Methamphetamine – an Addictive Grip
Methamphetamine originates from long ago starting with its parent branch, amphetamines. Amphetamines weren’t used very often, and not many cases were known that amphetamines helped. Scientists eventually started using it in medical treatment for all different types of illness. All amphetamines have a common effect on the brain which is stimulation of the central nervous system. Amphetamines act as an artificial adrenaline and pump chemicals into your brain that give you energy and focus. Shortly afterward, in Japan, Methamphetamine was synthesized by a scientist. Methamphetamine was used in the same way amphetamines were used: for medical treatment. Eventually, after realizing its addictive potential, it was made illegal in the United States. As with all amphetamines, this drug stimulates the central nervous system, but also causes some other unnatural brain effects. It raises dopamine levels causing the user to feel full of pleasure and happy, it raises the user’s confidence, it can cause a lack of appetite, it gives the user an unusual sense of strength, it makes the user feel very aware of his or her surroundings and atmosphere, and it causes an intense euphoria that lasts a variable amount of time.
Methamphetamine has gained quite a reputation on the streets giving it many different names. These different identities allow users to talk about it very casually without public awareness. Some of the names include: tina, crank, speed, ice, white pony, amp, glass, white cross, tweak, chalk, and many other incognitos. Generally, methamphetamine costs about $3000 per pound.
Methamphetamine affects many different people in the community: adults, elders, teenagers, children, even animals, but there are a few groups that methamphetamine is extremely prominate and common in. The heaviest usage of the drug is by teenagers. Almost every teenager has heard of the drug and it’s usage around school. It is one of the most common drugs around school making it very popular because of its availability. Not only will teenagers generally find it being sold around school, but also at popular parties and dance clubs. Methamphetamine is delivering a hard blow to all adults as well. It’s a well known fact that almost anyone can be pulled into the underground demon-esque world of drugs, but it’s absurd to see that even soccer moms and family men are being sucked into the evil. The most prominent usage of the drug is in gay communities because of its effect on the “sex drive”.
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that can be produced commercially by anyone in the United States. One of the main reasons it’s highly available is because of the little amount of chemistry someone has to know to synthesize this drug. It’s extremely easy to make and requires little to no previous knowledge. Anyone you know could be cooking methamphetamine in their basement at night. All of the chemicals that are used in making the drug are very common and can be picked up at almost any grocery store. Literally, a 9 year-old has potential to cook methamphetamine. You can find instructions anywhere, but the most used source is the internet. People can talk to other methamphetamine cooks and exchange tips and resources. On the internet it’s common for people to use the term “SWIM” or “Someone who isn’t me” to maximize anonymity and when talking about cooking methamphetamine they call it “dreaming” instead of “synthesizing”. People are well-known to go on binges where they cook methamphetamine and use it to stay awake and cook more. While the government is trying to prevent availability, they are doing a poor job. Some drug stores monitor certain items that are used in cooking methamphetamine. There are only three ingredients one needs to make methamphetamine: pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), Iodine Crystals (Iodine extract), and Red Phosphorus (Match strike boxes). “Dreamers” have perfected techniques to obtain these ingredients with little suspicion. Methamphetamine lab seizures have gone up 577% nationally since 1995.
There are many dangers to methamphetamine including long term and short term. Methamphetamine’s availability, price, and addictiveness cause it to be even more dangerous than the effects it has on one’s body. Some of the short term damage and effects may include: volatile or strange hallucinations, extreme hostility or anger, panic attacks, insomnia and other various sleep problems, tremors (constant shaking or motion) and feeling of bugs under the user’s skin. Some of the long term damage and effects may include: volatile or strange hallucinations without use of the drug, extremely disorganized and dirty, violent behavior and tendencies to lash out in aggression at random, mental disorders such as paranoid schizophrenia. It also may cause long term brain damage such as lower dopamine receptors or the ability to feel happy, damage to nerves (similar to Parkinson’s), actual holes in the brain, and an overall chemical imbalance. Generally, all methamphetamine users show the same effects after repeated usage, but some can be healed over a time of soberness.
There are many myths to drugs, but some are more harmful than others. One of the myths of the drug is that it is more helpful than it is dangerous. Some people rely on the drug to help the user focus and get better grades. Some people rely on the drug to give them energy. These few minor positive side clearly does not outweigh the dangers and long-term damage. Another myth is that methamphetamine only affects the user. Obviously this is not true; it affects the whole community through environmental hazards, and social problems. One of the most common myths is that methamphetamine is not as destructive as other drugs, this is completely untrue. Methamphetamine is one of the most dangerous and destructive drugs ever created due to its extreme addictiveness.
As one can see, methamphetamine is a drug that everyone should steer clear of. It affects teenagers, adults, and animals in a very negative way. It is becoming a massive problem in this country and it’s taking it’s toll on many communities outside the country as well. The more educated people are about this destructive drug, the more we can help control and extinguish this epidemic.
