Meth Essay

It was developed in Japan in 1919 with little research for what it could do to the body. Methamphetamine was easily used because it could be dissolved in water making it have the characterization of an injectable drug. During World War 2, between 1939 and 1945, Meth was used at large amounts to keep soldiers awake and alert. They didn't know that they were really giving these soldiers an addicting high. During the 1950s it was then diagnosed as an antidepressant and a diet aid making it more commonly used. By the 1960s it was being abused even more due to the fact that it was a common drug that was able to be used as medicine (“Foundation for a Drug Free World”). It was also easier to access. Today Meth is transported to the US by Mexico. It is produced in large laboratories in Mexico but is also produced here in the US in toxic labs which explains how bad it is alone. Meth was used in the past like it was good for us and no big deal but now the real dangers and risks are known for this

Meth abuse has been characterized into three different stages, low-intensity meth abuse, binge meth abuse, and high-intensity meth abuse. Low-intensity meth abuse consists of meth users who snort or swallow Methamphetamine. These types of meth users are usually using meth as an appetite suppressant to lose weight, or are using meth because they want or need to stay awake long enough to finish a task at hand. Binge meth abuse are users who

Meth is not only highly addictive it is easily "cooked" in homes across the country. Unlike some drugs, which are derived from natural sources, meth includes an array of dangerous chemicals. These chemicals can include battery acid, rat poison and motor oil.

Heroin, a white powder, was created in 1874, and was sold as a safe substitute for morphine. However, it was discovered that heroin produced a quick dependency in people. Heroin and other opiates were made illegal in 1920 as part of the Dangerous Drugs Act. Still today, however, Heroin is illegally manufactured and imported, largely from the Indian sub-continent.

Meth was originally used for medical purposes; it was used to help treat narcolepsy (wanting to sleep), obesity (being overweight), and Attention Deficit

Methamphetamine also affects the user’s mouth. This is often referred to as “meth mouth.” There are several factors which, when combined, create an environments that destroys the teeth, the blood supply and supporting tissues. Methamphetamine users are unable to take care of daily tasks, such as brushing and flossing, due to the crash affect of this drug which can last many days. When they are awake for long periods of time the energy bursts they experience do not allow them to concentrate

Generally, a person will go through a cycle of predictable behavior after starting meth. Immediately after taking it the user will feel a rush which involves the most exhilarating feelings. Next, they experience the high which can last for several hours. The actual rush and high is what everyone is trying to achieve. In order to keep this high the user will often binge, meaning they will continue to take meth for hours. This binge can last for days. Eventually the user will experience “tweaking” which may cause the user to become violent or delusional. Finally the user will experience the crash. Since the addict has been using meth for several days they may have had little or no sleep and their bodies have become

The ingredients used to create meth, are not complex ingredients. Many of the ingredients are normal every day household chemicals, and over-the-counter drugs.

Methadone is an opioid and it is given to Heroin addicts to help wean them off of Heroin. Methadone doesn’t cause the exact “high” that Heroin may cause accordingly it can assist addicts thus they don’t have a longing to take it considering they are addicted to the ingredient not the high. Other forms of medication to help treat people addicted to opioids is Buprenorphine. If an individual is addicted to Heroin and is on Methadone for twenty-four hours it prevents them from getting high on Heroin. Methadone also will be much milder and safer than Heroin. Methadone prevents the severe withdrawal that Heroin has but that is not to say that Methadone itself doesn’t have a withdrawal. Methadone has a slow mild withdrawal and it is cheap compared to heroin and it’s also long lasting.

Once these laws took effect, and methamphetamine lab arrests increased, users began to start seeking alternatives to manufacturing the drug at home. Cartels and gangs, primarily from Mexico, started realizing that Florida was a large market to sell mass quantities of “ice” methamphetamine and began to traffic the pure clear crystalized drug to Central Florida. “The purity of crystal methamphetamine typically is over 80 percent, depending upon the amount of washing, the purity of the initial substance, and the experience of the laboratory operator. Crystal methamphetamine typically is administered by smoking using a glass pipe, although some abusers inject the drug.” (National Drug Intelligence Center,

I chose Methamphetamines because of how fast the drug causes users to go downhill. When meth became the drug of choice in Arizona, within a couple months entire neighborhoods were garbage strewn, and the physical effects of the drug became apparent in anyone using. Friends disappeared off the radar, to be seen a month later, unemployed, paranoid, scabbed and thin. I would like to learn more about the history and long-term effects on the body from methamphetamines.

Even though Desoxyn (pharmaceutical grade of methamphetamine) is a medication advised for weight reduction, ADHD, narcolepsy and depression. Methamphetamine is a life-threatening dangerous drug. because it 's highly addictive stimulant that burns up the body’s resources, creating a devastating dependence that can only be relieved by taking more of the drug. In addition when repeatedly taken over time, methamphetamine can damage nerve cells located in the brain’s pleasure center, causing irreversible harm to the brain. Making meth is also, an extreme hazard because meth labs produce severely toxic fumes. So toxic that homes/locations priorly containing meth labs can not be resold for an extensive period of time. The epidemic of methamphetamine abuse, causes devastating damage to teeth and oral tissues. Considering I want to be a dental hygienist, it important that I know what to look for, how to treat, and how it affects my patients.

Meth was based off the German-made amphetamine. Later in 1919, the Japanese found out methamphetamine was easier to make and more potent. It was used with both sides of World War II as an injection to keeps troops awake for things like suicide missions with Kamikaze suicide pilots. After the war though, it became available to the public in Japan.

Methamphetamine was used originally in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. There are a few accepted medical reasons for its use, such as the treatment of narcolepsy and ADD, but these uses are limited. In its regular form, methamphetamines are also known as speed, meth, and chalk. In its smoked form, it is known as ice, crystal, crank, and glass. Methamphetamine comes in many forms and can be smoked, snorted, orally ingested or injected. The smokeable form of methamphetamine, knows as "ice," came into use in the 1980's. Ice is a large, usually clear crystal of high purity that is smoked in a glass pipe like crack/cocaine. The smoke is odorless, leaves a residue that can be re-smoked, and produces effects that my continue for 12 hours or more. Since there are a few accepted medical reasons for its use, methamphetamine is a controlled substance in the United States, and cannot be used legally without a doctor's approval. Methamphetamine abuse can also lead to legal, financial, and social problems. If methamphetamines are used during pregnancy, babies tend to be asocial, incapable of bonding, have tremors, have birth defects, and cry for 24 hours without stopping. There is also an increased risk of child abuse and neglect of children born to parents who use methamphetamines. WISC-TV reports, "There's a new drug moving into your neighborhood, reports WISC-TV. It's methamphetamine and it's one of the

A person’s body, in almost every aspect of its being, is addicted when one is a mild to chronic user and abuser. The nervous system, brain, and muscle tissue are all living in anticipation of the next high. So, for the addict, it is crucial that the cycle of behavior, is broken. The addict needs to pull up the anchor that keeps them from moving forward. This means changing environments, patterns and even sometimes friends and social associates.