Make Meth History
A "Rush" To Ruin | Play Defense | Go on Offense | Ask for Help
A “Rush” to Ruin
Methamphetamine is the No. 1 drug of choice in rural America. This highly addictive stimulant wrecks the lives of users, their families and their friends. Manufactured in powder, crystal, rock or tablet form, meth is swallowed, snorted, smoked or injected. Street names include “chalk,” “crystal,” “glass,” “ice,” “speed” and “tina.” Meth users get a euphoric “rush,” but the short-term glow is hardly worth the ripple effects. Repeat users develop a tolerance for the drug and need more of it to achieve a high, which leads to addiction. Meth addicts undergo a frightening personal change:
- They grow irritable, confused and aggressive.
- They lose their appetite, can’t sleep, get depressed and become paranoid to the point of having homicidal or suicidal thoughts.
- They hallucinate, thinking that insects (so-called “crank bugs”) are crawling on or under their skin.
- They neglect personal hygiene, grind their teeth, clench their jaws and end up with “meth mouth.” Their teeth fall out.
- They increase their doses, which can elevate their body temperature to dangerous levels, cause convulsions and even death.
| A national survey on drug use and health reported that 10.4 million Americans ages 12 and above had tried meth at least once. |
Home Cooking
Meth is made with relatively cheap store-bought items. The most common ingredient is pseudoephedrine, which is found in cold medicine. Meth cooks mix in a toxic stew of unstable chemicals such as ether, Freon, acetone, anhydrous ammonia, iodine crystals, red phosphorus, paint thinner, drain cleaner, battery acid and lithium extracted from batteries. Police find tabletop meth labs in homes, motel rooms and even in cars. Sophisticated “super labs,” many in California and Mexico, produce larger quantities of meth for drug traffickers operating across the United States.
Poisoning the Well
Manufacturing one pound of meth can generate up to five pounds of toxic waste that can pollute the soil and groundwater. Toxic fumes from a meth lab can trigger highly explosive gases. Children are often in harm’s way. Drugs and syringes are within reach. Parents high on meth neglect their kids. The government spends millions of tax dollars cleaning up meth’s mess.
| The National Institute on Drug Abuse says meth use is increasing among young people who attend “raves” or private clubs. |
Play Defense: Signs that someone you know may be using meth.
Go on Offense: Steps being taken in Arkansas and across the country to fight meth use and addiction.
Ask for Help: List of agencies and organizations you can contact for information, answers and more.