Meth Forum

Meth Use and Symptoms

lowster11 — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:22:00 GMT

Speed, meth, chalk. In its smoked form, it is often referred to as ice, crystal, crank, or glass. Those are all street names for meth. Call it what you may, but meth use and its symptoms are one in the same. If it's taken in large doses, methamphetamine's frequent effects are irritability, aggressive behavior, anxiety, excitement, auditory hallucinations, and paranoia along with delusions and psychosis. Meth abusers tend to be violent. Mood changes are also common, and the abuser can rapidly change from friendly to hostile. The paranoia produced by meth abuse results in suspiciousness, hyperactive behavior, and dramatic mood swings.

Meth appeals to drug abusers because it increases the body's metabolism and produces euphoria, increases alertness, and gives the abuser a sense of increased energy. High doses or chronic use of meth, however, increases nervousness, irritability, and paranoia. The extreme paranoia that meth abusers can experience is often associated with a distorted tendency toward violence. Adverse consequences of meth abuse include the risk of stroke, heart failure, and prolonged psychosis.

Methamphetamine use has three patterns: low intensity, binge, and high intensity.

Low-intensity abuse describes a user who is not psychologically addicted to the drug and who administers the drug by swallowing or snorting it. Binge and high-intensity abusers are psychologically addicted and prefer to smoke or inject meth to achieve a faster and stronger high. The binge and high-intensity patterns of abuse differ in the frequency in which the drug is abused. While the binge pattern of abuse has seven stages within its cycle: rush, high, binge, tweaking, crash, normal, and withdrawal-the high-intensity abuse pattern usually does not include a state of normalcy or withdrawal.

"Tweakers", which are referred to those who are at the most dangerous state of meth abuse, is a meth user who is tweaking. This meth abuser probably has not slept in 3-15 days and, consequently, the symptoms would be irritability and paranoia. A tweaker does not need provocation to behave or react violently, but confrontation increases the chances of a violent reaction. If the tweaker is using alcohol, his negative feelings and associated dangers intensify.

Several hours after the last meth use, the individual experiences a drastic drop in mood and energy levels. Sleep begins and may last for a long period and, upon awakening, severe depression exists that may last for days. While users are in this depressed state, suicide is a major concern. These meth abuse symptoms occur after meth use and may be reversed by taking another dose of meth, thereby fitting the definition for a withdrawal syndrome.

Now, get out your pen and paper and take notes if you see these short term effects in your teenager or loved one. Short term meth abuse symptoms are increased alertness, sense of well-being, paranoia, intense high, hallucinations, aggressive behavior, increased heart rate, convulsions, extreme rise in body temperature (as high as 108 degrees which can cause brain damage and death), uncontrollable movements (twitching, jerking, etc...), violent behavior, insomnia, impaired speech, dry and itchy skin, premature aging, rotting teeth, loss of appetite, acne, sores and numbness.

Some of the effects that meth abuse has on the mind are also symptoms of meth use. These meth use symptoms are disturbed sleep, excessive excitation, excessive talking, panic, anxiousness, nervousness, moodiness and irritability, false sense of confidence and power, delusions of grandeur leading to aggressive behavior, uninterested in friends, sex, or food, aggressive and violent behavior, and severe depression.

After excessive meth abuse, there are long term effects as well, such as fatal kidney and lung disorders, possible brain damage, depression, hallucinations, disorganized lifestyle, permanent psychological problems, violent and aggressive behavior, weight loss, insomnia, behavior resembling paranoid schizophrenia, decreased social life, malnutrition, poor coping abilities, disturbance of personality development, lowered resistance to illnesses, liver damage, stroke and the inevitable, death.

There are also withdrawal symptoms that a meth abuser will partake in when coming off of meth or "crashing". If you see the symptoms of severe cravings, insomnia, restlessness,mental confusion or depression, chances are that the meth is exiting their system.

If you have been watching your teenager or loved one and your suspicians are pointing into the direction of meth abuse and you are seeing the symptoms of meth abuse, don't ignore them. Go with your instincts and in a loving and caring manner, let your teen or loved one know that you will help them seek the counseling they need to rid themselves of meth or any other drug abuse.. If you continue to see the signs and symptoms of meth use, you may either want to take your teen or loved one to his/her doctor or other medical professional and ask them to screen for the use of illegal substances. If you're not comfortable with revealing your suspcians to an outsider, it is also possible to screen your teenager or loved one in the privacy of your own home with home urine drug testing kits, saliva drug testing kits and hair drug testing kits.

Another Child Meth-Related Death

lowster11 — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:38:00 GMT

A mother has been arrested in the death of her 2-month-old child after the Sacramento County Coroner's Office found that the child had a lethal dose of methamphetamine in her system. Maureen Hoffart, 45, was arrested Tuesday after a warrant was issued.Investigators think the child had ingested the drug as a result of actions by her mother, Sgt. Matt Young said. The girl was found on Jan. 1. Young said nothing suspicious was noted at the time.Hoffart faces charges of endangering a child and causing death.

2 Yr Old Tests Positive For Meth Then Dies

lowster11 — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:10:00 GMT

State child welfare officials allowed a 2-year-old southern Indiana boy to remain in his mother’s custody after the child tested positive for methamphetamine, and the boy suffered a fatal blow to the head 17 days later, newspaper reports say.

Jalen Blake, who died June 28, is the latest child to die while under the oversight of the Indiana Department of Child Services, an agency that one critic charges needs more oversight.

DCS left Jalen with his mother, Vadney Blake, even after learning on June 6 he had tested positive for meth, the Washington Times-Herald and The Indianapolis Star reported. Court records showed DCS caseworker John W. Potts spoke with Blake on June 9 about the test results but did not remove Jalen from her custody.

Potts, one of the 800 new caseworkers hired as part of the reforms launched by Gov. Mitch Daniels, resigned from DCS on July 12, the Star reported Tuesday. A message seeking comment from Potts was left Tuesday at a home telephone number in Montgomery listed in that name.

DCS spokeswoman Susan Tielking said state confidentiality rules barred her from discussing specifics about the Blake case, but she said the agency was investigating the decision to leave Jalen in his mother’s care. Generally, the agency would remove a child who tests positive for meth or other illegal drugs, she said.

The meth showed up in a urine sample the boy gave May 30 at a doctor’s office. Police said the child was fatally injured around June 26, and he died from head injuries June 28 at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

A police affidavit said Blake admitted abusing Jalen and suspected a man she had begun seeing, Jeff Truelove, 40, of Jasper, might have abused the child, too. Truelove committed suicide July 14 at a cemetery near Loogootee after fleeing police officers , the Times-Herald reported.

Blake, 22, told investigators that she and Truelove had smoked meth together on several occasions in the presence of Jalen.

Blake was charged with neglect and conspiracy to make methamphetamine on July 16. She remained jailed Tuesday in Daviess County on $500,000 bond. A message seeking comment was left at the office of her defense attorney, Anthony D. Quinn of Jasper.

Dawn Robertson, a spokeswoman for Honk for Kids, a group that helps families dealing with DCS, said Jalen’s death reinforces the need for an independent ombudsman to oversee the state agency.

“This is what makes the public question what is going on with this agency. Too many children are not being protected,” Robertson said. “We need accountability, and we need it now.”

Two Indianapolis girls also have died while under DCS supervision within the past 10 months.

TaJanay Bailey, 3, died from a fatal beating Nov. 27, a week after an advocate filed a motion asking a judge to order the child’s removal from the care of her mother and the woman’s boyfriend. DCS officials cited communication problems, errors in judgment and a lack of urgency in the case.

Twelve-week-old Destiny Linden died April 29, five days after being found unconscious in a foster home. An advocate had raised concerns about the home’s safety for a month before Destiny was placed there. The cause of her death remains under investigation, but the coroner’s office said preliminary indications point to Destiny being placed in an unsafe sleeping position.

Meth Lab Bust In Stanislaus County

lowster11 — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:02:00 GMT

The delivery of a search warrant to a residence in Stanislaus County resulted in the raid of a meth lab that was producing $24,000 worth of the drug. The search, which took place at a home on the 1700 block of Chalet Court, also revealed a marijuana grow, police said.Three individuals were arrested on charges of manufacturing methamphetamine.Agents said they seized more than 11,000 ephedrine pills. Ephedrine, a drug found in over-the-counter cold medicines, is a key ingredient used to make meth. "This (ephedrine pills) would have yielded about four pounds of pure methamphetamine," said Kelly Rea, a Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agent.

77 Year Old Man Gets 30 Years For Meth

lowster11 — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:21:00 GMT

A 77-year-old Fairmont City man was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment for distribution of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

James T. Kincannon, was tried in federal court in East St. Louis and found guilty of both offenses by a jury on March 26, according to a news release issued by A. Courtney Cox, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.

“Kincannon and two co-defendents distributed large quantities of methamphetamine in and around Fairmont City in early 2007,” according to the release.

An investigation conducted by the Fairmont City Police Department and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to Fairview Heights led to Kincannon’s arrest on May 3, 2007.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Garrison.

The court had found Kincannon to be a “career offender” based on two previous convictions for distributing controlled substances prior to this sentencing.

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Meth addict who appeared on ‘Dr. Phil’ is shot

lowster11 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:49:00 GMT

A man was in stable condition today after being shot by his father-in-law, police said.

Deputies were called to a home after reports of a domestic dispute.

Donnell Oxley 36, was found shot in the chest.

Oxley was transported to Charleston Area Medical Center General Hospital where he remains under evaluation. Police said his wounds were not life-threatening.

Oxley's family members told police the man had been high on meth and was causing a disturbance and damaging property around his home and the home of his father-in-law, John Taylor, who lives next door, Stover said. Family members also said he had been harassing and threatening them, Stover said.

At some point, the altercation escalated and (Taylor) shot Mr. Oxley once in the chest, Stover said in a news release.

Police are still investigating, but no charges have been filed, Stover said.

Witnesses reported that at one point in the day Oxley had been riding a horse around the family's home, damaging property, Stover said.

Oxley appeared last year on the Dr. Phil talk show during a segment on meth addiction.

Family members said he also had been taking part in a substance abuse rehabilitation program.

Propane tanks used to produce meth

meth man — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:18:00 GMT

A warning from the Colorado Springs Police Department's Metro Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence Unit.

They said methamphetamine cooks are using propane tanks to store anhydrous ammonia. A substance used in the production of the deadly drug.

Anhydrous Ammonia is a deadly chemical. It is commonly used on farms as a source of nitrogen fertilizer and can also be used as a refrigerant. Anhydrous must be handled and stored under high pressure in specially designed units. If mishandled, it can cause severe chemical burns and even death.

Officials said the anhydrous ammonia method of producing methamphetamine is common in rural areas and in towns surrounded by farm land because for cooks, anhydrous is easier to find since it is used as a fertilizer.

Even still, they said the production method is becoming more and more popular, and it's by-products are extremely dangerous.

"It is very corrosive to tissue, to your lung tissue, to your eyes, mucus membranes and things like that, in the right doses or with too high of a dose it will kill you very quickly," an Undercover Sergeant with Metro Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence said.

He said meth cooks store the deadly chemical inside propane tanks like the one found in your backyard.

"Mixing anhydrous ammonia with various other chemicals is just one of the ways these cooks produce or reduce ephedrine into methamphetamine," the Metro VNI Sergeant said.

He said you can easily tell when a propane tank has been used to store anhydrous because blueish-green corrosion forms around the valves.

"If you see a propane tank with a lot of heavy green corrosion on it, do not touch it, these things can be explosive, they are like bombs waiting to go off," the Metro VNI Sergeant said.

He said most tanks used by meth cooks are not returned to the distributor, but rather abandoned in houses, ditches and fields. He said that is when things become dangerous for everyone in the community.

"Just by picking it up, or shaking it, you can create enough pressure for the valve to blow out of the tank, striking you, killing you, or that tank will explode from the corrosion," the Metro VNI Sergeant said. "Call police, the fire department or hazmat and they will come take a look at it."

He said he has never heard of anyone accidentally taking home a propane tank from a dealer that was previously filled with anhydrous ammonia, but he said it could still happen.

Meth is currently the most prevalent drug in Colorado Springs

The Effects of Meth

lowster11 — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:41:00 GMT

The effects of meth depend on whether the drugs are taken on a long term or short term bases.

Short term meth side effects may include:
1. Dilated pupils
2. Decreased fatigue
3. Increased activity
4. insomnia
5. Euphoria
6. Increased attention
7. Euphoric rush or “flash”
8. Increased respiration
9. Decreased appetite
10. Diarrhea, nausea
11. Irregular heart beat
12. Increased body temperature
13. Jaw clenching
14. tremors
15. Increases libido
16. Sexual climax problems

Long term meth side effects may include:
1. Psychosis and Paranoia
2. Hallucinations and Delusions
3. Obsessive compulsive behavior
4. Damage to brain
5. Memory loss
6. Aggressive or Violent behavior
7. Meth mouth
8. Anorexia
9. Mood instability
10. Brain damage/ Meningitis (Neurotoxicity)
11. Formication (sensation of flesh crawling with bugs, with possible associated compulsive picking and infecting sores)
12. Paranoia, delusions, hallucinations
13. Rhabdomyolysis (Muscle breakdown) which leads to kidney failure

Strong chemical odor leads officer to meth lab

lowster11 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:49:00 GMT

Lawton_Police have uncovered two working meth labs in a house in downtown Lawton. The chemicals in the air were so strong that investigators had to wait almost six hours before carrying out a search warrant. Seven people were taken in for questioning.

This isn't the first time the house at the corner of Southwest 10^th and "H" Avenue has been investigated, and the people inside were no strangers to meth either. In December, 2007, a meth lab explosion in the house's shed landed one man in the hospital and nine people in jail. Police evacuated the neighborhood after discovering a tank containing anhydrous ammonia exploded in a shed sending toxic gas spewing into the air.

An officer patrolling the area Thursday at around 4:30 a.m. said the chemical smell was so strong he was compelled to call it in. The fire department was called to test the air, and the numbers came back so dangerously high that investigators had to wait hours before searching the house. "[We] wanted to get all the occupants out so we could start ventilating the dwelling," said Lawton Police Department Special Operations Lieutenant Todd Palmer.

This particular meth lab was extremely dangerous because there were two separate locations for cooking the drug. "They're all dangerous regardless of size," said Palmer. "We had two separate dwellings were we did have the methamphetamine lab." The people removed from the home looked on as the fire department cleared the house, and special operations began making trip after trip to remove the hazardous materials. "[We found] Ephedrine, we found HCL, generator - or parts thereof - the ether and other paraphernalia, butane torches, pipes that are used to smoke methamphetamine, marijuana and assorted paraphernalia related to that," said Palmer.

One bit of evidence puzzled police. A contraption that looked to be a tank with a pipe attached to it. "We didn't exactly know [what it was], it hasn't been used, and it looked like either something that they had just made up or brought to this location," said Palmer.

Tommy Ward lives in the home, and also played a part in the meth lab explosion last year. "He is going to be charged with maintaining a dwelling because of past occurrences. Not only this time, but others," Palmer said. The City of Lawton's neighborhood services to investigate whether or not the home should be condemned for safety and health.

Source: KSWO

Frequently Asked Questions about Meth

Jen — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:05:00 GMT

Copied from Crystal Meth Forum

Q: What is Meth?

A: Meth is a powerful central nervous system stimulant.

The drug works directly on the brain and spinal cord by interfering with normal neurotransmission. Neurotransmitters are chemical substances naturally produced within nerve cells used to communicate with each other and send messages to influence and regulate our thinking and all other systems throughout the body.
The main neurotransmitter affected by methamphetamine is dopamine. Dopamine is involved with our natural reward system. For example, feeling good about a job well done, getting pleasure from our family or social interactions, feeling content and that our lives are meaningful and count for something, all rely on dopamine transmission.

A synthetic drug, methamphetamine has a high potential for abuse and dependence. It is illegally produced and sold in pill form, capsules, powder and chunks. Methamphetamine was developed in the last century from its parent drug amphetamine and was originally used in nasal decongestants, bronchial inhalers, and in the treatment of narcolepsy and obesity. In the 1970s methamphetamine became a Schedule II drug - a drug with little medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Q: What are the street names for meth?

A: The drug is referred to by many names including "meth," "speed .. crank," "chalk,"- "go-fast," "zip," and "cristy." Pure methamphetamine hydrochloride, the smokeable form of the drug, is called "L.A." or - because of its clear, chunky crystals which resemble frozen water - "ice," "crystal," 64glass," or "quartz." Since the 1980s, ice has been smuggled from Taiwan and South Korea into Hawaii, where use became widespread by 1988. By 1990, distribution of ice had spread to the U.S. mainland.

Q. Where is meth manufactured and distributed?

A. Methamphetamine is both domestically produced and imported into the U.S. in already processed form. Once dominated by motorcycle gangs and other local producers in remote areas of California and the Pacific Northwest, the market now includes both local producers and Mexican sources providing finished product to stateside distributors.

Q. Why is meth use so prevalent in the Midwest?

A: The region's methamphetamine epidemic stems from two problems:

steadily increasing importation of methamphetamine into the region by organized trafficking groups; and

clandestine manufacturing of methamphetamine by hundreds of users/dealers in small "mom and pop" labs.

Seizures of clandestine labs in the Midwest have increased from 44 in 1995 to more than 500 in 1997. In fact, the state of Missouri led the nation in 1997 in the number of meth labs seized.

Twenty Mexican methamphetamine trafficking organizations have been identified by DEA as being involved in the Midwest, which is connected via major interstate highways, rail and air to the West and Southwest border areas that serve as importation, manufacturing and staffing areas for the Mexican operations.

Q. How is meth made?

A. The processing required to make methamphetamine from precursor substances is easier and more accessible than ever. There are literally thousands of recipes and information about making meth on the Internet. An investment of a few hundred dollars in over-the-counter medications and chemicals can produce thousands of dollars worth of methamphetamine. The drug can be made in a makeshift "lab" that can fit into a suit case. The average meth "cook" annually teaches ten other people how to make the drug.

Q. Where are these labs found?

A. Clandestine labs known as "mom and pop" labs are found in rural, city and suburban residences; barns, garages and other outbuildings; back rooms of businesses; apartments; hotel and motel rooms; storage facilities; vacant buildings; and vehicles.

Q. What ingredients are used to make meth?

A. Over-the-counter cold and asthma medications containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, red phosphorous, hydrochloric acid, drain cleaner, battery acid, lye, lantern fuel, and antifreeze are among the ingredients most commonly used.

Q. What are precursor substances?

A: Precursors are substances that, in nature, might be inactive. However, when combined with another chemical the result is a new product. Methamphetamine starts with an inactive or marginally-inactive compound (ephedrine or pseudoephedrine) and other chemicals are added to produce the drug.

Q. Who is using meth?

A. There are two basic profiles of users reported by law enforcement and treatment providers:

students, both high school and college age; and

white, blue-collar workers and unemployed persons in their 20s and 30s.

Use is widely prevalent in both urban and rural areas and equally divided among males and females. Women are more likely to use methamphetamine than cocaine. Some areas are seeing an increase in the number of Hispanic and Native American meth users, though whites are still the most dominant users of the drug.

On a survey done on this site, of the 544 respondents:

Under 18 years old 24%

18-23 years old 35%

23-30 years old 19%

30-40 years old 13%

Over 40 years old 6%

Q. Are teenagers using the drug?

A. The drug is becoming more popular among persons 18 years and younger, as studies show teenagers perceive methamphetamine as safer, longer lasting and easier to buy than cocaine. The "Monitoring the Future" survey, which measures the extent of drug use among U.S. adolescents, found methamphetamine use among high school seniors more than doubled between 1990 and 1996. In addition, law enforcement officials have caught teens as young as 14- and 15-year-olds using and selling the drug.

Q. Why should I talk to my child about meth?

A. Teens whose parents talk to them about drugs are half as likely to use drugs as those whose parents do not speak to them on this topic.

Q: Why do people start using meth?

A: Athletes and students sometimes begin using meth because of the initial heightened physical and mental performance the drug produces. Blue collar and service workers may use the drug to work extra shifts, while young women often begin using meth to lose weight. Others use meth recreationally to stay energized at "rave" parties or other social activities. In addition, meth is less expensive and more accessible than cocaine and users often have the misconception that methamphetamine is not really a drug.

Q: Is meth used in combination with other drugs?

A: Methamphetamine users are likely also to be users of alcohol, marijuana and cocaine rather than users of drugs like heroin.

Q. Are there any legitimate uses for meth?

A: In some cases, doctors prescribe low doses of methamphetamine for narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder.

Q: How is methamphetamine administered?

A: It can be smoked, taken intranasally (snorted), injected intravenously or ingested orally. The practice of "eating" meth by putting it on paper or food and chewing it also has been reported.

Q: What happens immediately after a person takes methamphetamine?

A: The drug alters mood in different ways, depending on how it is taken. Immediately after smoking or intravenous injection, the user experiences an intense "rush" or "flash" that lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable. Smoking or injecting produces effects fastest, within five to ten seconds. Snorting or ingesting orally produces euphoria - a high but not an intense rush. Snorting produces effects within three to five minutes, and ingesting orally produces effects within 15 to 20 minutes.

Q: How does the drug affect users overall?

A: In all forms, the drug stimulates the central nervous system, with effects lasting anywhere from four to 24 hours. Methamphetamine use can not only modify behavior in an acute state, but after taking it for a long time, the drug literally changes the brain in fundamental and long-lasting ways. It kills by causing heart failure (myocardial infarction), brain damage, and stroke and it induces extreme, acute psychiatric and psychological symptoms that may lead to suicide or murder.

Q: What are the short-term effects?

A: Central Nervous System Side Effects

Even small amounts of methamphetamine can produce euphoria, increased alertness, paranoia, decreased appetite and increased physical activity. Other central nervous system effects include athetosis (writhing jerky, or flailing movements), irritability, extreme nervousness, insomnia, confusion, tremors, anxiety, aggression, incessant talking, hyperthermia, and convulsions. Hyperthermia (extreme rise in body temperature as high as 108 degrees) and convulsions sometimes can result in death.

Cardiovascular Side Effects

Use can produce chest pain and hypertension which can result in cardiovascular collapse and death. In addition, methamphetamine causes accelerated heartbeat, elevated blood pressure and can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain.

Other Physical Effects

Pupil dilation, respiratory disorders, dizziness, tooth grinding, impaired speech, dry or itchy skin, loss of appetite, acne, sores, numbness, and sweating.

Psychological Effects

Symptoms of prolonged meth abuse can resemble those of schizophrenia and are characterized by anger, panic, paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations, repetitive behavior patterns, and formication (delusions of parasites or insects on the skin). Methamphetamine-induced paranoia can result in homicidal or suicidal thoughts.

Q: What other long-term effects can result?

A: Fatal kidney and lung disorders, brain damage, liver damage, blood clots, chronic depression, hallucinations, violent and aggressive behavior, malnutrition, disturbed personality development, deficient immune system, and methamphetamine psychosis, a mental disorder that may be paranoid psychosis or may mimic schizophrenia.

Q: How much of the drug can cause an overdose?

A: A toxic reaction (or overdose) can occur at relatively low levels, 50 milligrams of pure drug for a non-tolerant user. Metabolic rates vary from person to person, and the strength of the illegal form of the drug varies from batch to batch, so there is no way of stating a "safe" level of use. In overdose, high fever, convulsions and cardiovascular collapse may precede death. Because stimulants effect the body's cardiovascular and temperature-regulating systems, physical exertion increases the hazards of meth use.

Q: What effect does methamphetamine use have on pregnancy?

A: Babies can be born methamphetamine addicted and suffer birth defects, low birth weight, tremors, excessive crying, attention deficit disorder, and behavior disorders. There is also an increased risk of child abuse (including "shaken baby syndrome") and neglect of children born to parents who use methamphetamine.

Q: What are some signs that a person may be using the drug?

A: The person may exhibit anxiousness; nervousness; incessant talking; extreme moodiness and irritability; purposeless, repetitious behavior, such as picking at skin or pulling out hair; sleep disturbances; false sense of confidence and power; aggressive or violent behavior; disinterest in previously enjoyed activities; and severe depression.

Q: If methamphetamine is so dangerous, why can physicians prescribe the drug to patients?

A: The key is the dosage. Methamphetamine abusers use much higher dosages of the drug than a physician would routinely prescribe when treating a patient.

Q: Why is methamphetamine addictive?

A: All addictive drugs have two things in common: they produce an initial pleasurable effect, followed by a rebound unpleasant effect. Methamphetamine, through its stimulant effects, produces a positive feeling, but later leaves a person feeling depressed. This is because it suppresses the normal production of dopamine, creating a chemical imbalance. The user physically demands more of the drug to return to normal. This pleasure/tension cycle leads to loss of control over the drug and addiction.

Q: How does methamphetamine take over one's life?

A: Methamphetamine short-circuits a person's survival system by artificially stimulating the reward center, or pleasure areas in the brain. This leads to increased confidence in meth and less confidence in the normal rewards of life. This happens on a physical level at first, then it affects the user psychologically. The result is decreased interest in other aspects of life while reliance and interest in meth increases. In one study, laboratory animals pressed levers to release methamphetamine into their blood stream rather than eat, mate, or satisfy other natural drives. The animals died of starvation while giving themselves methamphetamine even though food was available.

Q: Is there methamphetamine withdrawal?

A: Yes. The severity and length of symptoms vary with the amount of damage done to the normal reward system through methamphetamine use. The most common symptoms are: drug craving, extreme irritability, loss of energy, depression, fearfulness, excessive drowsiness or difficulty in sleeping, shaking, nausea, palpitations, sweating, hyperventilation, and increased appetite.

Q: Is methamphetamine addiction difficult to treat?

A: Several treatment providers describe methamphetamine abusers as "the hardest to treat" of all drug users. They are often overly excitable and "extremely resistant to any form of intervention once the acute effects of meth use have gone away." Meth addicts get over the acute effects of withdrawal fairly quickly. However, the "wall" period lasts 6-8 months for casual users and 2-3 years for regular users. (Some people never recover and remain unsatisfied with life due to permanent brain damage.) This is a period of prolonged abstinence during which the brain recovers from the changes resulting from meth use. During this period, recovering addicts feel depressed, fuzzyheaded, and think life isn't as pleasurable without the drug. Because prolonged use causes changes in the brain, willpower alone will not cure meth addicts.

Q: Is relapse common?

A: Yes. Because there are psychiatric, social, and biological components to meth dependence, there is a high likelihood of relapse. Key relapse issues are similar to that of cocaine use and include other substance abuse and being around drug-using friends.

Q: What prompts methamphetamine users to enter treatment?

A: Methamphetamine causes a variety of mental, physical, and social problems which may prompt entry into treatment. Though not as expensive as heroin and cocaine, its cost might also produce financial problems for users and prompt them to seek help. However, the most commonly reported reason why methamphetamine users enter treatment is trouble with the law. These legal problems include aggressive or bizarre behaviors which prompt others to call police. Other reasons for entry include mental or emotional problems and problems at work or at school.

Q: How does the cost of treating meth users compare to incarceration?

A: Treatment is a highly cost-effective alternative; it is about one-tenth of the cost to treat a person rather than putting him or her in jail.

Q: What other problems does methamphetamine pose to society?

A: Automobile accidents; explosions and fires triggered by the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine; environmental contamination; increased criminal activity, including domestic violence; emergency room and other medical costs; spread of infectious disease, including HIV, AIDS and hepatitis; and lost worker productivity. Economic costs also fall on governments, which must allocate additional resources for social services and law enforcement.

Q: How is the production of meth more dangerous than other drugs?

A: Meth trafficking and production are different than other drugs because they are dangerous from start to finish. The reckless practices of the untrained people who manufacture it in clandestine labs result in explosions and fires that injure or kill not only the people and families involved, but also law enforcement or fireman who respond. Any number of solvents, precursors and hazardous agents are found in unmarked containers at these sites. These potent chemicals can enter the central nervous system and cause neural damage, effect the liver and kidneys, and burn or irritate the skin, eyes and nose. Environmental damage is another consequence of these reckless actions, and violence is often a part of the process as well.

Q. What are the most serious environmental consequences of meth labs?

A: Each pound of meth produced leaves behind five or six pounds of toxic waste. Meth cooks often pour leftover chemicals and byproduct sludge down drains in nearby plumbing, storm drains, or directly onto the ground. Chlorinated solvents and other toxic byproducts used to make meth pose long-term hazards because they can persist in soil and groundwater for years. Clean-up costs are exorbitant because solvent contaminated soil usually must be incinerated.

Q: What is the cost of a cleaning up a clandestine meth lab site?

A: Cleanups of labs are extremely resource-intensive and beyond the financial capabilities of most jurisdictions. The average cost of a cleanup is about $5,000 but some cost as much as $150,000.

Q: What are the federal penalties for methamphetamine trafficking?

A: The basic, mandatory minimum sentences under federal law are:

10 grams (pure) = 5 years in prison

100 grams (pure) = 10 years in prison.

Q: What is the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996?

A: This federal legislation takes significant steps toward preventing meth from becoming the next crisis in drug abuse. The bill:

Permits the domestic seizure and forfeiture of methamphetamine precursor chemicals.

Directs the Attorney General to coordinate international drug enforcement efforts to interdict such chemicals.

Increases penalties for the possession of equipment used to make controlled substances, and for trafficking in certain precursor chemicals.

Requires an interagency task force to develop and implement prevention, education and meth treatment strategies.

Q: What do I look for if I suspect a meth lab in my neighborhood?

A: Unusual, strong odors similar to the that of fingernail polish remover or cat urine; renters who pay cash; large amounts of products such as cold medicines, antifreeze, drain cleaner, lantern fuel, coffee filters, batteries, duct tape, clear glass beakers and containers; and residences with windows blacked out and lots of nighttime traffic.

Lodi Dentist Arrested for Meth.

meth man — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:19:00 GMT

Police arrested a Lodi dentist Wednesday and were searching for her boyfriend after investigators found methamphetamine at her Fairmont Avenue dental office, Lodi police said.

Lavonne "Vonnie" Sawyer, 49, was arrested at her office after a monthlong investigation. Police want to find her boyfriend, Donald Lewis, 41.

On May 5, police visited the office, at 828 S. Fairmont Ave., because Lewis was there and had five outstanding warrants, Officer Dale Eubanks said.

When officers arrived, Lewis fled. Officers noticed liquor in the office, and staff members told investigators that Lewis would rifle through patients' medical records despite instructions not to, Eubanks said.

Following the visit last month, police contacted the state Dental Board, which opened an investigation and discovered Sawyer had dispensed about 1,000 prescriptions for medication such as Vicodin in one year. Thirty-nine of those prescriptions, investigators said, were for her boyfriend.

When investigators visited the practice, they found suspected methamphetamine hidden in a patient's medical file, Eubanks said.

Sawyer was booked on suspicion of meth possession. The Dental Board is still looking into her practice and could take further action, including revoking her license, officials said.

Lewis has outstanding warrants for charges including child abuse, battery on a spouse or cohabitant, grand theft and violating a domestic violence court order.

How could anyone ever begin doing meth?

lowster11 — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:26:00 GMT

Finally, a self help book, that will help you understand what this Meth Epidemic is all about!

The Author has spent nearly three years compiling evidence and stories regarding Meth!

Now, a safe book you can leave lay in your home, waiting to unveil the answers you and your entire family are seeking!

A book that is full of truth!

DID YOU KNOW?

Methamphetamine use among high school seniors doubled since 1990.
Meth use increases risk of child abuse and neglect and domestic violence.
Meth users are the hardest to treat of all drug users.
Methamphetamine kills by causing heart failure, brain damage and stroke.
Women are more likely to use meth than cocaine.

About the Author Don L. Sutton

To understand why and how he wrote this book, he felt it necessary to share his story with you. When people hear the word “meth,” they cringe. Unless you understand the addiction and the effects of drugs first-hand, it is difficult to comprehend why someone would even try a drug. It can boggle the mind and confuse everyone involved. Well, he knew first-hand about drug addiction and alcoholism. He tried it only once for ten horrible years, and it nearly ended his life!

He is not a doctor or an expert on addictions, he does not have a title. he is a fortunate individual who unfortunately experienced meth, and every other drug, and survived. It nearly destroyed all of his dreams, including his marriage. People have asked, “How could anyone ever begin doing meth?”.

From his book

It was a cold day in Missouri, and I was a young man of twenty-one years of age. I was married with two children at home, a job, a supportive family, and an addictive personality. When people talk about addictive personalities, I think of everyone. I have had people accuse me of having this type of personal behavior because of the amount of drugs and alcohol I have consumed in my life. But I think everyone has an addictive personality, just different addictions. Some people are addicted to drugs, some are addicted to work, and some are addicted to food, sex, and many other things. It just seems like the addiction to the good stuff is okay, and the addiction to the bad stuff is not okay; you are your own judge.

My best friend, Billy, and I were driving around. We were drunk and driving to our friend’s house to buy drugs. Both Billy and I had pooled our money to purchase some LSD. At the time, acid was my drug of choice, and I did it every day for eight years.

After all, we would just do it once!

We arrived at our friend’s house, and after entering the house, we stumbled into making yet another important decision. It was another one of those important YES or NO decisions. By this time in my life, I had proven that I was not very good at making these choices, especially regarding something I knew nothing about. Today, I was being forced to make another decision like that, and I thought I was good at it. I had to decide if I wanted to try a new drug. Even though there were only two choices to make, I had a history of making the wrong choice.

My dealer had come across something new. He called it “ice.” That was a pretty cool name for a drug, and how could something with a familiar name like that be harmful? It seemed worth trying. After all, we would just do it once!

This is only a portion of Grandpa Don's horrifying story. In his book he shares the days of desertion by his Mom; denial by his dad and sexual abuse by his own Grandfather for nearly four years. He shares all of the excuses he had to live the drug life he did. But does he use all of those useless excuses?
Don was an alcoholic at the young age of 15; a drug addict by the age of 19 and a drug dealer at age 21. He drank and used drugs for nearly 25-horrible years.
Read how Grandpa Don, after a failed attempt at suicide, was rescued from alcohol and drug addiction. Read about his past 20-year Freedom Experience and learn how he did it. Don shares his secrets to his Recovery Experience with his readers.
Here is where you can find out more http://understandingmeth.com/author.html
And here is where you can purchase his book http://understandingmeth.com/purchase.html

Two Hundred and Seven Million in Drug Money Seized in Mexico City

meth man — Sat, 24 May 2008 04:05:00 GMT

$207 million is the largest single drug cash seizure the world has ever seen. This is like law enforcement hitting the ultimate jackpot. But luck had nothing to do with this windfall. This record-setting feat was the result of tremendous police work by Mexican law enforcement in collaboration with DEA throughout the past year.

This money was seized from chemical brokers that were supplying chemicals to Mexican cartels to manufacture huge quantities of methamphetamine—most destined for the United States. The citizens of Mexico and America should be encouraged because seizing this criminal organization’s revenue not only operationally and financially disrupts that organization but also cuts off the supply of a vital ingredient needed to make methamphetamine.

Mexican trafficking organizations operating on both sides of the border are the source of at least 80% of the meth consumed in this country. Less than a year ago, DEA and Mexico entered into an historic partnership to combat meth trafficking. I said at the time it was much more than a piece of paper or a press opportunity—it was a real joining of forces to target the global meth trade. DEA sent specialized lab teams and trucks to meth hot spots in Mexico, trained more than 2,000 Mexican police officers, and jointly targeted meth traffickers. Our partnership is clearly working—together, we are confronting and impacting the once untouchable Mexican drug trade.

Aerosmith Steven Tyler In Rehab

lowster11 — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:08:00 GMT

In the 1970s and 80s, rocker Steven Tyler was known for his drug abuse, among other things. He even collapsed on stage in the 1980s because of his drug use. Tyler was addicted to heroin and his addiction was tearing Aerosmith apart. He cleaned himself up after that and was sober for twenty or so years. But he reportedly checked himself into rehab this week, along with his girlfriend.

The lesson that we can all learn from this is that even after a decade or two, cravings and triggers still occur and it is when the reformed user is overly confident that he often slips into using again. And twenty years after recovering from an addiction, people often still suffer from the consequences of the actions they made when using drugs. For Tyler, that was dealing with Hepatitis C, which is common among needle users. After intense treatment that he said was, “agony,” he is now Hepatitis-free This is all the more reason to take preventative measures to stay away from drugs and alcohol.

Had been keeping quiet about the disease for so long, Tyler said at the time that he wanted to share his experience and knowledge with others.

Tyler's representative had no comment on the rehab reports. Though so, various reports mentioned Tyler is currently undergoing treatment for undisclosed substance abuse at the mentioned drug rehabilitation clinic.

Las Encinas Hospital drug rehabilitation clinic is where noted addiction medicine specialist and radio talk-show host Dr. Drew Pinsky practices. It also served as the stage for Pinsky's "Celebrity Rehab" reality series.

Man gets 2 life terms on meth conviction.

meth man — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:20:00 GMT

Technorati Profile

The leader of a rural West Texas methamphetamine trafficking ring was sentenced to two life prison terms, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

Larry Ray Moon Jr., 34, of Santa Anna was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Sam Cummings, U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper said.

Moon, who also was given two concurrent 20-year terms, was convicted in January on four counts that included conspiracy to distribute and possession of methamphetamine. He was arrested with about a pound of meth in the Dallas area three years ago.

Prosecutors said Moon operated from a 270-acre ranch in a remote area of Coleman County, about 185 miles southwest of Dallas.

Moon would pick up large amounts of meth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and distribute smaller portions from his ranch, prosecutors said. Testimony during Moon's trial showed that he parceled out more than 500 grams of meth to each of five midlevel distributors, officials said.

Moon also faces child sexual assault charges in Coleman and Dallas counties, according to Roper's office.

Restaurant Owner Accused Of Dealing Meth

lowster11 — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:03:00 GMT

A restaurant owner is under arrest, accused of serving up meth along with his tacos. Police say they took Amirio Gonzales into custody, and found two pounds of methamphetamines in his possession.

The taqueria is now boarded up, indefinitely closed. It's not exactly well hidden: It's right off of a busy street, directly across the street from a Christian school, and only 1000 feet away from a local sheriff's substation.

"They would show up at the restaurant, and instead of ordering Mexican food they would order methamphetamine," said Mike Hudson, head of the Yuba/Sutter County Drug Task Force.

Hudson said that the task force made two undercover buys from Gonzales at the restaurant, at which point they made the bust.

"They were actually charging us $24,000 a pound for the methamphetamine," Hudson said. "In 20 years, that's the most we've ever been charged."

The street price for a pound of meth goes for $10,000 to $12,000, but police had no problem paying double.

"For us, it was a good deal," Hudson said. "Bad deal for him."

A Meth Cooker's Poem

Jen — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:02:00 GMT

This is your life, its so fucking intense
It leaves you wondering what happened, it doesn’t make sense
Your folks have told you about the birds and the bees
So I’m going to tell you about the cops and the trees
Weather you slam it, snort it, suck it through a glass ***
The Meth Monster knows you’re sick
First it’s your friends, and then it’s your wife
You’re convinced you don’t need them; they’re trashing your life
Then one day you realize and see
They’re all part of a conspiracy
You hide in your house, best friends you avoid
You’re a strung out ***, straight paranoid
Now this *** has taken a nasty turn
You jumped into the fire, and started to burn
What once was for kicks, now seems all so real
So you get a brainstorm and think “Hey, I should deal”
Now your time is spent just making your rounds
You started with quarters, then ounces, now pounds
Now you’re in the chapter of the Crankster’s sick book
Knowing from the start there’s going to be trouble
You sit spinning in your lab watching it bubble
Now you’re being watched by the Feds and DTF
You still wanna cook that Meth
Then one night you’re minding your store
Twenty-one punk-ass policeman come crashing through the door
They bum rush you, stick a knee in your chest, SCREAM
Freeze you fuckin’ junkie, you’re under arrest
Now you’re going to court with your public pretender
You’d have a better chance sticking your *** in a blender
The Judge won’t make a deal, He’ll give twenty to life
So you call home collect, and your buddy’s fuckin’ your wife
Now you’re walking the prison yard, you look back and reflect
How did my life get so fucked up and wrecked?
Then a flash in my head like a big neon sign says
I think I’ll get out and cook just one last time..

What are amphetamines?

lowster11 — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:18:00 GMT

Amphetamines belong to a group of drugs called psycho-stimulants, commonly known as 'speed', which stimulate the central nervous system. They speed up the messages going to and from the brain to the body.

Most amphetamines are produced in backyard laboratories and sold illegally. People who buy amphetamines illegally are often buying the drugs mixed with other substances that can have unpleasant or harmful effects.

What do amphetamines look like?

Amphetamines are a whole family of related drugs, each with its own recipe, and are taken in different ways. They can be in the form of powder, tablets, capsules, crystals or red liquid.

They can come as a white through to a brown powder, sometimes even orange and dark purple. Amphetamines have a strong smell and bitter taste.

The capsules vary considerably in color and are sometimes sold in commercial brand shells. They are packaged in 'foils' (aluminium foil), plastic bags or small balloons when sold on the streets.

Tablets vary in color and can be a cocktail of drugs, binding agents, caffeine and sugar. This form is on the increase.

The reddish-brown liquid is sold in capsules. MDMA, or 'ecstasy' as it is more commonly known, is another designer drug-related to amphetamines. It is usually swallowed in the form of small tablets, but sometimes injected.

Why are they used?

People use amphetamines for different reasons. Some use the drugs to get 'high' and dance all night. Others use the drugs to help stay awake for long periods of time, to improve performance in sport or at work or to boost self-confidence. Amphetamines can reduce tiredness and increase endurance.

For medical purposes, amphetamines are prescribed to treat narcolepsy (where a person has an uncontrollable urge to sleep) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

How are they taken?

Amphetamines are most commonly swallowed, injected (methamphetamine) or smoked. They are also 'snorted' or 'sniffed' through the nose.

Street names

The common names are speed, up, fast, louee, goey, whiz, pep pills, uppers.

Pregnancy

Using amphetamines (also known as speed) during pregnancy can affect the baby's development before birth and has been linked with bleeding, early labour and miscarriage. Amphetamines also cause the heart rate of mother and baby to increase. With the baby getting less oxygen, it may be smaller at birth and grow more slowly.

If amphetamines are used close to the birth, the baby may be born directly affected, and may be over-active and agitated. Babies of mothers who regularly use amphetamines may also experience withdrawal symptoms in the first few weeks after birth.

It is not yet known whether the children of mothers who used amphetamines during their pregnancy experience long-term problems in mental or physical growth, but initial studies give some cause for concern.

Breast feeding

Not much is known about the effects of amphetamines on the mother during breast feeding. There is evidence that babies feed poorly and are irritable.

Check with your doctor, or other health professional, if you are taking or planning to take any substances during pregnancy, including prescribed and over-the-counter medications.

The Jenny Crank diet!!

lowster11 — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Many users use meth to lose weight. Many refer to this as the Jenny Crank diet.

Many of the ingredients of meth are deadly. Ask yourself these questions: Would you swallow a spoonful of drain cleaner? Does the thought of injecting brake fluid into your arm appeal to you? Care to top off your dessert with a bit of rat poison?

The above mentioned substances are just a few of the common ingredients in meth. One reason behind the explosive growth in the use of meth is the availability of the ingredients. Lithium, muriatic and sulfuric acids, ether, red phosphorus and lye - key ingredients in meth manufacturing - are all corrosive and will cause skin burns even when used properly.

When a person smokes meth, these ingredients are heated, vaporized and swirl throughout the user's mouth. They irritate and burn the sensitive skin inside the mouth, create sores and lead to infection. Chronic meth smokers have teeth rotted to the gum line from the continuous affect of the vapors on tooth enamel.Snorting Meth also causes chemical damage to teeth. Snorting draws the caustic substances down the nasal passages, draining in the back of the throat and bathing the teeth with corrosive substances. Injecting Meth has no direct impact on dental health, but as you will see, habitual use of the drug does have side effects that do lead to damage.

The prime ingredient in meth is ephedrine. Ephedrine is the main ingredient in cold tablets like Sudafed or Actifed. If a "cook", as manufacturers are called, cannot purchase ephedrine either legally or illegally, they will resort to buying or stealing large amounts of the cold tablets from stores that stock these products. Some cities in Southern California had passed laws limiting the number of boxes of cold tablets a customer can purchase. In addition, most stores will secure the boxes of cold tablets to prevent theft.

When users smoke, inject or snort it, these are the most common ingredients they are sending to their brain, cardiovascular system and throughout their bodies:

≈ Gasoline additives/Rubbing Alcohol
≈ Ether (starting fluid)
≈ Benzene
≈ Paint thinner
≈ Freon
≈ Acetone
≈ Chloroform
≈ Camp stove fuel
≈ Anhydrous ammonia
≈ White gasoline
≈ Pheynl-2-Propane
≈ Phenylacetone
≈ Phenylpropanolamine
≈ Rock, table or Epsom salt Red Phosphorous
≈ Toluene (found in brake cleaner)
≈ Red Devil Lye
≈ Drain cleaner
≈ Muraitic acid
≈ Battery acid
≈ Lithium from batteries
≈ Sodium metal
≈ Ephedrine
≈ Cold tablets
≈ Diet aids
≈ Iodine
≈ Bronchodialators
≈ Energy boosters
≈ Iodine crystals

Users are not only losers!

meth man — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:40:00 GMT

Today, most methamphetamine is distributed illicitly and produced in clandestine or hidden laboratories. Meth can be easily produced or cooked using ordinary though toxic household chemicals in combination with ephedrine or pseudoephedrine found in common asthma and cold remedies sold over the counter. These ingredients and the needed equipment can be easily purchased from drug stores, supermarkets, hardware stores, feed stores and farm supply outlets. It’s a dangerous concoction. Producers of this home-made meth are typically users themselves and not skilled in chemistry. These cooks may be producing meth while their mental capacities are impaired by the drug. The dangers of this situation are extreme. The fumes are volatile and highly explosive. Breathing the toxic fumes can cause irreparable harm to nasal passages, lungs and brain. The production of meth in a home “laboratory” poses dangers to the producers and the neighboring community. The toxic nature of the ingredients, (they can ignite, corrode, react) can cause explosions, fires, toxic fumes and irreparable damage to human health and to the environment. Meth cooks often use drain cleaner, lye, lantern fuel, hydrochloric acid, red phosphorous and several other dangerous chemicals to make the drug. These hazardous chemicals may be dumped on the ground, buried or simply left behind. These toxic wastes can contaminate drinking water and vapors can seep into plaster and wood. Harsh liquids that are dumped or spilled can remain for a long time as residue in bathtubs, toilets or sinks.

Meth in the US.

lowster11 — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:31:00 GMT

Up to 80% of US street meth now originates in Mexico where the crisis has been rooted since mid-2003, much of it in the far purer and more highly addictive form of "ice".

That was the year Mexican drug lords in the border town of Tijuana moved their meth factories north to start churning out cheap supplies to California, funneling it throughout the States along established drug routes like Interstate 5, the main motorway north to the Canadian border. Mexican drug cartels are illicitly obtaining tons of pseudoephedrine and manufacturing the drug in so-called "super labs". Imports of the substance in cold medicines have jumped from 66 to 224 tons in the past five years - roughly double what Mexico needs to meet the legitimate demands of cold and allergy sufferers.

The other 20% is manufactured domestically, but due to the toxicity, combustibility and noxious vapour of meth's raw ingredients, production is most prevalent in arid and sparsely populated areas such as desert territory around Palm Springs in California, Florida and the Midwest, where seizures of clandestine labs have soared in recent years. Nationally, authorities have dismantled more than 50,000 meth labs since 2001: around 30% in homes inhabited by children, the rest mostly in hotel rooms and transportable "rolling labs" such as car boots and trailers. Missouri is the most meth-plagued state with 8000 labs, equipment caches and toxic dumps seized between 2002-04. Crime units across the Midwest are swamped with thousands of meth subpoenas. In Kentucky alone, officials have worked around the clock to reduce a 10,000-case backlog.

In Illinois, police have created six teams of 56 troopers dedicated to stopping the spread of dangerously volatile meth labs throughout the state. Chicago, a major transportation hub for the Midwest connecting both the east and west coasts, netted its largest ever haul of methamphetamine in 2005; 35kg manufactured in a "super lab" with a street value of $10 million.

Each pound of meth produced leaves behind up to ten pounds of toxic waste.

Some disused labs are rigged to explode on discovery, and the clearing up of exploded sites is particularly hazardous. The FBI claims that three people on average are killed each year by explosions or toxic poisoning, with countless injuries arising from lab fires. However, between 2000-4 nine child deaths alone are known to have been linked to meth lab accidents, while scores of children have been injured and thousands exposed to the drug and its byproducts.

The Drug Enforcement Administration records that children were present at 20% of all meth lab busts last year, while a study by the National Conference of State Legislatures found that 10% of child users were introduced to meth by their parents or other family members. Babies born to meth-addicted mothers often test positive for the drug, and a single prenatal dose of meth may be enough to cause long-term neurodevelopmental problems in babies, according to researchers at the University of Toronto.

In 2001, law enforcement in Rice County, Kansas, pioneered a program called Meth Watch, educating local retailers, mail carriers, meter readers, road maintenance workers, teachers and civic organisation officials about the dangers of meth and how to spot potential labs. Meth Watch resulted in tip-offs leading to numerous meth busts and a decline in local meth labs, and succeeded because the involvement of the entire community played on the paranoia of the local meth producers, most of whom were users. "It's hard to appreciate how paranoid these individuals really are," said Rice County's Sheriff Bundy. "I've been in this business 20 years and never seen anything like it." Rice County's success has been replicated in communities in more than a dozen states.

In the US Pacific state of Hawaii, where around half of all men arrested and screened for drugs test positive for ice, the University of Hawaii psychiatry department estimates that between 10-15% of the tourism-based state's 1.25 million population are users, driven to meth by increasing social deprivation and poverty.

Medical complications of meth use

meth man — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 06:51:00 GMT

Methamphetamine can cause a variety of cardiovascular problems. These include rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and irreversible, stroke-producing damage to small blood vessels in the brain. Hyperthermia (elevated body temperature) and convulsions occur with methamphetamine overdoses, and if not treated immediately, can result in death.

Chronic methamphetamine abuse can result in inflammation of the heart lining, and among users who inject the drug, damaged blood vessels and skin abscesses. Methamphetamine abusers also can have episodes of violent behavior, paranoia, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. Heavy users also show progressive social and occupational deterioration. Psychotic symptoms can sometimes persist for months or years after use has ceased.

Acute lead poisoning is another potential risk for methamphetamine abusers. A common method of illegal methamphetamine production uses lead acetate as a reagent. Production errors may therefore result in methamphetamine contaminated with lead. There have been documented cases of acute lead poisoning in intravenous methamphetamine abusers.

Fetal exposure to methamphetamine also is a significant problem in the United States. At present, research indicates that methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy may result in prenatal complications, increased rates of premature delivery, and altered neonatal behavioral patterns, such as abnormal reflexes and extreme irritability. Methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy may be linked also to congenital deformities.

Effects of meth!!

meth man — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 06:42:00 GMT

What are the immediate (short-term) effects of methamphetamine use?

As a powerful stimulant, methamphetamine, even in small doses, can increase wakefulness and physical activity and decrease appetite. A brief, intense sensation, or rush, is reported by those who smoke or inject methamphetamine. Oral ingestion or snorting produces a long-lasting high instead of a rush, which reportedly can continue for as long as half a day. Both the rush and the high are believed to result from the release of very high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine into areas of the brain that regulate feelings of pleasure.

Short-term effects of methamphetamine

Increased attention
Decreased fatigue
Increased activity
Decreased appetite
Euphoria and rush
Increased respiration
Hyperthermia

Methamphetamine has toxic effects. In animals, a single high dose of the drug has been shown to damage nerve terminals in the dopamine-containing regions of the brain. The large release of dopamine produced by methamphetamine is thought to contribute to the drug's toxic effects on nerve terminals in the brain. High doses can elevate body temperature to dangerous, sometimes lethal, levels, as well as cause convulsions.

What are the long-term effects of methamphetamine use?

Long-term methamphetamine abuse results in many damaging effects, including addiction. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and drug use which is accompanied by functional and molecular changes in the brain. In addition to being addicted to methamphetamine, chronic methamphetamine abusers exhibit symptoms that can include violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. They also can display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions (for example, the sensation of insects creeping on the skin, called "formication"). The paranoia can result in homicidal as well as suicidal thoughts.

Long-term effects of methamphetamine

Dependence
Addiction psychosis
Paranoia
Hallucinations
Mood disturbances
Repetitive motor activity
Stroke
Weight loss

With chronic use, tolerance for methamphetamine can develop. In an effort to intensify the desired effects, users may take higher doses of the drug, take it more frequently, or change their method of drug intake. In some cases, abusers forego food and sleep while indulging in a form of binging known as a "run," injecting as much as a gram of the drug every 2 to 3 hours over several days until the user runs out of the drug or is too disorganized to continue. Chronic abuse can lead to psychotic behavior, characterized by intense paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and out-of-control rages that can be coupled with extremely violent behavior.

Although there are no physical manifestations of a withdrawal syndrome when methamphetamine use is stopped, there are several symptoms that occur when a chronic user stops taking the drug. These include depression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, aggression, and an intense craving for the drug.

In scientific studies examining the consequences of long-term methamphetamine exposure in animals, concern has arisen over its toxic effects on the brain. Researchers have reported that as much as 50 percent of the dopamine-producing cells in the brain can be damaged after prolonged exposure to relatively low levels of methamphetamine. Researchers also have found that serotonin-containing nerve cells may be damaged even more extensively. Whether this toxicity is related to the psychosis seen in some long-term methamphetamine abusers is still an open question.

My first blog post.

Jen — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:14:00 GMT

I'm Jen and I have quit meth again. It almost ruined my career this time. I am a model and I was getting "way out" of control on the crap. but now I am back even stronger than before!
I started using when I was about 2 years into my career to keep the weight off, I guess I am what you would call a "functioning addict" because I was able to control my habit, work and take care of my responsibilities. Not until a couple months ago my habit got "WAY" out of control, not caring at all about my career, my friends, my family or myself. I can't even count how many times I have quit using just to find my nose in a bag again 3 days later!
I have now been clean since 3/12/08 thanks to Chris (lowster) and a few others in our recovery group.

That's my story and I'm preying to stick to it.

Myths About Drug Treatment

lowster11 — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:17:00 GMT

Myth #1: Drug addiction is voluntary behavior.
A person starts out as an occasional drug user, and that is a voluntary decision. But as times passes, something happens, and that person goes from being a voluntary drug user to being a compulsive drug user. Why? Because over time, continued use of addictive drugs changes your brain -- at times in dramatic, toxic ways, at others in more subtle ways, but virtually always in ways that result in compulsive and even uncontrollable drug use.

Myth #2: More than anything else, drug addiction is a character flaw.
Drug addiction is a brain disease. Every type of drug of abuse has its own individual mechanism for changing how the brain functions. But regardless of which drug a person is addicted to, many of the effects it has on the brain are similar: they range from changes in the molecules and cells that make up the brain, to mood changes, to changes in memory processes and in such motor skills as walking and talking. And these changes have a huge influence on all aspects of a person's behavior. The drug becomes the single most powerful motivator in a drug abuser's existence. He or she will do almost anything for the drug. This comes about because drug use has changed the individual's brain and its functioning in critical ways.

Myth #3: You have to want drug treatment for it to be effective.
Virtually no one wants drug treatment. Two of the primary reasons people seek drug treatment are because the court ordered them to do so, or because loved ones urged them to seek treatment. Many scientific studies have shown convincingly that those who enter drug treatment programs in which they face "high pressure" to confront and attempt to surmount their addiction do comparatively better in treatment, regardless of the reason they sought treatment in the first place.

Myth #4: Treatment for drug addiction should be a one-shot deal.
Like many other illnesses, drug addiction typically is a chronic disorder. To be sure, some people can quit drug use "cold turkey," or they can quit after receiving treatment just one time at a rehabilitation facility. But most of those who abuse drugs require longer-term treatment and, in many instances, repeated treatments.

Myth #5: We should strive to find a "magic bullet" to treat all forms of drug abuse.
There is no "one size fits all" form of drug treatment, much less a magic bullet that suddenly will cure addiction. Different people have different drug abuse-related problems. And they respond very differently to similar forms of treatment, even when they're abusing the same drug. As a result, drug addicts need an array of treatments and services tailored to address their unique needs.

Myth #6: People don't need treatment. They can stop using drugs if they really want to.
FACT: It is extremely difficult for people addicted to drugs to achieve and maintain long-term abstinence. Research shows long-term drug use actually changes a person's brain function, causing them to crave the drug even more, making it increasingly difficult for the person to quit. Especially for adolescents, intervening and stopping substance abuse early is important, as children become addicted to drugs much faster than adults and risk greater physical, mental and psychological harm from illicit drug use.

Myth #7: Treatment just doesn't work.
FACT: Treatment can help people. Studies show drug treatment reduces drug use by 40 to 60 percent and can significantly decrease criminal activity during and after treatment. There is also evidence that drug addiction treatment reduces the risk of HIV infection (intravenous -drug users who enter and stay in treatment are up to six times less likely to become infected with HIV than other users) and improves the prospects for employment, with gains of up to 40 percent after treatment.

Myth #8: Nobody will voluntarily seek treatment until they hit ‘rock bottom.’
FACT: There are many things that can motivate a person to enter and complete substance abuse treatment before they hit "rock bottom." Pressure from family members and employers, as well as personal recognition that they have a problem, can be powerful motivating factors for individuals to seek treatment. For teens, parents and school administrators are often driving forces in getting them into treatment once problems at home or in school develop but before situations become dire. Seventeen percent of adolescents entering treatment in 1999 were self- or individual referrals, while 11 percent were referred through schools.

Myth #9: You can't force someone into treatment.
FACT: Treatment does not have to be voluntary. People coerced into treatment by the legal system can be just as successful as those who enter treatment voluntarily. Sometimes they do better, as they are more likely to remain in treatment longer and to complete the program. In 1999, over half of adolescents admitted into treatment were directed to do so by the criminal justice system.

Myth #10: There should be a standard treatment program for everyone.
FACT: One treatment method is not necessarily appropriate for everyone. The best programs develop an individual treatment plan based on a thorough assessment of the individual's problems. These plans may combine a variety of methods tailored to address each person's specific needs and may include behavioral therapy (such as counseling, cognitive therapy or psychotherapy), medications, or a combination. Referrals to other medical, psychological and social services may also be crucial components of treatment for many people. Furthermore, treatment for teens varies depending on the child's age, maturity and family/peer environment, and relies more heavily than adult treatment on family involvement during the recovery process. "[They] must be approached differently than adults because of their unique developmental issues, differences in their values and belief systems, and environmental considerations (e.g., strong peer influences)."

Myth #11: If you've tried one doctor or treatment program, you've tried them all.
FACT: Not every doctor or program may be the right fit for someone seeking treatment.
For many, finding an approach that is personally effective for treating their addiction can mean trying out several different doctors and/or treatment centers before a perfect "match" is found between patient and program.

Myth #12: People can successfully finish drug abuse treatment in a couple of weeks if they're truly motivated.
FACT: Research indicates a minimum of 90 days of treatment for residential and outpatient drug-free programs, and 21 days for short-term inpatient programs to have an effect. To maintain the treatment effect, follow up supervision and support are essential. In all recovery programs the best predictor of success is the length of treatment. Patients who remain at least a year are more than twice as likely to remain drug free, and a recent study showed adolescents who met or exceeded the minimum treatment time were over one and a half times more likely to abstain from drug and alcohol use 4 However, completing a treatment program is merely the first step in the struggle for recovery that can extend throughout a person's entire lifetime.

Myth #13: People who continue to abuse drugs after treatment are hopeless.
FACT: Drug addiction is a chronic disorder; occasional relapse does not mean failure.
Psychological stress from work or family problems, social cues (i.e. meeting individuals from one's drug-using past), or their environment (i.e. encountering streets, objects, or even smells associated with drug use) can easily trigger a relapse. Addicts are most vulnerable to drug use during the few months immediately following their release from treatment. Children are especially at risk for relapse when forced to return to family and environmental situations that initially led them to abuse substances. Recovery is a long process and frequently requires multiple treatment attempts before complete and consistent sobriety can be achieved.

Under 18 years old	24%
18-23 years old	35%
23-30 years old	19%
30-40 years old	13%
Over 40 years old	6%