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Methamphetamines

Methamphetamines: An Epidemic
Methamphetamine or meth is a highly addictive homemade amphetamine that can be made from commonly found chemicals, such as pseudoephedrine, anhydrous ammonia, lye, phosphorous and antifreeze. Meth is an insidious drug that is cheap to produce that can be easily manufactured in virtually any setting; a car, house or deserted area. The drug can be smoked, snorted, injected or swallowed and releases an intense high for hours. Harmful long-term health risks from meth abuse include tooth and bone loss, damage to the user's brain, liver and kidneys, heart attack and stroke. Children who are exposed to the toxic chemicals during production of methamphetamine can also develop these conditions. In addition, the prolonged use of the drug, called "tweaking", can keep users up for days or weeks at a time. Consequently, the psychological side effects of meth use include paranoia, anger, panic, hallucinations, confusion, incessant talking and convulsions. Many of these lead to violent aggressive acts and suicide.
Methamphetamine abuse is increasing to epidemic proportions, both nationally and globally. Availability of methamphetamine has significantly increased in the United States due to the recent technological improvements in mass production and in clandestine labs, leading to significant public health, legal, and environmental problems. The purpose of this paper is to describe and review the latest methamphetamine information with a focus on the patterns of use, its effects on the user and environment, and the progress being made towards effective prevention strategies.
Literature Review
What is Methamphetamines?
Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant drug that strongly affects the brain. Even small amounts of methamphetamine use can cause increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreases appetite, increased respiration, hyperthermia and euphoria. Other effects include irritability, insomnia,...