Methamphetamine, Narconon Gives Meth Facts

What is Meth? Powder Methamphetamine, commonly called speed or crank, is a central nervous system stimulant that has a crystalline appearnce much like salt. It is often found in blocks or chunks that look like thick peanut butter brittle. Depending on the way it is made it can also be red, pink, yellow, green, or tan. It is produced in illegal clandestine laboratories which are covered more in detail in the sections labeled Meth Labs. The newest and more popular form of Methamphetamine is commonly referred to as “Ice”, “Shards”, or “Crystal”. It looks like tiny pieces of rock salt, crushed ice or small broken pieces of glass which is where it gets its name. It is more potent than the powder form of Methamphetamine and is often smoked to increase the effects of the high. Methamphetamine is a very addictive stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system. It is a Schedule II stimulant, which means it has a high potential for abuse and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled. However, its medical uses are limited and the doses prescribed are much lower than those typically abused. Most of the methamphetamine abused in this country comes from foreign or domestic superlabs, although it can also be made in small, illegal laboratories, where its production endangers the people in the labs, neighbors, and the environment. How is Methamphetamine Abused? Methamphetamine is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol and is taken orally, intranasally (snorting the powder), by needle injection, or by smoking. How Does Methamphetamine Affect the Brain? Methamphetamine increases the release of very high levels of the brain chemical dopamine, which is involved in motivation, the experience of pleasure, and motor function, and is a common mechanism of action for most drugs of abuse. Chronic methamphetamine abuse significantly changes how the brain functions. Noninvasive human brain imaging studies have shown alterations...