METHAMPHETAMINE

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine

Introduction

The methamphetamine (MA) is a drug stimulating the central nervous system (CNS), highly potent and highly addictive whose effects are manifested in the central and peripheral nervous system. Methamphetamine has been popularized as a drug of abuse due to their intense pleasurable effects such as euphoria, increased alertness, of self-esteem, sexual appetite, perception of sensations and the intensification of emotions. On the other hand, decreases appetite, fatigue and the need to sleep.

There are some indications for the MA, including narcolepsy, attention deficit hyperactive in children, morbid obesity and nasal decongestant (l-methamphetamine). However, this drug shows great potential for addiction , and its use can lead to chronic appearance of behaviors psychotic and violent, as a result of which can cause damage to the CNS (Barr, 2006).

Discussion

Methamphetamine is a drug that works as a stimulant; it causes neurotransmitters to release dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephirine. This drug has a relatively short history compared to some other drugs. Yet in this short time, methamphetamine has had a paralyzing impact on human lives, public safety, and the American economy.

Methamphetamine has a sordid history in terms of its regulation and treatment, and some researchers assert that differences in the approach to methamphetamine reflect differences in racial/ethnic patterns of drug use. This entry reviews the impact of methamphetamine on individuals and society, describes regional patterns of methamphetamine use and manufacture, and examines differences in social and legal responses to methamphetamine and crack cocaine (Maxwell, 2005).

Medical and Social Costs

In terms of how methamphetamine is a societal problem, many indicators exist. For example, according to the National Association of Counties, 40% of out-of-home placements of children were due to methamphetamine in 2005 alone. Between 2000 and 2005, law enforcement seizures by federal or state officials of methamphetamine manufacturing laboratories affected more than 15,000 children; nearly 4,000 children were exposed to chemical toxins, and 8 children died in connection with these laboratories (Rawson, 2006).

During the same year, the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy attributed nearly 11,000 drug-related emergency room visits to methamphetamine. The medical costs associated with methamphetamine are staggering as well. Not only is methamphetamine a health issue for people never caught, it is a financial and resource drain for those convicted of methamphetamine-related charges.

One example of the health issues for those convicted is that methamphetamine use impacts the health of the teeth and gums; this has been a serious issue for departments of correction across the United States in that increased medical resources have been needed to address an issue that began prior to incarceration.

Health Hazards

Methamphetamine releases high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which stimulates brain cells, enhancing mood and body movement. It also appears to have a neurotoxic effect, damaging brain cells that contain dopamine and serotonin (another neurotransmitter). Over time, it appears that the reduced methamphetamine dopamine levels, which may result in symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, a serious disorder of movement.

Methamphetamine is taken orally, intranasal (snorting the powder), intravenous (injecting it) or pulmonary (by ...