We are facing a methamphetamine crisis. According to the National Institute on Drug Use and Health, 12.3 million Americans, aged 12 and older have used meth at least once. In a Monitoring The Future study in 2004, it was found that 6.2% of high school seniors, and 10.3% of 10th graders reported use of this potent street drug. This was essentially unchanged from the 2003 report..
Once a West Coast problem, this drug is now being found across the country in both urban and rural locations. There are no socio-economic barriers to its usage, no stereotypical users. What exactly is methamphetamine, and how it impacts not only families but the environment as well, is the focus of this article.
Amphetamines were originally synethesized in Germany in 1887, but weren’t put to common use until the 1930’s, when it was developed for bronchodilation. Sold as an inhaler it was widely used to treat asthma, hay fever and and colds. Not only was the Benzedrine Inhaler enormously successful, its marketing as an OTC pill for epilepsy, narcolepsy, night blindness and mood elevator, brought it into mainstream use in a big way.
During WW II and Vietnam, troops were routinely given “pep” pills to help combat fatigue and stress. Over 7 million of these were distributed to combatants on both sides of the conflict. Adolf Hitler was reportedly heavily addicted to methamphetamine, and this has caused historians to speculate that many of his more atrocious acts were in fact triggered by his usage of meth.
Post war use among college students and truck drivers increased, and in fact, many cocaine abusers switched to methamphetamine because it was legal, and had very similar effects. It wasn’t until 1965, that the FDA passed major controls on the use of amphetamines. Even though they were overprescribed into the 1970’s, they were gradually replaced with better drugs, possessing fewer side effects.
In 1970, the Federal goverment made the possession of methamphetamine a criminal act, and enforced laws governing the sale and distribution of this drug. Ironically, this crackdown occurred alongside the Pentagon’s continued dispensation of meth to soldiers in Vietnam. Other users switched from the now illegal narcotic back to cocaine or heroin, and biker gangs soon became the premiere distributors of “street” meth.
Using labs, they hired “cookers” or chemists to manufacture speed, which was often cut with paint thinner, warfarin (rat poison), bleach, anti-freeze, brake or drain cleaners and paint thinners. The product often ended up being less than 45% pure, as red iodine and phosphorous were also used. Phosphorous is used in warfare, causing at its worst, flesh to melt down to bone, and is highly explosive.
In the late 80’s and early 90’s, the bulk of street meth was being imported and distributed by Mexican traffickers, who have access to acetone and the other precursor chemicals more readily available in their country. In addition highly mobile labs were beginning to be seen in other areas of the United States. These were found in apartments, homes and even the trunks of cars.
These labs represent a multiple threat both to the environment and the surrounding community. Highly volatile chemicals are left lying around, often within reach of children and flammable sources of ignition. First responders: firemen, police, and EMT’s often suffer chemical burns and exposure after arriving on scene.
According to the National Office of Drug Control Policy, these labs and their end products, cause severe damage to the environment. to quote them: ”
“The manufacture of methamphetamine has a severe impact on the environment. The production of one pound of methamphetamine releases poisonous gas into the atmosphere and creates 5 to 7 pounds of toxic waste. Many laboratory operators dump the toxic waste down household drains, in fields and yards, or on rural roads.
Due to the creation of toxic waste at methamphetamine production sites, many first response personnel incur injury when dealing with the hazardous substances. The most common symptoms suffered by first responders when they raid meth labs are respiratory and eye irritations, headaches, dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath
In the late 80’s a new, far more dangerous form of this drug was becoming known for it’s extreme potency and long lasting, intense highs.
Instead of the sludgy often semi-liquid meth normally sold, this was a crystalline, rocklike substance, that produced an immediate and very euphoric rush. Again the West Coast and Hawaii were the first to feel the impact of this designer meth.
One of the most troubling problems to come out of using crystal, is increased, often uncontrollable sexual urges. Male users have been quoted in major studies, stating they have had up to 500 sexual partners, while using crystal meth. They can go for hours on end, without ejaculation, leading to multiple sexual encounters without the use of condoms. They claim the urge for sex is insatiable, and they can’t seem to exert any control over their actions while under its influence. Yet, while crashing, they end up feeling empty and spent.
In the gay community, party clubs are often hubs for groups of these users, who dance to a dull throbbing music, and endlessly seek sexual gratification. Los Angeles and San Francisco are experiencing a huge increase in antibiotic resistant STD’s and HIV, including more virulent forms, that are directly attributable to the use of crystal meth.
The gay community is not the only sector of our society impacted by this hypersexualized behavior. Mainstream rave and party clubs provide, and even encourage both the use of ice and the mindless sex that accompanies it. In addition date rape drugs like rufi’s and ecstasy are freely available, leaving many young men and women totally unaware of the dangers they face- from multiple rapes to HIV exposure.
In my opinion, the saddest victims are the children who are living in homes where this drug is available. The incidences of sexual molestation and rape are extremely high. Given the above information, it isn’t hard to understand why this would be common. If an adult-and I use that term loosely here, can’t find another outlet, what better target than a helpless child?
These are the true victims of this epidemic, our children. Not only do they suffer from neglect and the violence they witness between adults, they suffer environmental effects that can impact them all their lives. When sexual abuse is present, the shame is overwhelming. These children rarely talk about home or confide in anyone. They live with the huge outbursts of rage and paranoia this drug induces, and are terrified to even hint at what’s happening at home. If they place trust in the wrong person, they know perfectly well they will might well end up dead.
Meth users range in age from 8 to as old as 60 in rare cases. Many women use the drug to lose weight and attain that anorexic ideal so espoused by our society. Men may begin by taking it to alleviate depression or experience an increase in power and acuity, only to find themselves hopelessly addicted.
If you even suspect a loved one or friend is using this drug, you must try and help get intervention. So many families and lives are being destroyed by this hugely popular narcotic. Learn to look for the signs of meth use, and be aware of where your children are and who they spend time with. If you notice these signs, get help.
Agitation
Paranoia
Decreased appetite
Euphoria
Heavy perspiration, even in cold weather
Periods of sleeplessness and hyperactivity, followed by depression and prolonged sleeping.
Irregular breathing and accelerated pulse rates, accompanied by flushing and pinpoint pupils.
Wait until you feel it safe to calmly discuss the issue with your child or loved one. Don’t threaten or confront anyone who is actively high, you could become a statistic. Talk with your police department, and ask for help in dealing with the problem. Many police agencies have highly trained counselors who can offer suggestions and direct you towards resources to help.
Remember, there is no typical user, and not one of us can safely assume our loved ones are exempt from danger. Methamphetamine addiction is a national problem of staggering proportions. We all need to become involved, particularly where children are concerned. They need us to care enough to intervene when we see they are endangered. If we don’t, this will become another multi-generational problem that in the end will end up defeating us all.
