Methamphetamine, also known as meth, is an addictive stimulant drug that comes in the form of a powder and can be made into a pill or a shiny rock called crystal. The powder can be eaten or snorted and can also be mixed with liquid and injected. Crystal meth is usually smoked in a small glass pipe.
Meth is one of the most addictive and damaging drugs on the illicit market. Some methods of administration cause a sudden rush of euphoria, while ingesting it will not, but the high will last longer. Lee Rood wrote an article on the meth addiction crisis in the Des Moines Register and interviewed Genna Reed, who struggled with meth addiction and is now in recovery. She stated, “Dealers are cutting today’s meth with heroin and other hard drugs, increasing the risk of overdoses.”
Meth use quickly leads to addiction and causes very serious medical problems, including:
- Dangerously high body temperature
- Severe itching
- Emotional problems, psychosis, and hallucinations
- Broken or rotting teeth
- HIV/AIDS or hepatitis. When meth is injected, there is a high risk of contracting diseases such as HIV/AIDS or hepatitis, which can be deadly.
Meth can rapidly deteriorate a person’s behavior or appearance if he or she is a heavy user. It causes you to burn a lot of energy while not eating well. This leads to weight loss and a sickly appearance. The skin has sores that do not heal and you develop the “shakes” in your hands or body. A mouth looks sunken as your teeth go bad.
There are dangerous effects of meth use and addiction. The large amount of dopamine that is produced by meth triggers psychosis that can persist years after the drug use stops. Meth use also leads to organ failure, heart attack, stroke, seizures, overdose, and early death. Meth addiction is treatable and recovery is possible.
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