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Methamphetamine Methamphetamine is a
stimulant drug chemically related to amphetamine but with stronger effects on
the central nervous system. Street names for the drug include
"speed," "meth," and "crank." Methamphetamine is used
in pill form, or in powdered form by snorting or injecting. Crystallized
methamphetamine known as "ice," "crystal," or
"glass," is a smokable and more powerful form of the drug. The effects of
methamphetamine use include: ************************* increased heart rate and blood pressure Methamphetamine users who
inject the drug and share needles are at risk for acquiring HIV/AIDS. Methamphetamine is an
increasingly popular drug at raves (all night dancing parties), and as part
of a number of drugs used by college-aged students. Marijuana and alcohol are
commonly listed as additional drugs of abuse among methamphetamine treatment
admissions. Most of the methamphetamine-related deaths (92%) reported in 1994
involved methamphetamine in combination with at least one other drug, most
often alcohol (30%), heroin (23%), or cocaine (21%). Researchers continue to
study the long-term effects of methamphetamine use. In addition to their
painkilling properties, the narcotic analgesics cause a profound feeling of
well-being (euphoria). It is this feeling that is in part responsible for the
psychological drive of certain persons to obtain and self-administer these
drugs. When taken chronically in large doses, the narcotics have the capacity
to induce tolerance (whereby a larger and larger dose is required by the body
to achieve the same effect), and ultimately psychological and physical
dependence, or addiction. In this respect they are similar to the
barbiturates and to alcohol. These properties make the medical use of
narcotics extremely difficult and have led to strict regulation of the
prescription and dispensing of this class of drugs. Even so, they are widely
abused. The mode of action of the
narcotic analgesics is still not fully understood. Recent research has
determined that specific regions of the brain and spinal cord have an
affinity for binding opiates, and the binding sites in the brain are in the
same general areas where pain centers are believed to be. This research has
also succeeded in isolating compounds, called enkephalins, that are produced
in the body to reduce pain; the compounds consist of five amino acids.
Apparently they can depress neurons throughout the central nervous system.
They belong to a group of larger compounds called endorphins, consisting of
many amino acids, that have also been isolated in the body and that are
produced by the pituitary gland. Administration of endorphins, including the
enkephalins, results in effects similar to those produced by opiates. The discovery of a class
of compounds that are specific antagonists to the action of the opiates has
made it possible to treat opiate overdosage quickly and efficiently. The
standard drug for this use is naloxone. Some of the antagonists also have
opiatelike properties, and this has led to the introduction of a new class of
analgesics, the mixed agonists-antagonists. It is hoped that these drugs will
produce analgesia without euphoria, reducing their potential for abuse. The
three drugs of this class approved so far in the U.S.—pentazocine,
butorphanol, and nalbuphine—are as analgesic as morphine for many uses and
induce little or no euphoria. All appear to have a lower abuse potential than
morphine or propoxyphene. If you think you might have a problem or if you have a friend or family member who might have a problem, visit: Crystal Meth Anonymous. A program dedicated to those who are addicted to the drug Crystal Meth. Also, for related
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