What is crystal methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Commonly known as “crystal,” “speed,” “meth,” crystal meth or “Tina”, it is a white or off-white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water. Crystal Meth provides the user with sustained energy and a general sense of well-being. Along with increasing alertness and wakefulness, it masks the body’s need for food, water, or rest. It mirrors the body’s natural “fight or flight” response, a reaction that slows digestion and increases alertness and concentration. Crystal Meth can be snorted or smoked as is or dissolved in water and drunk or injected. The effects can last from 6 to 12 hours or more, depending on the individual’s tolerance and the dosage. With sufficient quantity of speed or use over time, a state of high agitation can develop along with extreme emotions and intense paranoia. A crystal meth addiction can sometimes lead to violent behavior.

What are the short-term effects of crystal methamphetamine use?

Crystal Meth, like cocaine, is a "psychostimulant" that increases the amount of at least three important brain chemicals called neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. As a result, crystal meth can elevate your mood, induce euphoria, increase alertness, reduce fatigue, increase energy, decrease appetite, increase movement and speech, and provide a sense of increased personal power and prowess. This is the high you feel – you instantly become the "life of the party". And, unlike the high from cocaine which is brief, the effect of crystal meth lasts for six to eight to 12 hours or more depending on how much you do.

Unfortunately, there's also a down side. The same process produces increased blood pressure, heart rate and sweating, and can cause anxiety, irritability, insomnia, paranoia, and sometimes even psychosis. In addition, once the high wears off, mental and physical exhaustion set in often with a deep depression that sometimes includes thoughts of suicide.

What are the long term effects of crystal methamphetamine use?

Crystal Meth causes long lasting changes in brain chemistry, particularly in the neurotransmitter systems of your brain. Notably, these brain chemistry changes seem to impact cognitive abilities such as memory, judgment, reasoning, and verbal learning. And these changes do not reverse themselves quickly. Current research indicates that it takes many months away from the drug before your brain begins to heal. Other long term effects are often frequent bouts of drug craving, frequent agitating dreams of using crystal meth or frequent frustration dreams of being unable to use. These also fade over time, but this takes many months away from the drug as well.

What are some physical signs that someone is using crystal meth?

Common indicators that someone is “tweaking” or using crystal meth include: grinding teeth, obsessive picking of the face or body, hallucinations, (auditory or visual), euphoria, extreme energy, and no sleep for 2-3 days, dramatic weight loss, paranoia and aggressive behavior.

Is it possible to overdose from crystal methamphetamine?

Yes, one can fatally overdose from use of crystal methamphetamine. Increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and vascular constriction affect many organ systems, causing heart problems, stroke, and acute kidney failure. They usually result in direct toxic effects, followed by multiple organ failure. Death from a crystal meth overdose is associated with the rapid onset of kidney failure and collapse of the circulatory system. A large percentage of patients who die usually have symptoms of coma, shock, inability to pass and secrete urine, and muscle twitching.

Other complications associated with methamphetamine intoxication include pulmonary edema, hypoglycemia, intracerebral hemorrhage, hyperthermia, hypertension, confusion, delirium and hyperactivity.

How is crystal methamphetamine produced?

The most common way to produce crystal meth is a quick-cook process that requires only a few hours. The main ingredients used to make speed are ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.
The process used to produce crystal meth is potentially explosive, highly toxic and results in highly toxic byproducts in addition to the drug. Crystal meth is often produced in large, rural areas because ample open space is needed in case of frequent explosions, a typical consequence of crystal meth production. Because crystal meth is an illicit substance manufactured in makeshift labs by people who do not have training in organic chemistry, it often contains harmful chemicals and heavy metals as contaminants. In addition, to increase their profit, many unscrupulous dealers will cut the crystal meth with any number of substances, some benign and some quite toxic.

What can one expect when coming down or withdrawing from crystal meth?

“Crashing” from crystal meth often entails severe anergia, or lack of energy, and massive anhedonia, a sustained lack of motivation to perform normal tasks and inability to experience pleasure. The severity and duration of these symptoms vary depending on the amount of drug you’ve used and how long you’ve been doing it. Common symptoms include: loss of energy, depression, fearfulness, wanting to sleep a lot or difficulty in sleeping, shaking, nausea, palpitations, sweating, hyperventilation, increased appetite, irritability and drug craving. These symptoms can last from days to weeks after you stop using methamphetamine. Some of these symptoms can sometimes be alleviated with medications.

Does crystal meth cause better sex?

There is no direct connection between the use of crystal meth and sex. As a stimulant, however, crystal meth stimulates your libido as well as anything else. And crystal meth can increase your self confidence and lower your inhibitions. It also enhances sensation. If one uses crystal in a sexually charged situation, the effect will be heightened. Because of this, people mistakenly believe that crystal caused the sexual feelings. It is indeed a very potent mixture. For many people, sex under the influence of crystal meth rapidly leads to an incredibly strong association between the two which is hard to break. One without the other becomes inconceivable.

Why is there an association between crystal meth and viruses like HIV and Hepatitis?

The association between crystal meth and HIV transmission is related to: 1) the tendency of many people to engage in unprotected and uninhibited sex while under the influence of crystal meth and 2) the risks associated with injection drug use for those who shoot speed. In terms of sexual transmission, many people when high on crystal meth do not use condoms and may have sex with many different sex partners during a speed run. And even if they do use condoms, the lengthy and rougher sex that often results in a much higher likelihood that the condom will break. Additionally, some men who have receptive anal sex while on speed are less sensitive to pain responses and may be inclined to have more aggressive sex for longer periods where injury is more likely to occur and the risk of HIV infection is increased.

There is also a high risk for transmitting Hepatitis B and C for many of the reasons mentioned above. Like HIV, Hepatitis B can be transmitted through unprotected sex or through sharing of syringes and injection supplies. Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through blood to blood contact, usually by sharing syringes or other injection equipment.

The risks of HIV and Hepatitis B and C transmission for those who shoot crystal meth is the same as with any injection drug use. Any sharing of syringes or the various items used in preparing to inject the drug can pass these viruses.

Further increasing the likelihood of HIV transmission among crystal meth users is the fact that gay men who use crystal meth have a much higher rate of HIV prevalence than gay men who don’t use speed. Different studies have found that gay men who use crystal methamphetamine are two to three to four times more likely to be infected with HIV.

For people infected with HIV, even occasional use of crystal meth can lead to a lapse in taking HIV medications, weight loss and vitamin depletion. With crystal, you can stay awake for days. Sleep, however, is essential to maintaining the immune system. Lack of sleep and poor nutrient intake aside, crystal use itself causes a drop in T cells and NK cells, and recent research suggests that crystal takes a major toll on people who are immune compromised.

Crystal Meth Production and Trafficking

Decreased domestic crystal methamphetamine production is reducing wholesale supplies of domestically produced crystal meth. The decreased production is a result of law enforcement pressure, public awareness campaigns, and increased regulation of the sale and use of precursor and essential chemicals used in crystal meth production. However, decreases in domestic crystal methamphetamine production have been offset by increased production in Mexico.

Crystal meth is easily produced in clandestine laboratories or crystal meth labs using a variety of ingredients available in stores. The manufacturing of crystal methamphetamine is called "cooking". Cooking a batch of meth can be very dangerous due to the fact that the chemicals used are volatile and the by-products are very toxic. Crystal meth labs present a danger to the crystal meth cook, the community surrounding the lab, and the law enforcement personnel who discover the lab.

The Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance system collects and analyzes data about the public health consequences (e.g., morbidity, mortality, and evacuations) of acute hazardous substance—release events. Of the 40,349 events reported to the HSEES system during January 1, 2000—June 30, 2004, a total of 1,791 (4%) were associated with illicit crystal meth production. Crystal meth events consistently had a higher percentage of persons with injuries than did nonmeth events. Of the 1,791 crystal meth events, 558 (31%) resulted in a total of 947 injured persons.

As crystal methamphetamine production in small-scale laboratories has decreased nationally since 2004, Mexican criminal groups have expanded direct distribution of crystal methamphetamine, even in many smaller communities. For example, in Midwestern states such as Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio, where methamphetamine laboratory seizures have decreased significantly, Mexican criminal groups have gained control over most distribution of the drug. Law enforcement reports confirm a similar trend throughout much of the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Florida/Caribbean, Southeast, and West Central Regions.

These groups pose an increased challenge to local law enforcement because they are often Mexico-based, well-organized, and experienced drug distributors that have been successful in blending into somewhat insular Hispanic communities or among Hispanic workers employed in the agricultural, landscaping, construction, and meat packaging industries. The ability of Mexican criminal groups to continue the expansion of methamphetamine distribution into more communities in the eastern United States appears to be limited primarily by their capability to further expand methamphetamine production in Mexico.

Law enforcement reporting indicates that methamphetamine laboratories have been discovered on federal lands throughout the United States. Methamphetamine laboratories often are discovered in or near caves, cabins, recreational areas, abandoned mines, and private vehicles located on or adjacent to federal lands.

Increased restrictions on cold preparations and other medicines containing crystal methamphetamine precursor chemicals in many states have contributed to sharp declines in the number of labs in those states. Additionally, restricted importation of bulk pseudoephedrine from Canada since January 2003 has resulted in significant declines in the number of domestic crystal meth superlabs.

National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System (NCLSS) data show that the number of reported crystal meth laboratory seizures decreased slightly from 2003 (10,199) to 2004 (9,895). Preliminary NCLSS data indicate a significant decrease in crystal meth lab seizures in 2005. The amount of  crystal methamphetamine seized at or between U.S.-Mexico border ports of entry increased more than 75% from 2002 (1,129.8 kilograms), to 2003 (1,733.1 kg), and 2004 (1,984.6 kg).24

Legislation

Methamphetamine is a Schedule II narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. The chemicals that are used to produce methamphetamine are also controlled under the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996 (MCA). This legislation broadened the controls on listed chemicals used in the production of methamphetamine, increased penalties for the trafficking and manufacturing of methamphetamine and listed chemicals, and expanded the controls of products containing the licit chemicals ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine (PPA).

Signed in October 2000, the Children's Health Act of 2000 includes provisions dealing with methamphetamine prevention, production, enforcement, treatment and abuse.

On March 9, 2006, President Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, which includes provisions to strengthen Federal, state, and local efforts to combat the spread of methamphetamine.

Street Terms

How can I find out more information about crystal meth?

For additional information regarding crystal meth, crystal meth addiction or a drug rehab or addiction treatment program treating crystal meth addiction, go to www.recoveryconnection.org.