Methamphetamine, also known as "meth" for short, is a powerful drug which is classified as a stimulant. When an individual consumes meth either orally, by snorting it, smoking it or injecting it, the drug causes a dramatic release of certain "feel" good neurotransmitters in the brain, primarily dopamine. The sudden rush of dopamine in the brain and throughout the central nervous system creates an almost immediate rush and sense of euphoria in the user. Depending on how the drug is administered, the onset of the high can be either immediate or could take about 20 minutes as with oral ingestion. Oral or and intranasal ingestion doesn't typically come with an intense rush, as users might experience by smoking or injecting the drug. However, the high lasts much longer when meth is ingested orally or is snorted.
Crystal meth is an even more potent and addictive form of meth that looks similar to large crystal chunks or fragment of glass, typically blue-white in color. This type of meth is also known as "Ice". Crystal meth is most commonly smoked but may be injected by some users. A crystal meth high can be more intense and longer lasting than one experienced using regular meth. As a result, users can become addicted after just one hit of crystal meth, and forever chase the original high they experienced on the drug.
Along with the euphoria a meth user experienced when taking the drug, users also experience a sense of alertness, wakefulness, an increase in physical activity, lack of appetite and increased respiration. Negative effects are also common, and meth users also experience such side effects as sleeplessness, anxiety, a feeling of being paranoid, aggression, confusion, and irritability which can cause the meth user to engage in violent behavior, either towards oneself or others. Some of the more dangerous side effects can be life threatening, such as hyperthermia, convulsions, increased heart rate and blood pressure which can potentially result in damage to blood vessels in the brain which could be permanent. This could produce a life-threatening stroke in some individuals. As some users experience respiratory problems and irregular heartbeat, meth users are also at risk of cardiovascular collapse and death.
While drugs like cocaine and heroin are produced using mostly organic substances, meth is a synthetic drug which means that it is manufactured from substances which are not naturally occurring but can be obtained from any local grocery and hardware store. The drug contains common over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines, along with a toxic concoction of battery acid, nail polish remover, ammonia and other dangerous chemicals. It's easy to make, doesn't need to be grown, can be produced in clandestine laboratories and requires very little money or technique to produce. Due to the fact that the drug is easy and cheap to make, meth is extremely easy to obtain.
There are several ways that meth can be administered, which is another aspect of the drug which makes it appealing to users. As stated earlier, there are meth pills or capsules which can be swallowed. The drug can also be snorted smoked or injected. Smoking meth is a very common form of administration, and this is commonly known in the drug community as chasing the white dragon. Smoking meth refers to vaporizing the drug so that the fumes can be inhaled, and there are a variety of ways that meth can be smoked.
The most common method of smoking meth is probably by means of a pipe. The reason meth users may prefer this method of smoking the drug is it is easy and simple, and produces one of the most effective highs. A common household item known as a light bulb can also be used in the process of smoking meth. The process of smoking meth through a light bulb definitely requires a certain degree of skill and some preparation, but it can be done. A less common but just as effective means of smoking meth is by means of aluminum foil. Again, aluminum foil is easy to obtain and this method of smoking meth also prevents waste of the drug and its effects are almost immediate.
Smoking meth produces effects which can be almost instant, but are somewhat different from the effects with the other routes of administration such as snorting or injecting. When a meth user inhales the smoke, they immediately feel a sense of focus and exhilaration known as a "rush". The first effects of a meth high can last anywhere from two to six hours. Smoking meth causes a substantial amount of the drug to go straight into the brain and this intense feeling of euphoria which is almost immediate is what makes smoking the drug so addictive. The meth user who is smoking meth will experience feelings to do things such as clean, organize, etc. along with enhanced sexual desire and lowered reduced social inhibitions.
Another effect caused by smoking meth is a decreased appetite and almost no desire to sleep. As a result, individuals who are smoking meth are pretty much preoccupied with nothing else except smoking meth. Individuals consumed in smoking meth will go on day or week long binges, also known as "tweeking" and will abstain from taking proper measures to care for themselves, eat or sleep. Tweekers will push their bodies to the limit until they finally crash and sleep for a few days. As soon as they awake, the cycle will typically begin again with another drug binge.
Because smoking meth can cause enhanced sexual drive and lowered inhibitions, as well as an increase in adrenaline and activity, many meth users engage in risky sexual activity. Smoking meth is therefore associated with a great deal of sexual promiscuity, and can put users at risk of engaging in unprotected sex which could result in a sexually transmitted disease or unwanted pregnancy. The rates of HIV/AIDS infection and all forms of Hepatitis are extremely high among meth users, and it is becoming a problem of epidemic proportions.