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Methamphetamine or "crystal meth" is a synthetic stimulant drug which creates a short sense of euphoria and is highly addictive. Crystal methamphetamine is a white/clear crystalline solid, illicitly distributed as very pure crystals termed glass, ice or crystal, or as as less pure crystalline powder termed crank or speed.
In few instances, these substances when found on the street are diluted or cut with inert substances like mannitol or Vitamin B12. In most instances, the methamphetamine is usually of a pure nature, but diluted mainly with the chemicals that were used to synthesize it. Most methamphetamine users prefer the drug in purer form since the high that is wanting to be achieved is somewhat specific (unlike heroin, where impurity is something that the users just have to live with in many cases). Methamphetamine was first synthesized in 1919 in Japan.
Production
Methamphetamine is chemically similar to and can be synthesized from pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, or ephedrine hydrochloride, a commonly available decongestant with no strong euphoric effects. There are many different syntheses for conversion which can be found on the internet, although these sources are sometimes not trustworthy, and most experienced 'cooks' learned from either chemistry classes or other 'cooks' in person. The synthesis usually involves moderately dangerous chemicals which are generally used by people without laboratory training. This can result in highly dangerous situations which can be environmental hazards, as the byproducts of production are highly toxic in most syntheses, and are sometimes dumped in unsafe places.
Methamphetamine can also be made from phenylacetone & methylamine, which are currently DEA List I chemicals.
Almost all production of methamphetamine yields methamphetamine freebase. Freebase methamphetamine is not crystalline, however, it is a golden liquid. Impure methamphetamine freebase will be be different colors, most commonly red or pink.
Chemistry
- IUPAC name: (S)-N,a-Dimethylbenzene-ethanamine; d-N-methylamphetamine
- Chemical formula: C10H15N
- CAS number: 537-46-2
- Molecular weight: 149.24
Methamphetamine's molecule is structurally similar to methcathinone, amphetamine, and other CNS stimulants. The reduction of ephedrine will produce methamphetamine.
Yaba
Yaba are methamphetamine tablets, often colored and candy flavored. Yaba means "crazy drug" in the Thai language and is popular in East Asia and Southeast Asia, where the drug is produced.
Military use
Methamphetamine is often given to fighting troops and pilots during wartime by their government. During World War II, it was widely used by Germany and its allies under the name Pervitin. It has been recently discovered that Hitler was a methamphetamine user by IV Injection. During World War II, methamphetamine was passed out to Japanese kamikaze pilots.
Legality
Methamphetamine is classified as a Schedule II substance by the DEA in the United States Schedule II drugs can be prescribed, but only for up to 30 days at a time. A written prescription must be presented to the pharmacist, and refills are not allowed. While there is technically no difference between the laws regarding methamphetamine and other controlled stimulants, most psychiatrists are averse to prescribing it due to its status in society. Further, there is some anecdotal evidence that the DEA audits such prescriptions on a far more regular basis than similar drugs.
In some of the United States, manufacting methamphetamine is punishable by a mandatory 10 year prison sentence. In some cases, however, judges have ruled for life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Medical uses
Methamphetamine is usually prescribed as a treatment for narcolepsy, obesity attention deficit hyperactive disorder, and attention deficit disorder and supplied as 5mg methamphetamine hydrochloride tablets under the brand name Desoxyn.
Effects
In the short term, methamphetamine can cause insomnia, high body temperature, elevated blood pressure, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, skin rashes, euphoria, restlessness, and dilated pupils. The long term effects of methamphetamine can include liver and kidney damage, depression, altered brain chemistry, weight loss, and in some cases, methamphetamine psychosis, which is nearly identical to paranoid schizophrenia.
Methamphetamine can be taken orally, snorted, smoked, or injected. The level of addiction usually follows how the drug is used. Assuming that a person were to do the drug once, the person would be safest by taking it orally, and risking themselves by injecting it.
A usual dose of methamphetamine will usually keep the user up for at least 2 hours (very impure form), and up to 24 hours (purer form). When one is taking methamphetamine for days on end, one will beging to get sleep deprived. The anger that sleep deprivation causes usually follows after a few days of binging methamphetamine, some methamphetamine users can control it, however.
After about 5 days of use, heavy sleep deprivation will set in, and one will begin to see 'shadow people,' almost as if the shadows were coming alive, this is called tweaking. It is also sometimes referred to as 'the meth monster,' since the effects leave you in a near dream-like 'zoning out' state. Early signs of tweaking include seeing shadow bugs move across the floor. This type of sleep deprivation usually results in irrational thinking, and paranoia. If the paranoia gets too great, and there is a continuation of sleep deprivation, 'cabin fever' can occour; this is very rare, however.
Users often experience feelings of extreme power in their minds. This power is usually not false when the user starts off the day's use with a good night's sleep. The initial methamphetamine high is usually very clean; meaning that it makes you think faster, and on a higher, clearer level. It is only after moderate to heavy sleep deprivation sets in that the methamphetamine user begins to get confused, or begins 'losing control'.
Jaw clenching is a common side effect of methamphetamine; this is one reason why methamphetamine addicts lose their teeth so fast. 'Twitching' is another common side effect of methamphetamine, but is mainly associated with less pure methamphetamine.
Methamphetamine is commonly smoked in glass pipes, or in tin foil without direct flame. Methamphetamine must be heated to put off the desired smoke; not burned. Smoking methamphetamine is probably the most impure form of injestion, since it is very damaging to the lungs. Methamphetamine users who smoke it sometimes experience mild asthma, which can be helped by inhaling albuterol aerosol, or epinephrine aerosol. Methamphetamine is a powerful nasal decongestant, so methamphetamine users who snort it often have very clear nasal cavities. It is debated what the healthiest form of injestion is for methamphetamine, many users believe that the cleanest form of injestion is by injection. Methamphetamine is soluble in water, injection users usually dose .2 grams in 30ml of water through a small needle. Amazingly, methamphetamine does not destroy veins much at all. Most injection methamphetamine users have been using the same vein for years (unlike heroin, which is very well known for blowing out veins).
Methamphetamine probably makes its way out of the body trans-dermally; many users have been found with crystallisation on their skin.
Street Names
Methamphetamine has many street names, including glass, ice or crystal for purer forms, or as as less pure crystalline powder termed crank or speed. "Crystal meth" is the crystalline form of methamphetamine. In its purest form, it is commonly referred to as "glass," or "ice." This is because it appears to be broken shards of glass, or crushed ice.
These basic nicknames are very similar to marijuana's nicknames. Glass is a very pure form of methamphetamine, just like kind bud or killer bud is very potent bud form of marijuana. Crank is the normal form of methamphetamine, just like weed is the normal bud form of marijuana.
"Nazi Dope" generally refers to methamphetamine made with anhydrous ammonia, since it is rumored that this was the way the Nazis synthesized it in World War II. This same method is sometimes called "annie's dope."
Books
- Secrets of Methamphetamine Manufacture, by Uncle Fester
See also
- amphetamine
- Clandestine_(Chemistry)
- dexamphetamine
- ephedrine
- methcathinone
- phenethylamines
- pseudoephedrine
External Links
Meth is also the Hebrew word for death.