What Is Meth?

Methamphetamine, or meth for short, is also referred to as “speed”, “ice”, “crystal”, “shards”, “crank”, "chalk", “glass”, “tina”, “zip” and “dope”. 'Crystal meth' is the same thing as meth but just refers to its crystal form. Meth is most commonly found in crystal shards which looks similar to pieces of broken glass. It can also be chopped up into finer particles to be snorted or dissolved in water and injected intravenously. 

Things to Know about Meth

Meth is a man made stimulant that has a history of being one of the most addicting, harmful and dangerous drugs in the world. Meth was first introduced in the early 1900's and was used in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers and has almost the same effect but much more powerful.  When consumed, meth has a powerful effect on the central nervous system. Methamphetamines can be easily created with over the counter drugs in makeshift labs and nearly all of the ingredients can be obtained in local pharmacies which makes the drug very difficult to control. Since meth is so addicting and easily created, it has become a drug of widespread abuse. The criminal aspect of meth causes it to be even more dangerous because there is no way to know how it was made or what was used to make it.  Sometimes, extremely toxic substances are used such as battery acid, antifreeze, and carburetor cleaners are used which have caused serious injuries to meth users.

How Meth is Used

Common methods of administering meth include:

Smoking meth in a glass pipe

Snorting powdered meth

Meth in capsule or pill from

Meth injected intravenously

What Meth Does

Methamphetamine is often called an 'upper' which means that it increases the user's energy and heightens their awareness. When meth is consumed, there is an initial surge of energy and euphoria for a few minutes; this is what addicts tend to crave most. The immediate high that meth produces after being smoked or injected is similar to the rush that cocaine users experience. After the rush wears off, some users become irritable and express hostility towards others but the increased energy and heightened senses remain for the duration of the 'high'. The length of the effects varies from 30 minutes to 12 hours or more depending on the potency of the drug and how much of it was taken. Meth also gives the user a suppressed sense of hunger, and most experience difficulty sleeping until long after the effects have worn off. 

Signs of Meth Use

When someone develops a methamphetamine addiction there is some noticeable changes in their appearance, behavior and interests. It is important to educate yourself about what these signs can be so that you can spot the problem and get them help. Users will always try to give excuses or justifications as to why things are going wrong with their life or why they are acting strangely.

Some common signs include:

• avoidance
• dilated pupils
• quick speech
• decrease in sleeping or eating
• anxiety
• increased physical activity
• loss of weight
• abnormal sweating
• sores on the skin

Classification and Medical Use

Methamphetamine is classified as a schedule II stimulant with high potential for abuse. Most don’t know that sometimes methamphetamine is actually prescribed for narcolepsy, ADD and obesity and is available through a prescription which is not refillable.

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