Over the the course of its history, meth has been used for a variety of reasons, but more recently it has become one of the easiest and most effective ways to get high. Why? Because it’s inexpensive, easily made and can therefore be used by the poor and mentally ill alike.
Methamphetamine works by stimulating the heart and breathing, and causing the brain to over-produce dopamine. Dopamine increases the feelings of pleasure, regulates emotions and movement. Users have heightened senses of sight and sound, and can become easily agitated. Meth can be swallowed, snorted or injected, but it is most commonly smoked with a glass pipe.
The drug goes by many names, including:
- Crystal Meth
- Rock
- Glass
- Ice
- Speed
- Crack
Amphetamine and methamphetamine are not new synthetic drugs. Marketed as Benzedrine in North America and the UK in the ’20s and ’30s, amphetamine (and its more powerful cousin methamphetamine) was used in low doses as a diet aid and to treat narcolepsy and depression. Governments on both sides in WWII gave troops and pilots meth and pharmaceutical amphetamines.
In the 50’s amphetamines became available by prescription only and by the 80’s governments limited public access to known precursor chemicals (ingredients) to answer the rise in home chem labs producing the illegal substance. Meth didn’t become popular as a street drug until the late 80’s and in the early 90’s a crystal smoke-able form of meth (crystal meth) quickly became popular.
Crystal meth has become something of an epidemic in North America. The easy access and pronounced effects are what keep people addicted, and it is also a very difficult drug to quit. Prolonged usage can lead to psychosis and other serious mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia and Bi-Polar disorder. Making things even more difficult are statistics that say that 92% of former meth users will relapse and take the drug again. The brain and body are, however, resilient and can withstand quite a beating. With therapy, detox clinics and support it is possible to kick the habit and recover from the long-term damage from frequent usage.