Methamphetamine Street names: Speed, Meth, Tweak, Blue Devils, Crystal, Working man’s cocaine Looks like: clear chunky crystals resembling ice or white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol Used: taken orally, intra-nasally (snorting the powder), by needle injection, or by smoking. Schedule: It is a Schedule II stimulant. What does Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) have to do with meth?

Symptoms of methamphetamine use (even small amounts): Inability to sleep /increased wakefulness Increased sensitivity to noise Nervous physical activity, like scratching Irritability, dizziness, or confusion Decreased appetite and extreme anorexia Tremors or even convulsions Increased heart rate, irregular heart beat, blood pressure, and risk of stroke Presence of inhaling paraphernalia, such as razor blades, mirrors and straws Presence of injecting paraphernalia, such as syringes, heated spoons, or surgical tubing

Long-term effects on the body: extreme weight loss severe dental problems Anxiety, confusion Insomnia mood disturbances violent behavior Chronic methamphetamine abusers can also display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and delusions (for example, the sensation of insects creeping under the skin). Also, transmission of HIV and hepatitis B and C can be consequences of methamphetamine abuse.

Effects on the brain: Methamphetamine increases the release of very high levels of the brain chemical dopamine, which is involved in motivation, the experience of pleasure, and motor function. Chronic methamphetamine abuse significantly changes how the brain functions. Noninvasive human brain imaging studies have shown alterations in the activity of the dopamine system that are associated with reduced motor performance and impaired verbal learning. Recent studies in chronic methamphetamine abusers have also revealed severe structural and functional changes in areas of the brain associated with emotion and memory, which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive problems observed in chronic methamphetamine abusers. Methamphetamine abuse can also lead to addiction—a chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, and accompanied by chemical and molecular changes in the brain. Some of these changes persist long after methamphetamine abuse is stopped, and some reverse after sustained periods of abstinence.

Progression of Meth Use