Making meth is extremely dangerous due to the nature of the chemicals in use. Improper procedures can result in explosions and death. Most meth in the United States is produced in super-labs in Mexico, but home labs still do exist. Due to its addictive properties, crystal meth is considered a Schedule II drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Crystal meth is a derivative of legal amphetamines, which have been in use since the s. The original amphetamine was invented in Germany with its more potent sister, methamphetamine, debuting in Japan in It was very popular in World War II to keep troops awake and engaged.
In the s, it became a popular tool for weight loss and depression , paving the way for the more effective antidepressant drugs we know today. It was also popular as a stimulant among young adults, truck drivers and athletes.
In the s, the U. This drove the meth trade underground, with illicit production resulting in the crystal meth industry. Since the side effects are similar to cocaine at a fraction of the cost, meth became more popular in rural and low-income areas. It was primarily distributed by motorcycle gangs until Mexican cartels began mass-producing meth. Meth comes in a few different forms, but most are more alike than different.
What is commonly referred to as crystal meth is available in crystal-like rocks that are intended to be smoked.
This is the most common way to ingest meth. Crystal meth is available in a purer form known as glass. Glass can be heated and injected directly into the veins.
It can also be swallowed or snorted. It is important to note that meth, as a man-made substance generally produced in illicit labs, is essentially a mystery before use. Because the chemicals used to make meth are very toxic when ingested normally, a bad batch of meth can be very dangerous. Every time a user purchases meth, the contents within are essentially a dice roll.
Some meth overdoses are related to impure or improperly produced methamphetamines that contain lethal substances. Some users may combine meth with poppers or whippets to increase the initial rush.
In , the FDA began to require prescriptions for Benzedrine. It was also becoming apparent that amphetamines had many harmful effects—including delusions, paranoia, abnormal heartbeat and heart failure—among regular users and addicts. Chronic methamphetamine use can lead to addiction. Over time, the brain develops tolerance to the drug and the user needs to take higher and higher doses to achieve the same pleasurable effects. Crystal meth may be particularly addictive.
Some users report getting hooked after trying the drug just once. Meth addiction can cause serious changes in the brain including paranoia, hallucinations and delusions for instance, the feeling of insects creeping under the skin. Many meth addicts have rotting teeth—a condition known as meth mouth—and experience severe weight loss.
In the s, the United States began to tighten regulations around the sale and use of the ephedrine—a pharmaceutical precursor used to make crystal meth.
As a result, illegal meth labs turned to an easier to obtain precursor—pseudoephedrine—a chemical found in many cold medicines. Use of crystal meth in the United States exploded in the early s. Between and , methamphetamine use rose from just under two percent of the U. Meth use has declined over the past decade, possibly as a result of limits put on the sale of pseudoephedrine in many countries. In the United States, in , roughly 1. While Adderall and Ritalin have some chemical properties in common with methamphetamine, they are generally considered safer when taken at prescribed doses and under the supervision of a medical practitioner.
Misuse of the drugs, however, can lead to addiction. Use of prescription stimulants, notably Adderall, in the U. In , adults between the ages of 20 and 39 received roughly 16 million Adderall prescriptions. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. For thousands of years, indigenous people in the Amazon Rainforest and Andes Mountains have chewed coca leaves to get an energetic high.
European scientists first isolated cocaine from coca Heroin, morphine, and other opiates trace their origins to a single plant—the opium poppy. Cultivation of the plant dates back to the earliest years of human civilization, and opium use was well known in ancient Mesopotamia. The narcotic drug has been used both recreationally German chemists originally synthesized MDMA, or ecstasy, for pharmaceutical purposes in Join us to get the news you need.
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Need Help? Membership Categories. Regular or Affiliate Member. Graduate Student Member. Undergraduate Student Member. Benefits Enjoy these benefits no matter which membership you pick. Thank you! There are few places where such large-scale harvesting, transport, processing, and cross-border trade would be possible other than Afghanistan.
A scientist at the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan forensic laboratory in Kabul, Afghanistan, analyzes methamphetamine samples seized during a police drug bust. Lynzy Billing is a freelance writer and photographer based in Afghanistan and Iraq. You might also like Counterfeit trade is worldwide epidemic. Counterfeit Trade Is Growing Worldwide. Subscribe ». Share X. To send an e-mail to multiple recipients, separate e-mail addresses with a comma, semicolon, or both.
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