Meth Addiction

 Meth Addiction

By Jake Kohl

Which of the substances you've read about concern you the most and why?

     The most concerning substance that I have read in Inaba & Cohen thus far is methamphetamine, also known on the street as “meth,” uppers”,” speed”, “crank”, “crystal”, “shabu”, and “glass”’ (Inaba and Cohen, 2011, p. 3.21). 

This substance is not only concerning but is also alarming for many reasons. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, “crystal” meth which is the most common form of Amphetamine abuse is much more potent and stronger than traditional methamphetamine (p. 3.21). Meth is considered easy to manufacture and can be done in any home which is one reason why this is concerning and alarming. It’s not just the home this substance can be made, it can also be made on the go, such as the trunk of a vehicle. The ingredients used to produce this substance are readily available at any major retail establishment which is why this substance is dangerous in its own rite. The way meth is introduced into the body is in several forms. The most common is by smoking (in a pipe) (p.3.25), because the effects of the high are more intense, due to the transport of the chemical directly to the brain. 

      The effects of methamphetamine on the body are severe; “increased heart rate, raised body temperature, rapid respiration, higher blood pressure, dilation of bronchial vessels, appetite suppression, psychosis, paranoia, aggression and death, ” (p. 3.25-3.27) are a few.  This “continued use of amphetamines can cause long-term and even permanent alterations in the body’s ability to produce vital neurotransmitters (p. 3.25). Withdrawal is another concern because it can also cause “physical and emotional depression, extreme irritability, nervousness anergia, anhedonia, and craving” (p. 3.26). 

     The use of methamphetamine is of great concern because of the physical and mental effects this has on the body and brain, not to mention the social effect it has on friends and family. Continued abuse of this substance not only takes away from what God has given us, it takes away the very life we were given. It disrupts the very core of life and opens the door to other substance abuse.

Reference 

 Inaba, D.S., & Cohen, W.E. (2011). Uppers, downers, all arounders: Physical and mental effects of psychoactive drugs (7^th ed.). Medford, OR: CNS Productions. Print