Pubdate: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN) Copyright: 2005 The Leader-Post Ltd. Contact: http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361 Author: Suzanne Boyer, Saskatchewan News Network Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT METHAMPHETAMINE What Is Methamphetamine - - Methamphetamine is a highly addictive central nervous system stimulant, which accelerates the heart rate and other processes of the body. It causes a state of extreme euphoria and pleasure by stimulating the excessive release of adrenaline. Users feel confident, powerful, successful, joyful and sexy, as well as alert, restless and excited. The high can last 8-12 hours. - ------ - - Methamphetamine elevates blood pressure, heart and breathing rates, body temperature and perspiration which can lead to stroke, brain damage and seizures. It can also produce visual and auditory hallucinations, or violent paranoid and repetitive behaviour. There are serious, lasting physical and psychological side-effects of methamphetamine use. - ------ Common slang for methamphetamine: - - Meth, crystal meth or crystal, speed, glass, ice (smokable form), shards, jib, crank, peanut butter, chicken, tweek, go fast. - ------ What goes into meth? - - The crucial ingredients are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, which are extracted from common cold medications. - - Methamphetamines also include some combination of the following: Alcohol, tolulene (brake cleaner), red phosphorous (matches, road flares), ether (engine starter), iodine, lithium (batteries), Triclorethane (gun scrubber), MSM (a cutting agent), sodium metal, methanol alcohol (gasoline additives), muriatic acid (pool cleaner), anhydrous ammonia (farm fertilizer), lye, acetone, cat litter. - ------ How is methamphetamine made? - - Methamphetamine is typically produced in clandestine labs made of simple equipment. Things like glass pots, jugs, coffee filters, propane cylinders and hot-plates are used. Equipment for a lab can take as little space as a car trunk. Fumes and by-products from "cooking", or meth production, are toxic and can be deadly. - ------ What does meth look like? - - Methamphetamine comes in different forms which include 5-15 mg tablets, brown granules, an off-white crystalline powder, or clear transparent crystals. The drug is preferred in crystal form because it's typically the purest. It is most commonly seen in powder form selling for approximately $10-$15 for 0.10 grams in Saskatchewan. - ------ How is meth done? - - Methamphetamine can be ingested, smoked, snorted, or injected. - - It is most commonly smoked for an almost immediate high. This is known around Saskatoon as "doing puddles." In the Prince Albert area it's called "smoking a bowl," "doing some burns" or "smoking some jib." Often this is done in a bong, or glass pipe, which can be as simple as a broken lightbulb. The crystals are heated on the shards of the bulb and the smoke is inhaled. Meth burns very hot and smoking it can cause burns to the face, mouth and throat. - - Ingesting the drug can be referred to as "parachuting," because it is wrapped in a tissue and swallowed to dull the harshness of the drug and slow its release. - - Injecting the drug is sometimes referred to as "banging it." A favorite injection site is the veins at the base of the skull, which deliver the drug directly into the brain. The hairline also hides track marks. - - Snorting meth is known as "doing knuckles." Snorting creates a lot of soreness and redness of the nose as well as sniffling. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom