Crystal Meth

What is methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system, similar in function to cocaine or caffeine.  It is a synthetic (man-made) amphetamine drug, often made in small in-house laboratories using common over-the-counter ingredients.  As a result, there is no quality control on the manufacture of methamphetamine.  It is one of a group of substances often classified as club drugs because of its use at dance parties and clubs.  Methamphetamine is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder which dissolves easily in alcohol or water.

Who uses methamphetamine?

Globally, methamphetamine use is becoming more common. It is estimated that 1% of the world's population use amphetamine-type stimulants, including methamphetamine and ecstasy.  Historically, white, male, blue-collar workers used the drug, but it has now become popular in the youth party scene.  A recent study of youth in BC schools suggests that methamphetamine use is stable in the general youth population.  However, other evidence, including a sharp rise in methamphetamine-related deaths, indicates that use among certain high-risk populations is increasing dramatically.  Street-involved youth report high rates of use.  Teenage girls are vulnerable to the use of methamphetamine as a weight control measure, and the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered community appears to have higher rates of use.

Why do people choose to use methamphetamine?

People begin using methamphetamine for a variety of reasons. One of the most common reasons is to increase energy and performance. Another common reason for use is to enhance social interaction.  Methamphetamine's reputation in intensifying sexuality and sexual performance attracts some users.  Finally, some people with asthma or hyperactivity find that methamphetamine has a calming or centering effect on their mood and behaviour.

What happens if I use methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine can be taken orally, snorted, injected intravenously, or smoked.  Initial use, even in small doses, can increase wakefulness and physical activity, while decreasing appetite.  When methamphetamine is taken orally or by snorting, users experience a high, with an ongoing euphoria that can last for hours.  If smoked or injected, users experience an intense pleasurable sensation called a rush, which lasts for a few minutes, followed by a prolonged euphoria. The duration of the effect can vary and depends on the quantity ingested, but tends to last between 4 to 12 hours.  Because of the duration of its effect, methamphetamine is significantly cheaper to use than cocaine.

Methamphetamine users may also experience:

The purity and quality of drugs obtained from illicit markets vary considerably and, when people use these substances, they expose themselves to unknown risks.  Other risks include disease transmission through needle-sharing or the impact of criminal involvement.

What are the effects of heavy or long-term use?

Users can develop tolerance to the pleasurable feelings of methamphetamine relatively quickly, even while they continue to experience the physical stimulant effects.  This sometimes leads to a binge pattern of use, during which the user will continue to take methamphetamine every few hours over the course of days, until the supply of the drug is exhausted or until the user becomes too disorganized to continue using.

With this pattern of use, severe loss of sleep and the build up of toxic levels of methamphetamine can produce the more extreme symptoms of psychosis.  These may include paranoia hallucinations, hysteria, mood disturbances, violence, and delusions such as having the sensation of insects crawling under the skin. Additionally, because users tend not to eat while using, they can experience rapid weight loss.  In extreme cases, this pattern of use can lead to death due to brain hemorrhage or cardiovascular shock.

Evidence suggests that methamphetamine is a highly addictive substance so, even though there are no known serious health effects from methamphetamine use at a low dose, use can quickly increase and lead to serious consequences.  One serious consequence of long-term use is methamphetamine psychosis, involving schizophrenia-like hallucinations (mainly visual and auditory) and paranoid delusions that can lead to sudden aggressive behaviour.  Unlike the symptoms associated with binge use, which disappear quickly, residual psychotic symptoms from long-term use can persist for more than six months after use has stopped.  For those who have experienced a psychosis, it may recur more easily should use resume in the future, or as a result of other factors.

What happens if I stop using?

In general, when people are withdrawing from methamphetamine, they will experience the opposite of the effects of the drug. The severity of withdrawal depends on how long and how much methamphetamine was used. 

Withdrawal symptoms may last for a couple of weeks or even months, and typically include several of the following:

 
Where to go for additional help

Substance Information LINK             Alcohol & Drug Info & Referral Line

www.silink.ca                                     1-800-663-1441

BC Partners for Mental Health and Addiction Information

www.heretohelp.bc.ca

   

Information in this FACT Sheet has been used with the kind permission of the Centre for Addictions Research of BC.