Drug of the Week: Methamphetamine

Week Three: Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine (commonly called Meth, Chalk, Crank, Glass, or Ice) has effects to the body that are very similar to cocaine.

Meth is actually MORE addictive than cocaine.

When someone uses Meth for extended periods of time, you will notice small red spots on their faces and arms (similar to pimples or bug bites). This occurs because while the user is on this drug, they become obsessed with scratching and picking at themselves.

Surprisingly enough, the infamous "Meth mouth" is not due to the drug itself as much as you would think. What causes the teeth to become so damaged and waste away is because Meth causes the user to grind their teeth uncontrollably while on the drug. It also causes the mouth to be very dry, which most drug users will compensate for the dryness by consuming soft drinks, coffee, and other foods with high sugar that lead to more damage of their teeth.

Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is one of the active ingredients in methamphetamine that cannot be replaced. This is why Sudafed is sold behind the counter at pharmacies and a driver's license MUST be shown to be able to purchase it. Pharmacies are able to keep a list of all of these purchases and will present them to police officers when necessary.