Methamphetamine Research Paper

The addiction of methamphetamine amongst juvenile’s and adults has reached epidemic proportions that affect the individual, families and communities. Methamphetamine abuse has crossed all social economic boundaries that have negatively impacted law enforcement, social and clinical services. According to Anglin, Burke, Perrochet, Stamper and Dawud-Noursi (2000), methamphetamine, also known as meth, crystal, or speed, is a substance that affects the central nervous system creating a stimulant effect that can be injected, smoked, snorted, or ingested orally. Individuals who use meth for an extensive period of time tend to become addicted and will likely need to continue to use meth at high levels for its effects to continue to provide the euphoric symptoms and sensations. Anglin, et al, also describe methamphetamine as a derivative of amphetamine, this form of amphetamine was often used for medication purposes in the 1950’s and 1960’s to treat symptoms of depression and obesity. Durell, Kroutil, Crits-Christoph, Barchha, and Van Brunt (2008), also stated that illicit methamphetamine use is a public health concern in the United States with an increase use among teens and young adults in the 1990s. The Mental Health Services Administration conducted a national survey on meth use in the United States and found that currently as least a half a million of Americans used or have used methamphetamine. Meth use is an epidemic that is slowly becoming a destructive

Due to the impaired state while using meth, when a user is irritable they start to lose patience for others. This is dangerous because users don’t understand the amount of force they use if they were to hit someone, or worse, what the consequence would be if they were to have a deadly weapon. Anxiety is also a big issue with users; they feel that they are invincible and they want something to do. Some users have gone as far as believing they can fly; so they jump off a building or out a window. The irregular heart rate can be deadly if you have any type of minor heart disease. Finally, the increase in physical activity puts others in

Methadone is a strong drug that can overtake your body and start to deteriorate your body slowly but surely. Methadone can change the effects of your body physically, mentally, and emotionally. Methadone also changes your physical appearance to your skin and begin to either stretch or change your features.

While using methamphetamine, users can feel hypersexual and uninhibited, often forgetting to use protection. Since methamphetamine can be administered intravenously, some users share dirty needles. These acts can lead to the transmission of serious and deadly diseases, such as hepatitis, HIV and AIDS.

The Article discusses how the meth rampage in America, has essentially destroyed people, and their communites. This drug started on the west coast but eventually spread to the east. Meth is easily, and cheaply made. Yet has permanent effects, and destroys lives, and town. The toxic ingredients in meth lead to server tooth decay known as meth mouth. The teeth become black, stained, and rotting. The teeth and gums are destroyed form the inside, and the roots rot away. It also causes open sores, weight loss, and will make you look twenty years older than you really are. One puff will keep you up for 24 hours. Methamphetamine is a manmade chemicals, battery acid, drain cleaners, and anti-freeze., as well as amphetamines, which is from cold medicine.

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.

I found this documentary to be very sad to watch and I could see how this drug can really destroy the addict’s life and those around them as well. Some of the themes that I saw within this video were feelings of shame/guilt, hating themselves, confusion, using meth to self-medicate, and giving into peer pressure. I also noticed many addicts not wanting to use the drug anymore, but still continuing to do so and feeling a loss of control in their lives overall. Meth was referred to as the “devil” and I can see why many people would say that because it can destroy every aspect of your life if you abuse it.

“On the streets it is referred to as Crystal, Ice, and Crank. Methamphetamines are viciously addictive and provide the hyperactivity effects of cocaine along with the delusional effects of lysergic acid diethylamide known as LSD.” Rehabs can be found in almost every community from the smallest to the largest cities and affects through all social classes from the lowest to highest. “It is estimated that there are twenty-six million and counting worldwide users of this drug.” Meth is a typical high around six to twelve hours on a small quantity. It's so easy to make; if you know how to make chocolate chip cookies then you can make meth simple as that. The documentary the world's most dangerous drug, talks about what meth is and how many people

Some behavioural symptoms might be depression, delusions and hallucinations, obsessive behaviour, uncontrollable movement, addiction and aggression, paranoia and tolerance to the drug. ‘Body by Meth’, the users’ hair will start to fall out due to the toxic chemicals mixed with malnutrition, it can lead to rotting teeth and gums due to poor oral hygiene and the acidity of the drug, meth raises body temperature to dangerous levels and it severally increases heart and blood rate. They often hallucinate that bugs are crawling under their skin causing the users of the drug to try and dig them out leaving them with open sores, meth users also become very frail and thin due to the absence of appetite. Users of meth lose all self-respect for themselves, almost as if they’re becoming a slave to the drug. They become vulnerable and the risk factor increases while their care factor drops and they tend to be less selective when choosing their sexual partners. Meth users are more likely to engage in unsafe sexual behaviours such as unprotected sex, this increases the risk of STI’s (sexually transmitted diseases) like Herpes, Chlamydia, HIV and

In addition to meth increasing pleasure for users, the dopamine it releases creates sexual arousal. Often, meth and sexual promiscuity are associated with each other (CrystalMethAddiction.org). While the drug increases one’s sex drive, it also impairs judgment; this can place addicts at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and even infidelity. Both can harm relationships with romantic partners (AxisResidentialTreatment.com). Furthermore, a meth addiction can turn into an addict’s priority, often leading to them to chase meth’s high at the expense of neglecting any children they may have. Sometimes, the children may end up in the foster care system if parents cannot take care of them due to their addiction. Friends of addicts may also stray away from them. Meth abusers may become too invested in getting high that friends may not want to invest their time and effort into someone who is not willing or able to help his or

Methamphetamine is an acutely dangerous problem in the United States because of its powerful and extremely addictive qualities. It is frequently termed in the gay community as Tina, crystal, the girl, meth, and the bitch. According to National Institute on Drug Abuse ([NIDA], 2013), over 4.7 % of the U.S. population has tried methamphetamines at least once, and national trends demonstrated that in the first half of 2012 methamphetamine remained categorized as the first in drug associated treatment admissions in Hawaii and in San Diego, second in San Francisco, and third in Phoenix and in Denver. Methamphetamine use has been identified as the most rapidly emerging crisis in the United States (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014).

The Mouse Party interactive experiment, released by The University of Utah, was quite an interesting and bizarre way to learn how drugs affect the brain. My prior knowledge on this subject matter was rather small, therefore my interest in this experiment was elevated. I chose to discuss three drugs that interested me the most in this reflection. LSD was the first drug that struck my curiosity when learning about the compound components to. Thus to no surprise, the rat that was on it was picked first.

Some of the dependence people would do to take methamphetamine is having more time. One addict took meth so he can work 24 hours a day up to two weeks. Taking meth can have serious side effects like severe depression and inability to eat or sleep. The body also gets affected; one of the affects is called meth mouth. The teeth starts to deteriorates due to grind and the chemicals, which wear away the enamel and the gums, the salivary glands dry out which causes the teeth rots and decay. The appeal of methamphetamine is that it gives the brain high levels of dopamine. They contend to use the drug because of the high levels of dopamine and it’s hard to get off the drug.

Other amphetamines, which differ from amphetamine by small changes in molecular makeup (composition or structure), include methamphetamine, Benzedrine, MDMA, and Dexedrine. The most commonly abused amphetamine is methamphetamine, also commonly known as meth. While this substance, like most amphetamines, does have medical uses, it is the most widely available (generally in the form of crystals) and provides the most intense high. Further, the chemical qualities that make methamphetamine (and amphetamines in general) a popular recreational drug also make it highly toxic to the body. Meth users are at a high risk of losing their teeth prematurely, a condition known as “meth mouth.” This is due both to the dry mouth caused by the chemical qualities of meth and the poor personal hygiene of meth users (as paranoia and other psychological disorders, which are not terribly conducive to personal cleanliness, are side effects of meth use). Also, meth users are at elevated risk of Parkinson’s disease because of the way methamphetamine promotes enormous release of neurotransmitters in the

Crystal Meth is a very popular drugs in the U.S. Meth is easy to make and is highly desirable because of the high it gives. Meth is very devastating to the body and to the mind of users. Addicts suffer greatly as the drug truly take a toll on their bodies. Chemicals needed to make meth can be found at any CVS or pharmacy in the country. Over the counter meds are they key to making the drug, which has caused the epic boom in meth use. The convenience and the chemical high meth gives off is what makes it so popular in today 's day and age. Meth is a dangerous and powerful drug that has the power to ruin lives.