Molly Fineran
HE 366
Thomas
[Type text] [Type text]
Methamphetamines
Methamphetamines in the category of stimulants along with cocaine, caffine,
amphetamines, bath salts, over the counter drugs, ephedra, and ecstasy. Meth is
usually used through an IV, orally, smoked, or snorted. The effects of
methamphetamines are does dependent.
The short term physical effects last several hours and include increased heart
rate, respiration, high blood pressure, increased body temperature, reduced
appetite, reduced fatigue and meth dilates the bronchial tubes. Short term
psychological effects include wakefulness, a feeling of well being, elevated self
confidence, increased capacity to work, and enhanced concentration.
Long term physical effects are increased tolerance which leads to addicts to
go on binges that can last several days. Also includes, both an increase and decrease
in appetite, malnutrition, blood vessel damage, heart damage, skin eruptions. Meth
takes a toll on a persons physical appearance and witnesses can see a drastic change
within four years that include, loss of teeth and hair, skin sores and also liver
damage. Long term psychological effects take the form of paranoia and lethargy
because the body can no longer maintain forced stimulation. Also, sleep deprivation,
hallucinations, wild mood swings, suicidal depression and can cause a person to
become homicidal.
Molly Fineran
HE 366
Thomas
[Type text] [Type text]
Overdosing on meth has similar symptoms like the long term psychological
effects, these include, paranoia, hallucinations, muscle tremors, agitation, itching,
suicidal depression, over heating, tachychardia and seizures. Withdrawals and
detoxing from meth are not life threatening but cause sleepiness, irritability,
cravings, muscle pain, itching, physical depression that can last for weeks or
months, psychological depression that can last years and an increase or decrease in
appetite.
I have an aunt that uses meth among other things, one thing that she does is
she will go on a meth binge and stay up for days and then she will use heroin to
make herself pass out for days. It is a never ending cycle of horrible drug
interactions. From her experience with meth I have seen the cravings and
impatience that make it nearly impossible for someone to kick the habit for good.
Oregon was known as the meth capital of the world at one point in time. We
have recently seen a decline in the number of meth related drug busts going from
473 meth lab incidents in 2003 to having 13 in 2010. This decline is due to the
“Oregon Solution”, this solution has made the main ingredient in meth,
pseudoephedrine, only available to those with a prescription. In the United States
there is currently a 3-6% annual adolescent use. There has been a wave effect to the
use patterns of meth in the US. This is due to the variety of different laws that have
been making ingredients for meth harder to get. Use will decrease for a while until
those who produce meth find a way around the laws. There has been talk about
Molly Fineran
HE 366
Thomas
[Type text] [Type text]
introducing the Oregon Solution to other states but this has been met with
resistance by the pharmaceutical companies that have to increase their cost if their
drug (pseudoephdrine) is only available through prescription.
Molly Fineran
HE 366
Thomas
[Type text] [Type text]
Resources
1. Oregon Meth Lab Incidents Statistics
2. Hanson,G., Venturelli,P., Fleckenstein, A. (2011) Drugs and Society,
Eleventh Edition. Jones and Bartlett Publisher.