Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine acts as a stimulant and an aphrodisiac while producing an addictive euphoria. An estimated ¾ million individuals used methamphetamine this week with suggestions that 6.5% of individuals over age 26 have experimented with the drug.

Over the past several decades the strength of methamphetamine quadrupled with crystal methamphetamine now more than 80% pure. Methamphetamine far surpasses cocaine in potency, duration of action, stimulant effects and ease of access. In the 1960s through 1980s, small meth labs churned out relatively weak product with plentiful impurities. The situation dramatically changed in the 1990s.

Methamphetamine provides a rush of dopamine with no natural equivalent. It may be injected or smoked for more rapid results or alternatively snorted or swallowed. Each method results in a different experience. Methamphetamine may be combined with an opioid, fentanyl or heroin to provide a more mellow experience.

Geographically methamphetamine use appears concentrated in the west and Midwest. As fear of death from unintentional fentanyl overdose increases and regulatory authorities enforce restrictions on opioids, methamphetamine use flourishes.

Effects of methamphetamine include euphoria and increased mood, wakefulness, physical activity and talkativeness. Unfortunately it negatively influences judgment and decision making. Consequences relate to unprotected sex, lack of dental hygiene and infectious diseases ranging from local abscesses and cellulitis to hepatitis and endocarditis.

No specific therapy is available to assist those who wish to discontinue their habit. Whether expensive treatment or addiction centers offer any specific advantages remains unknown.