DRUG PROJECT

HISTORY OF THE DRUG

• First discovered in Japan in 1887
• A Japanese chemist isolated ephedrine from the plant ephedra
• It was then developed in 1919
• It was used as an antidepressant and as a diet pill
• It was made illegal in the U.S. in 1970

HISTORY (CONTINUED)

• Meth had a wide usage during WWII
• Military officers gave it to kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions
• Today it is used widely in Northern Europe
• But Meth is mostly produced in Thailand, Myanmar, and China
• In the U.S. it is used and made the most in the Midwestern states

TYPE OF DRUG

• Meth is an addictive nervous system stimulant
• Synthetic or man made drugs
• Mostly manufactured in illegal labs
• Used in meth is Amphetamine, common pills, battery acid
• Drain cleaner, lantern fuel, and anti freeze

TYPE OF DRUG (CONTINUED)

• The way you use meth can influence the rate or addiction
• Smoking and injecting meth results much stronger to the brain.
• Meth can be smoked, snorted, injected, or ingested.

EFFECTS ON THE BODY

• Numerous amount of effects on entire body
• Immediate effects and long time effects
• Blocks the brain from receiving almost all neurotransmitters
• Immediate effect is an extreme high from dopamine
• Dopamine is the transmitter for pleasure

EFFECTS (CONTINUED)

• Hair loss, involuntary movements,
• Rotting teeth, rising body temp.
• Increase of blood pressure and heart rate
• Restricts blow flow to the skin, people cut their skin due to hallucinations
• Suppresses appetite, people become extremely skinny

EFFECTS (CONT.)

• Withdrawal symptoms are severe anxiety and depression
• Confusion and suicidal thoughts are common
• Extremely addictive, tricks the brain to believe meth is the only way to feel pleasure
• Become obsessed over one specific task for hours and persecutory delusions
• This the constant paranoia of believing they are in danger

MORE EFFECTS

• It begins with an extreme high then goes drastically low
• Completely destroys the body
• Absolutely no upside to this drug
• It is very difficult to overcome the addiction

SOCIAL IMPACT

• 24.7M an users
• 500 metric tons approximately made in 2008
• 13M people over age of 12 have used the drug
• In U.S. % of meth treatment has tripled.
• 3% in 1996 to 9% in 2006.

SOCIAL IMPACT

• Meth lab in a neighborhood causes serious health hazards
• For each lb. of meth produced, 5-6 lbs. of hazardous waste
• Are generated to the community.
• Cleaning a lab up costs $2,000-$4,000 per site.
• Funds come from state police, local police or property owners

SOCIAL IMPACT

• Most users are white men age 18-25.
• Highest usage rate- native americans/homosexual men
• The cost of meth varies from country to country.

SOCIAL IMPACT

• Australia- $641.4 per g
• Cambodia- $1.6 per g
• U.S.- $3.00-$500.00 per g
• Laos- tablets for $1.00
• (All converted to U.S currency.)

PUNISHMENT

• First offense for possession of Meth is a sentence for no longer than 1 year
• Possessing 5 or more grams of meth will get you a minimum sentence of 5 years (intent to distribute)
• Minimum 10 year sentence for possessing 50 grams or more
• The punishments range from fines, to misdemeanor jail terms, to lengthy prison terms for a felony
• It is a schedule 2 drug, high potential for abuse leading to severe psychological or physical dependence

WORK CITED

• Drugfreeworld.org
• Drugabuse.gov
• Health.state.mn.us
• Aafp.org
• Havoscope.com

WORK CITED

• Methproject.org
• Criminaldefenselawyer.com