MethamphetaminMethamphetaminee

Slang TermsSlang Terms

MethMeth Crystal MethCrystal Meth MAMA CrankCrank IceIce AmpAmp Tick TickTick Tick TinaTina Mexican CrackMexican Crack

What is it?What is it?

What is it?What is it? Stimulant (speeds up the CNS)Stimulant (speeds up the CNS)

What does it look like?What does it look like?

Methamphetamine Powder

Description: Beige/yellowy/off-white powder

Base / Paste Methamphetamine

Description: ‘Oily’, ‘gunky’, ‘gluggy’ gel, moist, waxy

Crystalline Methamphetamine (“Crystal”)

Description: White/clear crystals/rocks; ‘crushed glass’ / ‘rock salt’

How does it enter your How does it enter your body?body?

Smoked (base or crystal)Smoked (base or crystal) Injected (cooked into a liquid)Injected (cooked into a liquid) Swallowed (pill form)Swallowed (pill form) Snorted (powder)Snorted (powder)

What is in it?What is in it?

• • Anhydrous ammonia Anhydrous ammonia (fertilizer)(fertilizer)

•• EphedrineEphedrine ( (cold cold medicationsmedications))

• • Ether (engine starter)Ether (engine starter)

•• Hydrochloric acidHydrochloric acid ((pool supplypool supply))

• • Iodine (salt flakes)Iodine (salt flakes)• • Kitty litterKitty litter• • Lithium (batteries)Lithium (batteries)•• MethanolMethanol ( (gasoline gasoline

additiveadditive))

•• Pseudoephedrine Pseudoephedrine ((cold cold medicationsmedications))

•• Red phosphorus Red phosphorus (matches or road (matches or road flares)flares)

•• Rubbing alcoholRubbing alcohol

•• Sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (drain cleaner)(drain cleaner)

•• Toluene (Toluene (brake brake cleanercleaner))

Toxic Effects of Toxic Effects of ManufacturingManufacturing

FiresFiresExplosionsExplosionsToxic gasesToxic gasesToxic wasteToxic waste

Dependence/AddictionDependence/Addiction

Does it cause addiction?Does it cause addiction? Yes! It is HIGHLY physically and Yes! It is HIGHLY physically and

psychologically addictive. psychologically addictive. Do you go through withdrawal?Do you go through withdrawal?

Yes!Yes! Severe Depression Severe Depression Anhedonia (cannot feel any pleasure)Anhedonia (cannot feel any pleasure)

Primarily causes its effects by Primarily causes its effects by causing a “flood” of causing a “flood” of

epinephrineepinephrine, norepinephrine , norepinephrine and dopamine in the brainand dopamine in the brain

““Flood” produces:Flood” produces:

• EuphoriaEuphoria• Sense of invulnerabilitySense of invulnerability• Sharpened/narrowed attention Sharpened/narrowed attention • TalkativeTalkative

Common physical Common physical effects:effects:

• • Insomnia (can’t sleep)Insomnia (can’t sleep)• Weight lossWeight loss• TremorsTremors• Hyperthermia Hyperthermia

(“cook from the inside out”)(“cook from the inside out”)

Cardiovascular Cardiovascular problemsproblems

↑ ↑ heart rateheart rate Palpitations Palpitations Arrhythmia Arrhythmia ↑ ↑ blood pressureblood pressure Chest Pain Chest Pain Valve thickening Valve thickening

Respiratory Respiratory problemsproblems

↑↑ RespirationsRespirations

Lung capacity Lung capacity

especially especially

when smoked when smoked

Kidney and Liver Kidney and Liver ToxicityToxicity

Kidney Kidney failurefailure

Liver failure

Other problemsOther problems• Eye ulcers Eye ulcers • Tumors Tumors • Birthing Birthing

complications complications

• Anorexia Anorexia • Tooth decayTooth decay

• ““Meth Mouth”Meth Mouth”

Neurological & Neurological & Psychological EffectsPsychological Effects

Stereotyped behavior: “Stereotyped behavior: “tweakingtweaking”” ParanoiaParanoia IrritabilityIrritability HHallucinationsallucinations

(“(“METH BUGSMETH BUGS”)”) May present a clinical picture that May present a clinical picture that

is indistinguishable from paranoid is indistinguishable from paranoid schizophreniaschizophrenia

Who is using Who is using Methamphetamine?Methamphetamine?

-Groups with high or increasing rates of -Groups with high or increasing rates of Methamphetamine use:Methamphetamine use:

• • WomenWomen

• • AdolescentsAdolescents

• • Predominantly Caucasian, Increasing Predominantly Caucasian, Increasing Numbers of HispanicsNumbers of Hispanics

• • Men who have Sex with Men (MSM)Men who have Sex with Men (MSM)

LifetimeLifetime Drug Use by Grade Drug Use by Grade Level: LA County, 2002-03Level: LA County, 2002-03

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Ecstasy Marijuana Meth Inhalants

% E

ver

Trie

d

7th Grade9th Grade11th Grade

12%

2%

59%

2%25%

Alcohol

Methamphetamine

Cocaine

Marijuana

Other

Heroin 14%

36%

11%

26%

4%

9%

Primary Drug Problem Among Primary Drug Problem Among Adolescent and Young Adult Adolescent and Young Adult

Treatment AdmissionsTreatment Admissions

17 years and under

18-25 years old

DosageDosage Medications such as Adderall (used Medications such as Adderall (used

to treat ADD/ ADHD) & Dexedrine to treat ADD/ ADHD) & Dexedrine (used to treat narcolepsy) typically (used to treat narcolepsy) typically prescribedprescribed at dosages of at dosages of

10-40 mg/day10-40 mg/day

Methamphetamine use by Methamphetamine use by addictsaddicts typically typically 250-500 mg/day250-500 mg/day

Cost of MethamphetamineCost of Methamphetamine

Price per gram ranges from $20-150Price per gram ranges from $20-150 depending on area of the countrydepending on area of the country

Thus someone using Thus someone using 250 mg/day250 mg/day only only needs to spend needs to spend $5-35/day$5-35/day to support to support their habittheir habit

Compare this to Compare this to cocainecocaine, on which , on which habitual users often spend habitual users often spend $100-$100-300/day300/day ““Poor Man’s Cocaine”Poor Man’s Cocaine”