even decades older.
tooth grinding and oral hygiene results in tooth decay and loss. Meth users also have lots of energy and no appetite.

Meth Addiction

• Generally, meth is not an instaneously addictive substance, but prolonged usage leads to addiction.

Meth is produced in labs, many times in the home of the user. It is made from many chemicals, one of which is cold medicine pills.

Meth is taken through injecting, inhaling, smoking, or ingesting.

In 2013, 595,000 Americans said they used meth in the past month, compared to 440,000 who used the drug in 2012 (International Business Times).

1.2 million Americans ages 12 and over had abused methamphetamine in the previous year (recovery.org).

Meth Rehab

• Detoxification
• Inpatient programs are reccomended
• Physical rehabilitation from sores, teeth problems, etc.

Meth Rehabilitation in Portland

• Portland metro treatment center
• Cedar hills hospital – freedom care program

An interview by National Geographic with a man hurt in a meth lab explosion: https://youtu.be/3MByysaBSKU?t=4m43s

Crystal meth's real claim to fame is from the recent and critically-acclaimed show, Breaking Bad

Unlike other drugs, meth is not glamorized by the media- it is portrayed as being bad.

Really, even if you know very little about meth, you know that you don't want to use it.

Thanks to "the Faces of Meth", (which was started by Multnomah County!) most people know the extreme effects of the drug.

Advice for Refusing Meth

• Make your message clear: firmly refuse to use it
• Have body language that agrees with your essage
• Respectfully disagree

Say no to meth! As the anti-drug ads say, "Not even once". It can change every aspect of your life for the worst, and is hard (and expensive) to get off of.

Main Sources

• http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/23207.php
• http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/body/