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F.A.Q.s
Signs of a "Meth Lab"
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| What is Methamphetamine? Methamphetamine is a powerful central nervous system stimulant. The drug is made easily in clandestine laboratories with relatively inexpensive, over-the-counter ingredients. These factors combine to make methamphetamine a drug with high potential for widespread abuse. It is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. Methamphetamine is derived from amphetamine, which was used originally in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. It causes increased activity, decreased appetite, and a general false sense of well-being. The effects of methamphetamine can last six to eight hours, which includes the initial "rush" and, afterwards, a state of high agitation that in some individuals can lead to violent behavior.
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| What are the street names for methamphetamine? Methamphetamine is referred to as meth, speed, crank, chalk, go-fast, zip, and cristy. Pure methamphetamine hydrochloride, the smokable form of the drug, is called "L.A." or - because of its clear, chunky crystals which resemble frozen water - ice, crystal, crank, 64 glass, or quartz. Use of methamphetamine became widespread in Hawaii by 1988. Distribution of ice spread to the U.S. mainland by 1990.
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| How is methamphetamine used? Methamphetamine comes in many forms and can be smoked, snorted, orally ingested, or injected. Moods are altered in different ways, depending on how the drug is taken.
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| What are the short-term effects of Methamphetamine use?
Methamphetamine can cause sleeplessness, increase wakefulness and physical activity, and decrease appetite. Immediately after smoking or injecting methamphetamine intravenously, an intense rush that lasts only a few minutes is experienced and is described as extremely pleasurable. Snorting produces a high within 3 to 5 minutes, while oral ingestion produces a high within 15 to 20 minutes.
Oral ingestion or snorting produces a long-lasting high, instead of a rush, that can continue for as long as half a day. The rush and high are caused by the release of very high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine into areas of the brain that regulate feelings of pleasure.
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| What are the long-term effects of methamphetamine use?
Long-term methamphetamine abuse has many damaging effects, including addiction. Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and drug use that is accompanied by functional and molecular changes in the brain. In addition to being addicted to methamphetamine, chronic abusers exhibit symptoms that include violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. They also display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions (for example, the sensation of insects creeping on the skin, called "formication"). The paranoia can result in homicidal as well as suicidal thoughts.
If used excessively, tolerance for methamphetamine can develop. In an effort to intensify the desired effects, users may take higher doses of the drug, take it more frequently, or change their method of drug intake. In some cases, abusers forego food and sleep while indulging in a form of bingeing known as a "run," injecting as much as a gram of the drug every two to three hours over several days. Chronic abuse can lead to psychotic behavior, characterized by intense paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and extremely violent behavior.
There are several symptoms that occur when a chronic user stops taking the drug. They include depression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, aggression, and an intense craving for the drug.
Scientific studies raise concern over its toxic effects on the brain. Researchers have reported that as much as 50 percent of the dopamine-producing cells in the brain can be damaged after prolonged use. They also have found that serotonin-containing nerve cells may be damaged even more extensively. Whether this toxicity is related to the psychosis seen in some long-term methamphetamine abusers is still an open question.
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A user may exhibit anxiousness; nervousness; incessant talking; extreme moodiness and irritability; purposeless, repetitious behavior, such as picking at skin or pulling out hair; dilated pupils with redness on the iris; sleep disturbances; false sense of confidence and power; aggressive or violent behavior; disinterest in previously enjoyed activities; and severe depression. top |
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| How does methamphetamine differ from other stimulants, such as cocaine? Methamphetamine is classified as a psychostimulant, as are amphetamine and cocaine. Methamphetamine, like cocaine, results in an accumulation of the neurotransmitter dopamine. This excessive dopamine concentration produces the stimulation and feelings of euphoria experienced by the user. Methamphetamine has a much longer duration of action, and a larger percentage of the drug remains unchanged in the body than does cocaine. This results in methamphetamine being present in the brain longer, which ultimately leads to prolonged stimulant effects.
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| Why do people start using methamphetamine?
Athletes and students begin using methamphetamine because of the initial heightened physical and mental performance the drug produces. Blue-collar and service workers may use the drug to work extra shifts, while young women often begin using methamphetamine to lose weight. Others use methamphetamine recreationally to stay energized at "rave" parties or other social activities.
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| Are there any effective treatments for methamphetamine abusers?
The most effective treatments for methamphetamine addiction are cognitive behavioral interventions. These approaches are designed to help modify the patient's thinking, expectancies, and behaviors and to increase skills in coping with various life stressors. Methamphetamine recovery support groups also appear to be effective adjuncts to behavioral interventions that can lead to long-term, drug-free recovery. There are currently no particular pharmacological treatments for methamphetamine. Antidepressant medications are helpful in combating the depressive symptoms frequently seen in methamphetamine users who recently have become abstinent.
Emergency room treatment focuses on overdoses by treating immediate symptoms of hyperthermia (elevated body temperature) and convulsions.
Acute methamphetamine intoxication can often be handled by observation in a safe, quiet environment. In cases of extreme excitement or panic, treatment with antianxiety agents such as benzodiazepines has been helpful, and in cases of methamphetamine-induced psychoses, short-term use of neuroleptics has proven successful.
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| Why is methamphetamine addictive?
All addictive drugs have two things in common: they produce an initial pleasurable effect, followed by a rebound unpleasant effect. Methamphetamine, through its stimulant effects, produces a positive feeling but later leaves a person feeling depressed. This is because it suppresses the normal production of dopamine, creating a chemical imbalance. The user physically demands more of the drug to return to normal. This pleasure/tension cycle leads to loss of control over the drug and addiction.
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| Is there a methamphetamine withdrawal? Yes. The severity and length of symptoms vary with the amount of damage done to the body's system through methamphetamine use. The most common symptoms are drug craving, extreme irritability, loss of energy, depression, fearfulness, excessive drowsiness or difficulty in sleeping, shaking, nausea, palpitations, sweating, hyperventilation, and increased appetite.
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| Is methamphetamine relapse common?
Yes. Because of the psychiatric, social, and biological components to methamphetamine dependence, there is a high likelihood of relapse. Key relapse issues are similar to that of cocaine use.
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| Is suicide a common occurrence with methamphetamine users?
Many users report feeling bleak and dirty when coming off of a binge. They cannot stand their bodies or the way they feel. As a result, the risk of suicide by persons using methamphetamine is higher than the risk for those using heroine or cocaine.
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| What are the medical complications of methamphetamine use? Methamphetamine can cause a variety of cardiovascular problems. These include rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and irreversible, stroke-producing damage to small blood vessels in the brain. Hyperthermia and convulsions occur with methamphetamine overdoses and, if not treated immediately, can result in death.
Chronic methamphetamine abuse can result in inflammation of the heart lining and, among users who inject the drug, damaged blood vessels and skin abscesses. Methamphetamine abusers also can have episodes of violent behavior, paranoia, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. Heavy users also show progressive social and occupational deterioration. Psychotic symptoms can sometimes persist for months or years after use has ceased.
Acute lead poisoning is another potential risk for methamphetamine abusers because a common method of illegal methamphetamine production uses lead acetate as a reagent. There is a danger that production errors may, therefore, result in methamphetamine contaminated with lead.
Fetal exposure to methamphetamine also is a significant problem in the United States. At present, research indicates that methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy may result in prenatal complications, increased rates of premature delivery, and altered neonatal behavioral patterns, such as abnormal reflexes and extreme irritability. Methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy may also be linked to congenital deformities.
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| Can methamphetamine be prescribed legally and why? Methamphetamine 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. There are a few accepted medical reasons for its use, such as the treatment of narcolepsy, attention deficit disorder, and, for short-term use, obesity; but these medical uses are limited. The key is the dosage. Methamphetamine abusers use much higher dosages of the drug than a physician would routinely prescribe when treating a patient.
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| Is methamphetamine likely to be found in small towns or big cities?
Methamphetamine has been primarily located in small towns, but it is on its way to big cities. Coupled with the social problems that already exist in large cities with the production and use of methamphetamine, the big cities are in for a rough time.
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| What impact does methamphetamine have on children living in labs or living with a methamphetamine user?
Children found in these conditions are commonly malnourished, improperly clothed, and neglected. Many of these children test positive for having methamphetamine in their bodies. This is due to the access they have to the drug or exposure to second-hand smoke, resulting from a cook or a user smoking in close proximity to a child.
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| How is methamphetamine made? The processing required to make methamphetamine from precursor substances is easier and more accessible than ever. There are literally thousands of recipes and information about making methamphetamine on the Internet. An investment of a few hundred dollars in over-the-counter medications and chemicals can produce thousands of dollars' worth of methamphetamine.
Over-the-counter cold and asthma medications containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, red phosphorous, hydrochloric acid, anhydrous ammonia, drain cleaner, battery acid, lye, lantern fuel, and antifreeze are among the ingredients most commonly used in one recipe. The drug can be made in a makeshift "lab" that can fit into a suitcase.
Another recipe calls for large amounts of industrial and agricultural chemicals, which are either purchased or stolen. These chemicals are then used in large labs known as "super" labs. The average methamphetamine "cook" annually teaches ten other people how to make the drug.
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| What is a precursor?
A precursor is a chemical that when combined with another chemical results in a new product. The process of making methamphetamine starts with the precursor (ephedrine or pseudoephedrine), and other chemicals are added to produce the drug.
- Drain cleaner is a commonly used precursor
- The fuel additive HEET is used as a precursor
- Iodine can be used as a precursor
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| What is a clandestine lab?
A clandestine lab is an illicit operation that consists of sufficient chemicals or a combination of apparatus and chemicals that either have been or could be used in the manufacture of controlled substances.
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| Where are methamphetamine labs found? Clandestine labs are found in rural, city, and suburban residences; barns, garages, and other outbuildings; back rooms of businesses; apartments; hotel and motel rooms; storage facilities; vacant buildings; and vehicles. Small portable labs are commonly referred to as "Mom and Pop" or "Beavis and Butthead" labs. Larger labs that are permanently set up and can produce up to 100 pounds of methamphetamine per cook are referred to as "Super" labs.
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| What are the environmental consequences of methamphetamine labs?
Each pound of methamphetamine produced leaves behind five or six pounds of toxic waste. Methamphetamine cooks often pour leftover chemicals and by-product sludge down drains in nearby plumbing, down storm drains, or directly onto the ground.
Chlorinated solvents and other toxic by-products used to make methamphetamine pose long-term hazards because they can persist in soil and groundwater for years. Cleanup costs are exorbitant because solvent-contaminated soil usually must be incinerated.
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How do I know if my house was formerly used as a meth lab?
If you are currently a property owner or want to buy property, there are several things you can do to find out if the property was formerly used for clandestine drug lab purposes.
- Talk to your neighbors. They can sometimes provide an account of the history of the home and the nature of the previous occupants. Ask about any suspicious activity, traffic, smells, or excessive trash that was noticed around the home.
- Call your local police department or county sheriff to find out if there is a record of any illegal drug lab activity.
- Look for signs inside and outside of the home. Some signs that may indicate evidence of a former drug lab include:
- dark stains from chemicals in the bathtubs, sinks, or toilets, or on walls
- signs of chemical burns or spills
- visible areas in the yard where chemicals have been dumped
- packaging or containers from chemicals or cold medicine
- burn piles in the yard with signs of meth ingredients
- dead or dying vegetation
- chemical (solvent, ammonia) odors
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| What should I do if I think someone is manufacturing meth? Do not take any action on your own. Contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS to anonymously report information and receive cash rewards. You may also contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-534-6200.
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To report information, call: |
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1-800-226-TIPS |
863-534-6200 |
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