CITIZENS RALLYING FOR CHANGE ON ALCOHOL

On the streets it is referred to as Crystal, Ice, and Crank. Methamphetamines are viciously addictive and provide the hyperactivity effects of Cocaine along with the delusional effects of LSD.

As opposed to getting a short `high’ from other drugs, this one will keep users pumped up from 6 to 12 hours and create feelings of paranoia, invulnerability, increased strength, euphoria, and may cause some to react in a violent fashion. As for health concerns, it rots the teeth, suppresses the appetite, induces insomnia, and causes brain damage among other things.

Its ease of use makes it even more insidious as it can be swallowed, snorted, injected, or smoked and it is cheap to buy or can be easily manufactured by almost anyone.

Amphetamines can be found in virtually every community from the smallest towns to the largest cities and it radiates through all walks of life from the lowest to highest social classes. It is estimated that there are 26 million worldwide users of this drug.

When law enforcement in the United States began to make a concerted effort to eliminate methamphetamine labs, supply then began to come from Mexico using routes already established by Cocaine Cartels.

In Portland Oregon, 80 percent of that city's prisons hold people on meth-related charges. Whether the charges are for drug dealing, identity theft or armed robbery, somehow they are connected to meth. Portland's hospitals are overwhelmed by patients admitted for meth abuse.

Portland is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the U.S., but meth's impact on it has been tremendously ugly.

Why Is Crystal Meth Used?
Females often take crystal meth because it can cause extremely rapid weight loss. However, the effects are short term.

The body builds up a tolerance to the drug so weight loss tapers off and stops around six weeks after taking the drug. Also, weight that is lost is regained once a person stops taking methamphetamine. For these reasons, combined with how addictive the drug is, methamphetamine tends not to be prescribed by doctors for weight loss.

Some people take meth because of the long-lasting high that it gives. Methamphetamine causes numerous neurotransmitters to be released in the brain, producing a sense of euphoria that may last as long as 12 hours, depending on how the drug was taken.

Methamphetamine is popular as a stimulant. As a stimulant, methamphetamine improves concentration, energy, and alertness while decreasing appetite and fatigue.

Methamphetamines are also taken by people who are feeling depressed. They may be taken for their side effect of increasing libido and sexual pleasure.

10 Dangers of Crystal Meth Addiction

1. Tremors and convulsions. Crystal meth can send your body into a state of chaos with uncontrollable twitching and violent tremors.

2. Severe movement disorders. Doctors have described the movement disorders associated with crystal meth use as “similar to Parkinson’s Disease”

3. Respiratory problems. Long-term side effects of crystal meth use include labor breathing and other respiratory concerns.

4. Strokes. Crystal meth can damage the blood vessels in the brain so severely that the individual suffers a stroke.

5. Anorexia. Female crystal meth addicts have a high incidence of anorexia, as they are so consumed by the drug that they fail to take in the nutrients their body needs to survice.

6. Crime. Many hardcore crystal meth users have been known to turn to crime (especially robbery) as a means of financing their drug habit.

7. Broken relationships. When an individual develops a crystal meth addiction, the drug becomes the only thing of importance in their lives. That means family and friends are neglected in the name of the drug.

8. Problems achieving sexual climax. Although some short-term users report a more engaging sexual appetite, long-term use of crystal meth leads to the inability to achieve an erection or sexual climax.

9. “Meth mouth”. One of the hallmark symptoms of crystal meth addiction is the degradation of the teeth and gums. Meth mouth can spotted casually as the individual’s dental health falls into disrepair.

10. Mood swings. Individuals who use crystal meth are prone to violent mood swings, often moving for intense euphoria into depression or anger without warning.

If you know someone who is suffering from crystal meth addiction, contact a drug treatment center in your area to provide a way for the individual to get the help they need.