Methamphetamine

Description

Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Crystal methamphetamine is a form of the drug that looks like glass fragments or shiny, bluish-white rocks. It is chemically similar to amphetamine, a drug used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, a sleep disorder.      Other common names for methamphetamine include blue, crystal, ice, meth, and speed.

How do people use methamphetamine?

People can take methamphetamine by:

• smoking
• swallowing (pill)
• snorting
• injecting the powder that has been dissolved in water/alcohol

Because the “high” from the drug both starts and fades quickly, people often take repeated doses in a “binge and crash” pattern. In some cases, people take methamphetamine in a form of binging known as a “run,” giving up food and sleep while continuing to take the drug every few hours for up to several days.

Use

Users of mephedrone say that it gives a feeling of stimulation, and that it boosts the following functions:

• alertness
• restlessness
• euphoria
• excitement
• the urge to talk
• openness
• sex drive

Some say that it makes them feel more confident, talkative, and alert.

Effects

Taking even small amounts of methamphetamine can result in many of the same health effects as those of other stimulants, such as cocaine or amphetamines. These include:

• increased wakefulness and physical activity
• decreased appetite
• faster breathing
• rapid and/or irregular heartbeat
• increased blood pressure and body temperature