THE TRUTH ABOUT METHAMPHETAMINES

"First I started by smoking cigarettes, then shortly after that I drank
alcohol, then smoked pot. Until I started high school, I never knew how
many other choices I had..."

- -- Anonymous Ashland County student

One of the choices he has is most any kind of drug: licit or illicit. All
he needs is a connection of some sort, either with someone who has it or a
dealer.

Methamphetamine, a synthetic central nervous system stimulant, is one of
these available drugs. It is manufactured illegally more than any other
drug. Like other amphetamines, it induces feelings of well being,
alertness, and energy. "Meth" can be orally ingested, snorted, smoked or
injected. Users describe the effects of this drug as being just like those
of cocaine, except they last many hours instead of minutes.

In the brain, meth increases the release and blocks the uptake of dopamine.
This neurotransmitter controls feelings of pleasure and well being. It also
increases the activity of serotonin and norepinephrine in some areas of the
brain. A user's level of physical activity skyrockets as their desire to
eat and sleep plummet. When the pleasurable effect wears off, it is
replaced by a wired or anxious feeling. Meth can cause aggressive behavior,
violence and paranoia as the drug elevates the user's heart rate, body
temperature and rate of breathing.

Whereas certain drugs increase dopamine in a roundabout way, such as
marijuana which works on the neurotransmitter anamide which in turn affects
dopamine levels, methamphetamines stimulate this reward center directly.
When a person comes down from the rush, they can have a strong craving for
another dose as their natural reserves of both dopamine and norepinephrine
drop. Studies by researchers at the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Brookhaven
National Laboratory have found that "study subjects with reduced dopamine
transporters also exhibited memory impairment and slowed motor function."
This also adversely affects motivation, attention span, movement and other
higher functions.

New research has also shown that it can take one to three years after
quitting chronic use of methamphetamines before a user's body recovers, IF
it ever does. During this recovery period, the low dopamine baseline can be
passed onto offspring through the female or male. If a woman uses while she
is pregnant, meth can destroy cells in the pleasure center as well as other
areas of the brain involved with thought and emotion. To complicate matters
further, individuals with lower biological levels of dopamine are more
prone to becoming addicted. According to researcher and pediatrician, Jamie
Hutchinson of Washington D.C. a baby born to a methamphetamine user may
suffer lifelong emotional paralysis. This may include an inability to feel
pleasure, to control emotional outbursts, and make judgments based on
feelings. "Researchers report that death of the fetus or newborn and other
medical complications have been associated with prenatal methamphetamine
use, cause either by reduced blood flow to the fetus or direct toxicity to
the fetal brain." (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 1996)

Ice is a very pure smokable form of methamphetamine. It is also called
crystal or glass and it is even more highly addictive than meth because it
produces intense effects with an almost instant onset. It also can do
physical damage faster. Heavy or long term use of any kind of
methamphetamine can cause brain damage similar to Alzheimer's disease and
can harm other major organs of the body, such as the liver, kidneys, heart
and lungs. Continued use results in severe mineral and vitamin
deficiencies. This harms the user's immune system as it wears the mind and
body down.

If you have any questions about drugs or whether your child may be using,
please contact the Ashland Area Council on AODA, Inc.

Sandy Agostine is a Certified Prevention Professional and has worked as an
Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor throughout Ashland County for the past 23
years. She has a Bachelor Degree in Education. If you have any questions or
comments, she can be reached at the Ashland Area Council on AODA, Inc.
(715) 682-5207.