Drug Abuse Education Course
Master Sgt. Doug Oswald
Assistant Drug Demand Reduction Administrator
Methamphetamine
• Methamphetamine is a central nervous system
stimulant derived in 1932 from amphetamine,
a drug synthesized in the early 1900s.
• Effects the natural chemicals adrenalin,
seratonin and dopamine.
• Has surpassed crack and cocaine in some areas
as the synthetic drug of choice.
Methamphetamine
• Methamphetamine has become a huge problem in
America do to the increased legal, medical and
social costs to local communities.
• 0.2% of the population, 512,000, are current meth
users.
• 0.5% used meth at least once in the past year.
• 4.3% used meth at least once in their life.
Methamphetamine
• Made in illegal labs and smuggled into the U.S.
by Mexican criminal organizations.
• Can be snorted, injected, smoked or swallowed.
• Users can get addicted quickly and become very
violent.
• They may experience feelings of paranoia,
psychosis, schizophrenia, obsessive behavior,
and hallucinations in the form of “crack bugs”
which result in obsessive picking of the skin.
Methamphetamine
• Powder cocaine highs start in 8 minutes and
last about an hour.
• Crack highs start in 8 seconds and last 20
minutes.
• A meth high can start in 5 seconds and last
from 8 to 12 hours.
Methamphetamine
• Binge users try to retain the high for as long as
possible by re-dosing.
• When a user crashes, they’ll sleep for days and
may not return to normal for weeks.
• Withdrawal symptoms can last for months.
• Signs of overdose include convulsions and
agitation.
Methamphetamine
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Addiction
Decreased appetite
Anxiety & restlessness
Pupil dilation and blurred vision
Increased respiratory rate
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Heart attack & stroke
Hyperthermia and convulsions
Brain damage
Death
Meth Street Names
Blue Meth
Chalk
Chicken Feed
Cinnamon
Crank
Cristy
Crystal meth
Geep
Glass
Go-fast
Hot Ice
Ice
Kaksonjae
L.A. Glass
Lemon Drop
OZs
Peanut Butter
Quartz
Sketch
Spoosh
Speed
Stove Top
Super Ice
Tick Tick
Trash
Wash
Wire
Yaba
Yellow Barn
Zip
Methamphetamine
• Many toxic chemicals are used in making meth
resulting in environmental contamination.
• The production of one pound of meth releases
poisonous gas and creates 5-7 pounds of toxic
waste.
• The toxic waste gets poured down drains or
dumped on the ground.
Methamphetamine
• One out of every six meth labs is discovered
when it explodes or starts on fire.
• Because of the hazardous materials used in
making meth, it can cost $29,000, or more, to
clean up a lab.
• Some Minnesota counties spend over $500,000
annually to clean meth labs and meth waste.
• Cleanup crews must wear protective clothing
and use breathing apparatus.
Who uses Meth in the U.S?
• ER Admissions:
– 1995: 15,933
– 1996: 11,002
– 1997: 17,154
– 1998: 11,486
– 1999: 10,447
– 2000: 13,505
– 2001: 14,923
– 2002: 17,696
• Ever Tried:
– 8th: 3.5%
– 10th: 6.1%
– 12th: 6.7%
– College: 5.0%
• Current Use:
– 8th: 1.1%
– 10th: 1.8%
– 12th: 1.7%
• Treatment admissions:
– College: 0.2%
– 1995: 48,000
– 1996: 41,000
– 1997: 54,000
• Average street price:
– 1998: 57,000
– per pound: $3,500-$23,000
– 1999: 58,000
– Per ounce: $350-$2,200
– 2000: 66,052
– Per gram: $20-$300
Who Uses Meth in Minnesota?
• 49.6kgs (4,492 dosage units) were seized in 2005.
• 49.4% (126) of the federal level drug cases in 2005
involved meth.
• 51.7% (1,127) of all drug offenders in 2005 were
arrested for meth.
• 15.8% (7,158) of all treatment admissions in 2005
were amphetemine & meth related.
• 22 children were injured at meth labs in 2005.
• 88 meth labs were seized in 2005:
2001: 154
2003: 301
2002: 242
2004: 96
Faces of Meth
Faces of Meth
4 years later
Meth addict, early 30s
Faces of Meth
Meth addict, late 30s
3 months later
Faces of Meth
8 months later
Meth addict, age 20
Faces of Meth
Meth addict, age 28
4 months later
Faces of Meth
3.5 years later
Meth addict, age 39
Meth-mouth
Who uses Illegal Drugs?
What’s the Cost?
Statistical Sources
2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings
Department of Health and Human Services,
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,
Office of Applied Studies
http://oas.samhsa.gov/